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Saturday, December 10, 2011

Praise His Name With Dancing

"And David danced before the LORD with all his might..." 2 Samuel 6:14
"You turned my wailing into dancing;
You removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy."
Psalm 30:11
"Let them praise His name in the dance: let them
sing praises unto Him with the timbrel and harp."
Psalm 149:3
"Praise Him with the timbrel and dance: praise Him with stringed instruments and organs"
Psalm 150:4
"A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance."
Ecclesiastes 3:4

I'm in a balletic mood this evening...can you tell?
Tomorrow is my dance studio's Christmas recital. I'm really looking forward to it! Here's the song that I'm dancing to, "Your Great Name"
All the lovely photos came from google images...I particularly am fond of the first and second. Oh, to have that split and arabesque! :)

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Examine Yourself - Paul Washer


This is an excellent message given by Paul Washer. It's long but REALLY worth watching.

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Healing

"Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; Save me, and I shall be saved, For You are my praise." ~ Jeremiah 17:14

(I wrote this about two weeks ago, it has just taken me a while to publish.)

Last Tuesday I had all of my wisdom teeth removed, the surgery itself wasn't bad but the next couple of days I felt pretty crummy. I got a cold and I felt pressure in my ears, and three of my lymph nodes were swollen. On Saturday I was up and around more but I felt really achy and tired. My head and jaw were really sore. I consumed a shameful amount of ice cream. It felt wonderful on my gums and it didn't taste bad either. :)

I went to church on Sunday and I was feeling better. The first song we sang was about God being our Healer- that spoke to me. I had been taking strong pain medication but had stopped using it and had taken an ibuprofen before the service but I didn't feel it working. :) I was feeling pretty sick. My head felt tired, sore, and my jaw hurt. In my heart I prayed to be healed from the top of my head to the bottom of my feet.

After the time of worship our pastor spoke to me and told me that God wanted to reveal something to me during the service. As he was speaking to me I felt this warm sensation rise up my back. It was peaceful and gentle but strong and then I felt it rise to my neck. It was calming but at the same time powerful. The entire time he was speaking to me I felt it, I know it was the Holy Spirit's presence. It was like nothing I've ever felt before; it was a wonderful feeling. The warmth settled on my back and it calmed me. The tired, worn down feeling left me instantly. My headache was gone and I felt so much peace. Throughout the service I continued to feel better. I went home and even though it was still uncomfortable, eating was easier than it had been at breakfast. I didn't have to rest at all the remainder of the day; I didn't lay down once!
I wanted to share this with you to encourage you to trust God for healing.
When someone asked Jesus to heal them, He never once refused. I'm afraid we've set such low expectations on His power. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead lives in us!

"Bless the Lord, O my soul;
And all that is within me, bless His Holy name!
Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits;
Who forgive all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases"
Psalm 103:3

"Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them."
Matthew 4:24

But there's one other thing I want to add before I hit the publish button; I've had a hip injury in my left leg from ballet for over two and a half years.  It hindered my flexibility and I had irritation when I sat for long periods of time. I was reading an excellent book the other night and the author told a story about a friend of hers whose spine was completely healed of scoliosis. It really inspired and encouraged me, so I asked the Lord to heal my hip. And I haven't had the least bit of pain since! Not only that but I also seem to have more flexibility in that leg!
I went out of town today and was on the road for about an hour and a half, and I didn't notice any irritation whatsoever! Praise God!

"Ask and it shall be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be open to you."
Matthew 7:7

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Did I live My Live For You?



"At the end of our lives, we will not be judged by how many diplomas we received, how much money we have made or how many great things we have done. We will be judged by, 'I was hungry and you gave me food to eat. I was naked and you clothed me. I was homeless and you took me in.'" ~Mother Theresa

I don't want to waste my life on things that don't matter.

"When it's all been said and done, there is just one thing that matters.  Did I do my best to live for truth, did I live my life for You?"

Matthew 16:25
"For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for Me will find it."

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

“I'd rather have people hate me with the knowledge that I tried to save them.”

"No Compromise: The Life Story of Keith Green" has become one of my favorite books! Once I finish it I hope to do a review but until then I wanted to share some of my favorite Keith Green songs. It took a little while to get used to his style but I love it! I love the passion that is so evident it every song. "Rushing Wind" was my first favorite but "O Lord, You're Beautiful", "Make My Life a Prayer to You," and "No Compromise"  are a few other songs that I really enjoy. 

“If your heart takes more pleasure in reading novels, or watching TV, or going to the movies, or talking to friends, rather than just sitting alone with God and embracing Him, sharing His cares and His burdens, weeping and rejoicing with Him, then how are you going to handle forever and ever in His presence...? You'd be bored to tears in heaven, if you're not ecstatic about God now! ” 

“I'd rather have people hate me with the knowledge that I tried to save them.”
“I've never tried to be controversial. The truth is controversial enough.”
“If somebody writes a great poem, people don't run around applauding the pencil, saying 'Oh, what a great pencil'...I'm a pencil in God's hands.”
Make my life a prayer to you
 I want to do what you want me to
No empty words
And no white lies
No token prayers
No compromise
I want to thank You now for being patient with me
For it's so hard to see when my eyes are on me
I want to take Your light and shine it all around
But first help me just to live it Lord
And if I'm doing well help me to never seek a crown
Except to give all the glory to You

Rushing wind flow through this temple
Blowing out the dust within
Come and breathe Your breath upon me
For I've been born again

To obey is better than sacrifice
I don't need your money
I want your life
And I hear you say that I'm coming back soon
But you act like I'll never return
Well you speak of grace and My love so sweet
How you thrive on milk but reject My meat
And I can't help weeping at how it will be
If you keep on ignoring My Word

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Words of Wisdom

“I am not what I ought to be, I am not what I want to be, I am not what I hope to be in another world; but still I am not what I once used to be, and by the grace of God I am what I am”

“I have one desire now - to live a life of reckless abandon for the Lord, putting all my energy and strength into it.”

“The remarkable thing about God is that when you fear God, you fear nothing else, whereas if you do not fear God, you fear everything else.”

“It is inbred in us that we have to do exceptional things for God: but we have not. We have to be exceptional in the ordinary things, to be holy in mean streets, among mean people, and this is not learned in five minutes”

“I wish thy way.
And when in me myself should rise,
and long for something otherwise,
Then Lord, take sword and spear
And slay.”

“All God's giants have been weak men who did great things for God because they reackoned on God being with them.”
 Hudson Taylor


"I have decided to follow Jesus, I have decided to follow Jesus, I have decided to follow Jesus. No turning back, no turning back."

Friday, September 16, 2011

My Utmost For His Highest


"Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?" John 11:40

Every time you venture out in the life of faith, you will find something in your common sense circumstances that flatly contradicts your faith. Common sense is not faith, and faith is not common sense; they stand in the relation of the natural and the spiritual. Can you trust Jesus Christ where your common sense can not trust Him? Can you venture heroically on Jesus Christ's statements when the facts of your common sense life shout-"It's a lie?" On the mount it is easy to say-"Oh, yes, I believe God can do it"; but you have to come down into the demon-possessed valley and meet with facts that laugh ironically at the whole mount-of-transfiguration belief. Every time my programme of belief is clear to my own mind, I come across something that contradicts it.

Let me say I believe God will supply all my need, and then let me run dry, with no outlook, and see whether I will go through the trial of faith, or whether I will sink back to something lower.

Faith must be tested, because it can be turned into a personal possession only through conflict. What is your faith up against right now? The test will either prove that your faith is right, or it will kill it. "Blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in Me." The final thing is confidence in Jesus. Believe steadfastly on Him and all you come up against will develop your faith. There is continual testing in the life of faith, and the last great test is death. May God keep us in fighting trim!

Faith is unutterable trust in God, trust which never dreams that He will not stand by us."

"Sublime Intimacy" from "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers

Saturday, September 3, 2011

Georgia On My Mind...

We're going to Georgia this week!

Going to GA means spending time with our family

Packing into our suburban

Listening to whatever will keep the little ones quiet. Sometimes that's classical sometimes its Veggie Tales. Whatever will pacify them! :)

When we reach the Ga line we sing "Caledonia" an old Scottish ballad about homeland because we're very sentimental.:)

We spend a lot of time playing spoons, UNO, and Phase 10 with everyone around the dining room table

Swimming all day long and getting sunburned

Taking long walks

Staying up late

Eating ice cream and watermelon

We sing a lot with my aunt and cousin. Lydia has been trying to learn how to harmonize for the last couple of years. I think it's starting to click...finally. :)

I ♥ Georgia!

Wednesday, August 31, 2011


I've tried it on my own and failed
Temptations and tempests beat against me ceaselessly
Helpless I am in the face of offense
And fearful, and cowardly I am in defense

But the Spirit came upon me with a breath full of Life
And lifted my head up to look above the strife
And a feeling of wholeness wrapped around me and a comfort came
And an assurance that I would never be the same

For above the din of the confusion of life
 I heard a voice say "You are not alone, and never will be"
And a constant Peace I will be to thee

 I know I would not want to live a single day
Without The Holy One as my Helper
My constant defense
The Lover of my soul in the hour of offense

We're each on a mission, as we live our lives
We have no need to fear for we know He will rise
Though hard the road, and difficult the path
We are protected and safe from the enemy's wrath

So send the fire today
Send Your Spirit upon us
We need a touch of Your mighty hand
We need the Power to take a stand
Here we are waiting
For the One to descend
We're waiting for the breath of Your Rushing Wind

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Rushing Wind




Rushing wind, blow through this temple,
Blowing out the dust within;
Come and breathe Your breath upon me:
I've been born again.


Holy Spirit, I surrender; take me where You want to go.
Plant me by Your living water,
Plant me deep so I can grow.


Jesus, You’re the One who sets my spirit free;
Use me, Lord; glorify Your Holy Name through me.


Separate me from this world, Lord;
Sanctify my life for You.
Daily change me to Your image,
Help me bear good fruit.


Ev'ry day You're drawing closer;
Trials come to test my faith.
But when all is said and done, Lord,
You know it's been worth the wait.


Jesus, You’re the one who set my spirit free;
Use me, Lord; glorify Your Holy Name through me.


Rushing wind, blow through this temple,
Blowing out the dust within;
Come and breathe You breath upon me,
For I've been born again.

~

Lord, I pray this will be the cry of my heart until I see You one day face to face!

Sunday, August 21, 2011

Fudgy, Gooey, Cocoa Brownies

 I've made these brownies more times this summer than I want to count. We really, really like them. And they're really simple to make.

For a large batch,
Put 4 sticks of butter in a large saucepan on high heat. Don't think about the amount of butter too much just stick them in the pot and melt them. :) Then wisk in...
Two cups of cocoa powder. Its a lot but it gives it a rich, deep chocolate flavor.
4 cups of sugar (I do cut back on this by about 1/3 of a cup)
Once blended together take the saucepan off the heat and add,
                                                                4 teaspoons of vanilla
1 teaspoon salt
       Six eggs (whisk them into the batter quickly otherwise you'll end up with scrabled eggs.)

2 cups of flour
Add 2 cups of chopped walnuts.

Bake at 350 degrees

And honestly I couldn't tell you how long this bakes. I'd set the timer for 35 minutes and check it. It depends on how hot your oven is but I usually end up baking them for 45 minutes or so. It just depends. But don't rely on the toothpick test because these are supposed to be very gooey. I usually bake them until the edges appear done but the middle looks a bit underbaked.


These are addictive. Just ask my family.

I'd say it probably serves about 15 people,
Or a mom and two teenage daughers.

No, I'm kiddng it usually last our family up to two days. :)

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Heart of Worship


When the music fades
All is stripped away
And I simply come
Longing just to bring
Something that's of worth
That will bless your heart

I'll bring you more than a song
For a song in itself
Is not what you have required
You search much deeper within
Through the way things appear
You're looking into my heart

Chorus
I'm coming back to the heart of worship
And it's all about you
It's all about you, Jesus
I'm sorry Lord for the things I've made it
When it's all about you
It's all about you, Jesus

King of endless worth
No one could express
How much you deserve
Though I'm weak and poor
All I have is yours
Every single breath

Chorus

I'll bring You more than a song
I'll bring Your more than a song
I'll bring You more than a song

You're looking into my heart
Your're looking into my heart
You're looking into my heart
You're looking into my heart
Into my heart
Into my heart

I'll bring You more than a song...

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Mama, My Best Friend

She taught me how to walk, eat, swim, read, write, sing, and ride my bike
She taught me about God from the time I was born
As a toddler I remember her reading 2 Timothy and Proverbs 31 to me. One of the first verses that she taught me was Deuteronomy 6:4-9
I know that her prayers have been showered over me.
She's a chocoholic. Like mother, like daughter.
I've always wanted my Bible to look as well loved as her's.
She can read me like a book
She knows me better than anyone else
She is really into nutrition and exercise
She doesn't play sports
She played basketball for a short time in middle school but quit because she was scared of the ball
She wanted to marry a doctor and live in New York City. She swore she would never marry a redneck with a tool box on the back of his pickup truck.
She married a redneck with a tool box on the back of his pickup truck.
She's frugal and thrifty
She drives me an hour and a half away for ballet every week.
She always wanted to be a ballerina
When she and my dad were dating she said he was perfect...love is blind. :)
She's lived in West Virginia, Illinois, Georgia, Ohio, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Kentucky
She's always wanted to have a big family

My mom on her wedding day in 1993
She's the one I spill my guts to :)
She's really fun to travel with
She's a hard worker
She has a great sense of humor
She can't stand to waste anything
She's a registered nurse
I always turn to her for advice
Her favorite colors to wear are black and white, I'm the same way :)
I want to go to Washington D.C. with her
She doesn't mind listening to all my ideas...and quotes
Her favorite movies are Fireproof, Facing the Giants, Gone With the Wind and The Parent Trap (old version)
She taught me how to drive, I was the first person she's ever taught.
I've broken her in for all my siblings. :)
She says she hasn't gotten a full night's sleep in seventeen years
She, Lydia, and I (and sometimes my dad) watch 19 Kids and Counting every Tuesday night
She always buys me good books
Sometimes, when I'm about to climb into the suburban she drives off, laughing.  Over and over again. (she likes to do that to Lydia too) - she said she didn't want me to tell that because it makes her sound immature! :)
When I was little she read to me every day, sometimes hours at a time
She expected me to read when I was four, like she did.
I didn't read until I was seven
She's an amazing cake decorator and seamstress...not! :)
She doesn't mind my accents...even when they don't sound right
We have our own brand of humor that we understand completely
She hums and sings a lot
She always wanted long hair as a child
She's not an animal person
She's one of my kindred spirits :)
She seeks after God
She's a noncomformist
She makes great bread
I tell her everything, I know I can completely trust her
My forgetfullness exasperates her (I'm working on that)
Once when we were in the mall parking lot she blew the horn really loudly at a lady who she thought was her sister (it was not.)
I love spending time with her.
She is my dearest, sweetest friend and I mean that 100%

I'm SO glad that God blessed me with the mom that He did. She wants all that He has for our family. She hungers for the things of God and of the Holy Spirit.

My Mom with her two sisters in New York City in 1991

Saturday, August 13, 2011

The Dirt on My Dad

The first thing you'll notice about my dad is that he's not afraid to say what he's thinking
He has a very strong personality
He's a really great cook
We've watched a lot of The Andy Griffith Show together over the years
And Food Network
He's extremely protective
My mom says that people either really like him or they really don't like him,
He has a tender side
He loves sarcasm
He works hard to provide for our family
He grew up in Georgia
He doesn't read very much but when he gets a hold of a book he likes he reads it in a day or two
He's always wanted to have a big family
He wanted to have a little girl first to teach him how to be gentle
Lydia gives him a manicure every week, thus he never has to cut his own nails
He's gotten out of the habit of exercising regularly, just sayin' :)
He loves Christmas time
He makes it very special
He wants a tattoo of our family tree
He likes southern Gospel music
He's gone to the dentist once in the last nineteen years
He has great teeth, he's never had a cavity
My parents on their wedding day

He and I rarely have a disagreement
But I exasperate him, and he exasperates me
He encourages me in my goals
I like to hear him pray
He always turns to my mom for health advice, he doesn't always listen to her though
He turned twenty-five nine days after I was born
He and Gabe are going to hike part of the Appalachian trail in October
He can't carry a tune
He had long hair in highschool
He bought my mom a pair of ugly men's hiking shoes for her birthday one year. Other than that he usually is really great about birthdays.
I usually like the clothes he gives me for Christmas, he has good taste.
He's the kite, my mom's the string
Financially, he's the free spirit, my mom's the nerd
He's not fun to travel with but once you get to your destination he has a good time
When I was younger he bought me leopard print footed pajamas for Christmas as at joke. They were hideous.
He lets the boys eat junk food :)
He's a command man...as if you didn't know that
He gives me good advice, I value his opinion a lot
There's been many nights when he has comes to pick me up from ballet at 9 o'clock at night, he's never once complained
He can't put on accents to save his life
He's a good planner and coordinator
He respects my mom
He's very generous
He's hospitable
He has called Lily Kate "Baby Girl" since the day she was born
He dislikes math
He was in the army when I was born
He's a dreamer
He loves bull mastiffs
He likes sports
He never misses one of the boys baseball games
He's a good builder
My mom's nickname for him is Scotty-boy
He's creative
If he's in the kitchen while I'm cooking he always has to tell me what I'm doing wrong, then he sees that I'm annoyed and he lets me get on with my work..most of the time.
He got his Bachelor's degree last year!!
Lily Kate has him wrapped around her little finger :)
He introduced me to sushi, I've been hooked ever since.
The first time my mom met him she thought she was cute but a little arrogant.
My mom can't stand to be in the kitchen while my dad is cooking.
He likes war movies.
He always has a new business scheme cooking up in his mind. Right now it's a food truck business. I suppose I'd be his sous chef. :)

God really created my dad with a unique personality. I've really never met anyone like him. Haha.
I believe God has great plans for him. I'm thankful for him. I believe that God has something great in store for him.
I love you :)
Oh, and one other thing. He doesn't know I'm writing this... :)

Thursday, August 11, 2011

All about my Little, Big Sister

~Abigail Layne~


This is Lydia-- you read about me yesterday...

I told Abigail since she had written about all of us, that I was going to write about her, and surprisingly she agreed! :)


 She is a very kind person.  She does not like to say ANYTHING unkind about anyone.
        She gives great gifts... despite the fact that she is a major tight-wad.
  She likes to bake- one of my favorites is chocolate cheesecake.
           She is the most indecisive person I know.
                             She is extremely creative.
She gets obsessive about things (ballet, chocolate, accents, Europe, books, quotes, Les Miserables, just to name a few).  We laugh saying that she could go an entire day speaking only in quotes.
She really likes chocolate.  When my mom walks in from grocery shopping, her first question is "did you buy any chocolate?"
She cries about e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g. She cries when she is happy, she cries when  she is sad. She cries when she is frustrated, and she cries when she is mad. She said that if there was a pill that she could take to make her not cry, she would take it. 
She is an amazing driver... that's all I am going to say. ;)


She is a beautiful dancer.
      She entertains us daily with her attempts at playing "Les Miserables" songs on the piano. It is indeed miserable.
She humours us with her daily attempts at accents- particularly her British accent. 
      When it comes to swimming, she is a good diver.
She is a dreamer.  She is very soft-spoken.  She is a hard worker, always striving for excellence.
If you look through her ballet bag, you will find a spare big toe-nail in a plastic bag.. we call it her prosthetic toenail.  She lost it dancing en pointe and she had to bandaid it back on before the new nail grew in.
     She is extremely forgetful, but she is quick to remind us that she does remember important things.
Even though she is extremely careful with her money (as in not spending it), you will find it laying around the house, along with various other things of hers.


 She brushes her teeth ferociously.
      She walks like a ballerina (aka- duck)... and she's proud of it, go figure. ;)
She desperately wants to travel.


If something is difficult she thinks she has to do it.  She started running when we lived in south Georgia and would run in 100+ degree weather. 
   She had an enormous amount of hair when she was born... she still does.


 She hates the fact that people sometimes think that I am older than her.
       She likes to point out that she is the guinea pig of the family.
She and I have shared a room since we were very little.
      She is a stickler for traditions.
She thinks my south Georgia accent is excellent, although she really dislikes it! :)


 She loves beautiful things-- music, home decor, old things, clothes/aprons, flowers...
       She and I love to sing together... except when I try to harmonize and it doesn't come out quite right- then she gets annoyed and stops.


She is a beautiful girl, and I am so happy to have her as my sister. God has been working so much in her life and it is very evident. She follows hard after the heart of God.  She is willing to let Him use her in whatever way He wants to.

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

My Big Little Sister

Lydia Caroline

She's my best friend, room mate, and critic
She has a great sense of humor
When it comes to teasing she can dish it out but she can't take it
She is very creative
She reads my mom's news feed on Facebook
Did I mention that she's really nosy?
She's great at putting outfits together
She adores babies
She doesn't like animals, especially dogs
She sings in the shower...everyone in the house can hear her
I won't say what she thinks about boys because she'd slug me
She took ballet for seven years then switched to piano
She doesn't always share her emotions
She's a great care giver
She LOVES watermelon
And shoes
She is a procrastinator but when she finally gets around to doing a job she does it with excellence
She despises math
Sometimes we have to peel her away from the computer screen
I could see her having a lot of children
She makes fun of my driving ability
She makes fun of my brownies
She's a very opinionated person
She and I have spent many nights watching Road to Avonlea together on her little DVD player
She's three and a half inches taller than me
And she thinks its really great
People think that she's older-I clarify it for them :)
We make it a point never to go to bed mad at each other
We're similar in a lot of ways and totally different in others
She requires a lot of sleep
She's bossy to me, I guess she's paying me back for all the years I bossed her around
She has a quick wit
Sometimes I want to shake her with frustration, sometimes she wants to shake me
She can seem shy if you don't know her well but once you do she's VERY outgoing
She takes a lot of self portraits
She stalks blogs
She hates to run
She chews bubble gum for days (she saves it for later) it's disgusting :)
At one point she had five blogs going
She gets to do things a lot sooner than I did
She's great at impersonations! She does a MEAN south Georgia accent!
She makes me laugh so hard
She's a manipulator!
She drove for the first time a few weeks ago on our friends farm. I was in the back of the pickup truck and she almost sent me sailing through the back window a time or two. :) She did a great job for a first timer though.
She's very kind
When she gives a compliment I know she means it.
When we play a game if she's losing she sometimes resorts to cheating
When she's playing spoons she sometimes resorts to clawing
She likes to add her two cents worth :)
She's my dear friend

God has really been working in her life! I look forward to seeing what He has in store for her, she's special to me.

She told me she had to proof read this before I can post it. I hope she approves.

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Gabriel Baldwin

Gabe is the oldest of the boys, he has a lot of oldest child characteristics
He's a hard worker
He loves Man vs. Wild and Survivor Man
He and I have an ongoing debate on whether baseball or ballet is harder.
He's very kind and considerate and he's a lot of fun too.
When it comes to clothes, comfort is his top priority...I try to get him to branch out. Sometimes he likes that and sometimes he doesn't.
He loves baseball, hiking, and camping
He can do twenty pushpups
He's great at making things and figuring out how things work
He hates chocolate
He's a grouch when he doesn't get enough sleep :)
He likes country music
He doesn't like ballet
He's a big Braves baseball fan
I won't say what he thinks about girls because he asked me not to
He's going to be a middle schooler this year
He likes war movies, especially The Patriot
He's not a huge sweet eater.
He keeps Titus from getting too swell headed. :)
He's the slow and steady type.
He's honorable

He's a gentleman in every sense of the word. And I mean that.