My friend,Rachel, found this video and I thought it was too cute not to share! haha!

http://www.todaysbigthing.com/2009/09/22

check it out!

Struggling to Praise

I hear songs on the radio playing... " I don't wanna go through the motions.. "and I sing it loudly as my prayer to Christ Jesus that as I live my life daily living some type of motion, that it will be a mustard seed size of satisfaction in His eyes. I must say, "It's hard to be a woman in America, and at the same time, it's hard to be a woman in Africa"(singer-Alli Rogers,"Tanzania"). I feel my sword becoming dull and my armor beaten from all that life "gives". I see the world with all of it's desperation and disappointment with people wondering, "How'd I get here?" What steps did I take? I often see so much at once that in return I feel suffocation sinking in wondering if I'll ever feel release from all of life's "offerings". I seek to serve in a world full of "needs", where routine is the norm and going with the flow is waking up, getting yourself (and your kids) ready,"quiet time"/if any, hitting rushhour to get to work;Loving your job or possibly hating it, I don't know your situation, only to finish a days worth of routine and motions only to start it all over again. I can't help but ask the Lord if this is really what Life is all about. Is this the greatness of the Lord? I see yes, .. and I see no. Work is good! It says in His word!, Genesis 2:2, 2:15, ... But I am in search of what the word,WORK means to God and what the word, WORK means to the world. I don't type this to talk bad about working, like I said work is good and if you( and I) can work serving the Lord then that much more to praise Him! I often forget my importance and am bogged down with the future, the what if's, the "yet to be done" and am struggling with the "Praise Him!" part. I want to praise Him when I'm happy and when I'm stressed ,when I'm sick and when I'm scared. As Matt Chandler put it very well in one of his sermons, I want to come to my Heavenly Father looking up, not out, with arms open wide saying, as a child ( of God), I'm hungry, I'm tired, I'm scared. I don't have it all together and honestly I know never will but praise Jesus I know who does and forever will. My prayer today is to rest in his mercy and goodness. For Him to owe nothing to me but His presence, knowing when I'm scared, He's right there, when I'm lonely, His word told me, He'd never leave me. Thank you Lord for your comfort through the sunshine and the rain. You pour down your love and the least I can do is offer you Praise..

-Your broken Child.

As I carry on..

I'm back to my ol' stomping ground and I must say I am feeling much more like myself:). Being in Texas was a wonderful journey God took me on and with that in mind, I have no regrets. I have often referenced Texas in several conversations while back home in NC. I somewhat feel like "Texas" is my ex boyfriend's name. I've said the word Texas so much that even I am tired of hearing, "In Texas....". I can't help but laugh though knowing the memories in Texas are still with me even if I'm not with Texas. I guess the Texans were right, "I can leave Texas, but Texas won't leave me".

Since I've been home, I've been busy working. In a new place, with a new office, new co-workers and pretty much everything around me is... well.. new. I'm enjoying my time with my family and recognizing how much more I appreciate them than before. I now am clearly aware that I must accept all people as Christ does, just as they are. Counting others better than myself with constant humility towards my Savior(Philippians 2:3). Have I mastered this? By no means! Will I ever?probably not. Should I just quit while ahead? No way. If that were the case, Christ should have given up on me a long time ago!

My pastor at my church here in NC preached two days ago on how Jesus is Savior but how it is up to us to make Him LORD. That really hit home for me. Making Him LORD ,to me, meant submiting everything to Him. I must confess, here lately it's not been the case as much in my life. My mind has been so preoccupied with work that I've barely had a chance to catch my breath leaving my "quiet time" with God slim to none. It's made me question my motives as I adjust to being back home. I literally fear slipping back into an old routine or away from my heavenly Father. He knows I'm exhausted from my new job but I know as His child that not making time for Him is not an acceptable excuse. If I am to put Him first in everything I do, then whether I'm in the shower, car or in my office, I am to praise Him, talk to Him and submit to His will every step of the way.

As I come before you as a child saved by grace, broken and weary, I pray that I lead my life from this day forward completely SOLD OUT in all I do for my Savior and LORD, Jesus Christ.

Amen.