a good day

 

Hello everybody. I hope you all are having a wonderful Tuesday. Here where I live, it such a beautiful day today. The sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are chirping, and the temperature is just perfect. It would be a perfect day to go on a hike or a nice long bicycle ride but alas, I cannot. Instead, my day is going to consist of writing papers, taking quizzes, studying for tests, and reading chapters and chapters in my text books. As you can see.......

 

.............I'm not too thrilled. But you know what? Sometimes you just have to make the best of it. Sure there are things I would rather be doing, but today is actually a great day for some homework. Right now I am sitting at my desk in my room, with beams of sunlight shining through my window, Lady Antebellum blasting from my speakers, and a cup of chai tea setting next to me. Hey, it could be worse! It all has to do with your mindset. If you feel like your day isn't going too well or you aren't very thrilled about the way you have to spend your day just keep repeating these sayings in your head.

 

 

never once

 

Do you ever have days where there are just so many thoughts going around and around in your head, and you can't even decipher what is true from what is false? What is real and what is fake?

Whether you should be sad or glad?

It's a crazy feeling when you can't decide whether to cry or laugh, sigh or smile.

It could be because life has decided to take off full steam ahead for some people,

but seems to be in a stand still for you.

Or maybe it's opposite and life has become nothing but a crazy rollercoaster and you are not sure how much more you can take.

Sometimes life just seems like a battleground that is filled with scars and struggles.

Either way it's easy to feel left behind, alone, and abused by the world.

But you know what? God has been with us every step of the way.

Never once did we ever walk alone, never once did He leave us on our own.

He is faithful.

God, You are faithful.

 

to wrap it up

Well guys, the local fall festival is here which only means one thing. Summer is pretty much over and fall is pretty much on its way. But that's alright. This summer has probably been one of the best summers I have ever had, filled with friends, concerts, beaches, travelling, state fairs, and family. And from what I can tell, this fall isn't going to be half bad either! God has blessed me in so many ways, sometimes I just can't even believe it. I can't wait to see what God has planned for tomorrow, next month, next year, and the rest of my life.

Here are a few favorite pics of mine that were taken over the summer put to two of my top favorite songs. :)



wordless wednesday

all i have is christ

 

 This is one of the most powerful songs I know. I cry just about every time we sing it at church.

Every single word just has so much meaning, I mean, just the chorus alone.....wow.

"Hallelujah, all I have is Christ. Hallelujah, Jesus is my life."

 

Is Jesus your life? Can you honestly say that He IS your life?

It is so difficult to even grasp what that means, to grasp the fact that we are not even in the picture.

What we want doesn't matter, what we think is best doesn't matter,

what makes us comfortable doesn't matter, we don't matter!

Every time I hear this song, it is such a slap to the face.

It reminds me that I have not fully given my life over to God, Jesus isn't the center of my life, and that I am still holding on to the world and my selfish hopes and dreams.

 

The very last verse always drives it home for me.

 

"Now Lord I would be Yours alone, and live so all might see

the strength to follow Your commands could never come from me.

O, Father use my ransomed life in anyway You choose

and let my song forever be, 'My only boast is You!'"

 

That verse right there is my prayer for every single day for the rest of my life.

 

 

bless our hands

Here’s a beautiful prayer of blessing for Labour Day from Carol Penner’s Leading in Worship blog.

 

 

A Prayer of Blessing for Labour Day

Bless the work of our hands, O God.
Bless the hands that work the land;
hands that move earth, plant seeds and harvest,
hands with callouses and dirty fingernails, strong hands.


Bless the hands that use machines;
hands that drive cars, trucks and forklifts,
hands on computer keyboards, capable hands.


Bless the hands that make things;
hands that manufacture and create,
working wood and metal and plastic, practical hands.


Bless the hands that clean;
hands that wash, mop and scrub,
hands that know what to do with soap, determined hands.


Bless the hands that make music and art;
hands that play instruments and hold paintbrushes,
hands that are creative tools, artistic hands.


Bless the hands that care for people;
hands that cook and feed, heal and nurture,
hands with a gentle touch, loving hands.


Bless the hands that are generous;
hands that give away money and food,
hands that are always trying to be empty, Christ-like hands.


Bless the tiny, baby hands.
Bless the strong adult hands.
Bless the hands that are folded in prayer.
Bless the hands that are lifted in praise.
Our hands do the work of your hands,
O God our Creator. Amen
 

 

Hope everyone had a wonderful Labor day.

God bless!

*Ash*
 

good bye august

Hello September.

Is it just me, or as soon as August is over, summer is over. And as soon as September begins, fall begins. I know that fall doesn't really begin until Sept 22, but still. :(
I like fall, I really do. The thing that makes me sad about it is that winter comes right after that. Yep, you got it. I hate winter. I hate cold, I hate snow, I hate how it gets dark super early, etc etc etc. *GASP*  I know some of you strongly disagree with me there, but that's alright. Yay for being different! See those pictures of me at the beach? Yeah, that is where I belong and will one day live. Where it only gets chilly (not cold), where the sun seems to shine more than normal, and where it never snows! Brrr....... just thinking of snow makes me cold!

So what is your favorite season and why?