1st Day of School Pictures

Pictures from our first day of school, which also happens to be my last first day of school!

This Psalm brought tears to my eyes last night as I read it.  My God is faithful!

As the deer pants for streams of water,
       so my soul pants for you, O God.

My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
       When can I go and meet with God?

My tears have been my food
       day and night,
       while men say to me all day long,
       "Where is your God?"

These things I remember
       as I pour out my soul:
       how I used to go with the multitude,
       leading the procession to the house of God,
       with shouts of joy and thanksgiving
       among the festive throng.

Why are you downcast, O my soul?
       Why so disturbed within me?
       Put your hope in God,
       for I will yet praise him,
       my Savior and my God.
       My soul is downcast within me;
       therefore I will remember you
       from the land of the Jordan,
       the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar.

Deep calls to deep
       in the roar of your waterfalls;
       all your waves and breakers
       have swept over me.

By day the LORD directs his love,
       at night his song is with me—
       a prayer to the God of my life.

I say to God my Rock,

"Why have you forgotten me?

Why must I go about mourning,
       oppressed by the enemy?"

My bones suffer mortal agony
       as my foes taunt me,
       saying to me all day long,
       "Where is your God?"

Why are you downcast, O my soul?
       Why so disturbed within me?
       Put your hope in God,
       for I will yet praise him,
       my Savior and my God.

Psalm 42

Whiter Than Snow

Lord Jesus, I long to be perfectly whole;
I want Thee forever to live in my soul.
Break down every idol, cast out every foe;
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Whiter than snow, yes, whiter than snow.
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Lord Jesus, let nothing unholy remain,
Apply Thine own blood and extract ev'ry stain;
To get this blest cleansing, I all things forego—
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Whiter than snow, yes, whiter than snow.
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Lord Jesus, look down from Thy throne in the skies,
And help me to make a complete sacrifice.
I give up myself, and whatever I know,
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Whiter than snow, yes, whiter than snow.
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Lord Jesus, for this I most humbly entreat,
I wait, blessèd Lord, at Thy crucified feet.
By faith, for my cleansing, I see Thy blood flow,
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Whiter than snow, yes, whiter than snow.
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Lord Jesus, Thou seest I patiently wait,
Come now, and within me a new heart create;
To those who have sought Thee, Thou never saidst "No,"
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
 

Whiter than snow, yes, whiter than snow.
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

The blessing by faith, I receive from above;
O glory! my soul is made perfect in love;
My prayer has prevailed, and this moment I know,
The blood is applied, I am whiter than snow.

           
Whiter than snow, yes, whiter than snow.
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Only Jesus

If anyone sees any good thing in me,

If anyone says I'm somebody they'd like to be,

And if someone follows me,

Before we go to far,

Jesus I'll tell them I am what You are.

'Cause it would mean so much to me,

If You're the only One they see,

If my life doesn't show You, 

I know I'm living in vain.

If my life doesn't show You,

May they never know my name.

~If Anyone Sees, by Steve Chapman

Smiles

You ask me why I smile this way,

I really can't recall a reason why.

It's just that I'm so happy today;

I've got such joy inside.

Ever since I started givin' everything to my King,

All my life has been so blessed, 

Makes me wanna sing!

I really can't explain it, 

Sure can't describe it.

All I know to tell you is this--

The joy of the Lord is my strength,

He gave me beauty for the ashes I had worn,

He turned my mourning into dancing all around for joy!

Oh I guess, that this smile just might show 

What His love does for me!

They say the outside always shows

The things that are inside of your heart.

I pray that what Your are seein' 

Is the love of Christ abidin' in me.

He's changed my life so wonderf'ly,

Gave a song to my heart and 

Dance to my feet!

I Really Can't Explain it, 

Sure can't describe it.

All I know to tell you is this--

The joy of the Lord is my strength,

He gave me beauty for the ashes I had worn,

He turned my mourning into dancing all around for joy!

Oh I guess, that this smile just might show 

What His love does for me!

Oh I know, that this smile could never show

All His love means to me!

Some new choruses...

Some new choruses that Jesus gave me...

Sonshine

Fill me with sonshine,

Fill me with joy,

Let my life sing the song 

Of Your love, Oh God.

Fill me with sonshine,

Put Your love in my eyes,

I want to shine your light, Oh God,

So fill me with sonshine.

Can I be Your Smile?

I'll be Your hands, Lord,

I'll be Your feet,

I'll be the one to help the poor and weak,

But when I'm your hands, Lord,

And while I'm Your feet,

Could I just please be one more thing?

Can I be Your smile?

More of You, Less of Me

     We had a great Sunday School lesson this morning on 2 Timothy 4. The part that really stuck out to me was verse eight. Paul has just finished saying how he has fought the good fight, and then he goes on to say that "[T]here is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day--not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing." Our SS teacher asked us to consider how we can obtain that crown of righteousness and the thoughts that followed were very challenging. Paul said that he and those who were receiving the crown of life longed for the appearing of Christ. Honestly looking at myself, I can see that I don't long for the appearance of Christ. I'm not afraid of Christ's coming, but I am not longing for it. I thought about the reasons that I don't long for the appearing of Christ. I love my life here too much. I love my family and my friends. I hold onto the life I live, not realizing the life that Christ offers me. I've been so challenged in this area lately.  Luke 14:26 says that "If you want to be my disciple, you must hate everyone else by comparison--your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters--yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple."(NLT) My love for God is to be so superior to everything else in my life, that my love for other things(my friends, my family, etc.) should look like hate in comparison to my love for God. I've been so convicted the past two weeks, realizing that I do not have that kind of love for God. I am a relational person. I thrive on relationships. I love my friends and family deeply, and I cling to my relationships with them. I've realized however, that I have been clinging too much. It's taken some loosing of my fingers by God to make me realize this. Some very painful loosening. 

     I desperately desire for my love for God to be everything to me. I want my love for God to be so superior to my love for other things that my love for them looks like hate. I want that.  But how do I get there?? How do I become consumed by Christ and Christ alone? I don't know the answer. All I can do is seek Him. Jesus, I want to love You more!

I have felt the winter snow,
 Seen the beauty of a rose.
Sat by many fires,
And enjoyed the warmth of friends.
I've known love 
And it's embrace,
 Have felt the wind 
Against my face.
Watched the moon at midnight 
Shine upon a sleeping world

But, it's been the rain,
 I'ts been the storms,
It's been the days 
When I've been worn,
That I have found You, Lord,
That I have found You, Father.
 It's in the pain,
That I have grown,
Through all the sorrow
I have known.
So, if that's what it takes
 For You to lead me this far,
 Go ahead and break my heart.*

Jesus, all for Jesus

All I am and have 

And ever hope to be.

All for Jesus.*

*Break My Heart by Kathy Troccoli and Jesus, All For Jesus by Robin Mark.