Redeemed

Seems like all I can see was the struggle
Haunted by ghosts that lived in my past
Bound up in shackles of all my failures
Wondering how long is this gonna last


Then You look at this prisoner and say to me "son
Stop fighting a fight that's already been won"
[ Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsty.com/big-daddy-weave-redeemed-lyrics.html ]
I am redeemed, You set me free
So I'll shake off theses heavy chains
Wipe away every stain now I'm not who I used to be
I am redeemed



All my life I have been called unworthy
Named by the voice of my shame and regret





But when I hear You whisper, "Child lift up your head"
I remember oh God, You're not done with me yet











I am redeemed, You set me free
So I'll shake off theses heavy chains
Wipe away every stain now I'm not who I used to be
I am redeemed

I don't have to be the old man inside of me
Cause his day is long dead and gone

I've got a new name, a new life I'm not the same
And a hope that will carry me home    

I am redeemed, You set me free
So I'll shake off theses heavy chains
Wipe away every stain now I'm not who I used to be
I am redeemed
 Redeemed by Big Daddy Weave

Torn

 

There are two parts to ever heart.

 

The part that knows what it is.

 

And the part that knows what it is suppose to be.

 

Daily there is a battle, it is fierce, it is constant, and it is for everything.

 

All chips on the table, you read them and weep.

 

What will become of me. What will become of my heart.

For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.

Romans 7:15

 

The struggles are in everything we do.

Every word spoken.

Every thought allowed.

Every little action.

And emotion felt.

 

For me, I have struggled with a spirit of timidity.



 

I have found that the more I allowed myself to let these emotions fester, the worse they got.

To the point where I wouldn't even want to go into a store I had never been in before.

This of course is a silly thing.

I have felt from a young age that my heart was meant to be free.

Not free from love or order, or emotions.

But free from the constraints of the world.

 



 

Some people have hearts that are bound my form. Their hearts are of such that they always know the proper thing to do. Their hearts rejoice in the comfort of know how to act and how to make others feel at home. A most valuable sort of heart to be sure. Not bound in the sense of  shackles but of the sense of a great a mighty mountain. Who will never go far, and will certainly never fly. Yet it is no less. It is a haven to many wild creatures, a comfort and guide to travelers.                                     

 

 

All this to say that I am indeed not one of those souls.

As much as I would like to be

I am not.

 

 

 

I am of the kind that longs to run through wild fields.

And climb great mountains.

And to live each day in the most adventurous way one possibly can.

 

 

This however does not come from a spirit of fear.

 

 

for God gave us a spirit not of fear, but of power and love and of self control.

2 tim 1:7

 

 

This is my struggle.

One of many.

 

 

There is a song by a wonderful Christian band called Chasing the Son

The song is called Up in Smoke

this first line goes like this

 

 

" My nature defies my hearts desire,

so why do i do that which I hate,

 

I need a Savior to rescue me from my self

for I see no escape"

 

 

 

I need a rescuer ever day.

One that can break off the changes I would bind myself with

and free my heart to fly

 

that is something that only our dear Lord can do

I use the example of myself because it is a story I know

 

Every ones story is different

and ever ones the same

 

we are all in great need

we need someone to slay the dragon around our souls

because no one was ever became who they were suppose to be trapped in a tower.

 

I digress into a fairy tale analogy because it rings with truth I think anyone can ever understand.

 

The Prince could not rescue his princess until he himself is free

A princess can never live a life of love trapped all by herself

 

 

 For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.

Romans 7:22-25

 

 

We are no longer sin

but free people

who serve the mighty and just King.

 

 

So as I sit here in front of a computer, legs Indian style, drinking a caffeine coke, I do not feel particularly adventurous.

 

Sometimes its simply enough to rest in the comfort of knowing God.

 

As we go through our lives, we must surrender day by day our bandages

and let the love of Christ give us wings.

 

I pray that for you and for me.

 

 

 

Until next time

Quippy







"Beauty is dangerous." Gerard Manley Hopkins

 

"Beauty will save the world." Fyodor Dostoyevsky

 

Beauty invites, beauty nourishes.

"Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters... Listen, listen to me, eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare." Isa 55:1-2

God created beauty, everything we take as beautiful from flowers to love, to babies, to poetry, God is author of it all. Our broken world speaks of Gods heart, a heart of love.

 

"The beauty of the world is almost the only way by which we can allow God to penetrate us... Beauty captivates the senses in order to obtain permission to pass straight through the soul... The soul's inclination to love beauty is the trap Go most frequently uses in order to win it." Simone Weil

 

If our God is beautiful, how does that affect the way we live?

If God is beautiful, then beauty is a good, sacred thing. It means that we need to understand that as part of God’s creation, even more than that, as having been made in the image of God we as humans are beautiful.

Not in the straight nose, nice teeth, high cheek bones sort of way, though some of us have that. But that we have a soul, a soul that we are to invite others to know, so that they can heal their hearts. We need to be tender to every person we meet, because they have a delicate soul hand crafted by God.

“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God forgave you.”  Eph 4:32

It means we are to look past the fallen depravity of people and to call out what God has made them to be.

“To possess true beauty, we must be willing to suffer… If Christ himself was perfected through his sufferings, why would I believe God would not want the same with me? Women who are stunningly beautiful are women who have had their hearts enlarged by suffering. By saying “ Yes” when the world says “No.’ By paying the high price of loving truly and honestly without demanding that they be loved in return. And by refusing to numb their pain in the myriad of ways available. They have come to know that when everyone and everything has left them, God is there… Living in true beauty can require much waiting, much time, much tenacity of spirit. We must constantly direct our gazes toward the face of God, even in the presence of longing and sorrow. It is in waiting that our hearts are enlarged.”  Captivating by John and Stasi Eldridge



Love Quippy

A wasted life

This post comes directly from two blogs from wonderful Christian young women.
http://desiringgodsdesires.blogspot.com/2012/06/to-surrender-precious-dream.html
http://god-sdaughter.blogspot.com/

From these two ladies I learned of a fellow saint, close to my age. A blogger, photographer and passionate Christ follower.

In May,this young man was killed tragically after falling into rapids.

Though his soul is no longer here, it is resting in perfect peace, but he did leave something.
Something greater than stores of wealth or material goods, a beautiful legacy.

A legacy of surrendering all to God, so that He can have all glory and power and praise.


"Many are the plans of man,
but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand." pr 19:21



"But, as it is written,
No eye has seen, nor ear heard,
nor the heart of man imagined,
what God has planned for those who love Him" 1 Cor 2:9



"But He knows the ways that I take,
When He has tried me I shall come out as gold.
My foot has held fast to His steps,
I have kept His way and have not turned aside." Job 23:10,11




Shortly before the Lord called Him, our fellow saint wrote a blog post.

He was on the top of a mountain, taking in a breath taking sunset. Filled with wonder, in complete awe of God.
Yet he was filled with longing for his 'one day true love'. Wanting to take in the beauty, to share the experience. He felt alone.

The post was called To Surrender a Precious Dream.
H wrote of how in this life, we are promised nothing, we are called to live our lives to bring FULL glory and praise to God.

His gave his precious dream to God. Allowing our Heavenly Father to become the center of his love. With no promise of his desire in return.

His last paragraph was this.

" To surrender a precious dream is fearful thing, but to pursue anything but the full measure of Gods glory is a life wasted."

http://joshyeddy.blogspot.com/2012/04/to-surrender-precious-dream.html


_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

There has been a challenge posted by Gods Daughter, to surrender all of our sweetest desires and dreams to our Father. So that we may be filled by Him, so that we may give our totally, whole selves, to God for HIS glory.

I am taking this challenge.

I ask you consider you to do the same as well.

Precious Dreams

> To marry a man on fire for God

> To have a home in the country

> To travel
> To have a home filled with children

> To make every one around my feel loved

> To raise godly Children

> To watch sunsets with my love

> To hold all my grandchildren

> To live heroically


> To live an unexpected life


> To have my children rise up and call me blessed

> To have a home where there are never any strangers

> To die in the arms of my love


In Christ alone, my hope is found. He is my life, my strength, my all. This cornerstone, this solid ground, firm through the fiercest draught and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace, when fears are still, when striving cease.
My comforter, my all in all, here in the love of Christ I'll stand.

Rambly

A little artistic change to the blog in honor of summer. I don't know about you all, but I have been feeling quite a bit rambly.

Quippy Dictionary
Rambly- The longing to hop in a car, fill up the tank, and drive down a country road, with the windows down and music going, and never stop. (expect for like bathroom breaks and to move turtles out of the road.) (turtles love roads.)

Very rambly indeed.

I even have board now on pinterest devoted to places I would love to go!
http://pinterest.com/everydaycrusade/the-one-day-adventures/

Some I could drive to

Some not so much.... This is in Slovenia

I'm going to assume that your geographical knowledge of southern Europe is much like mine. Which can best be described as If-it-wasn't-involved-in-the-renaissance-I-don't-know-it, because that's pretty much the biggest thing that's ever happened there right? Excluding the recent economic struggles..... I'm kidding, but I didn't know much of it.. so here ya' go. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slovenia?vm=r&s=1


I would love to travel. Anywhere, preferably some place with fields. Like Nebraska, I love Nebraska, I think that if I wasn't a Texan I would be a Nebraskan. But I digress.




I think I would also love to go camping. Some where near a lake, where you can just be in Gods wildness. Where there is enough room for the soul and clean fingernails are not required.....
That would be lovely.

Until I can find away to fufill these summer desires I shall practise contentment in whatever situation I am in.


Something to make your summer a little better.

Books: I just finished re-reading Captivating and Wild at Heart by the Eldredges. Absolutely life changing books, I highly suggest them for teens and adults seeking to understand Gods plan for there lives and to better understand themselves.

http://www.amazon.com/Captivating-Unveiling-Mystery-Womans-Soul/dp/0785264698?vm=r&s=1

http://www.amazon.com/Wild-Heart-Revised-Updated-Discovering/dp/1400200393/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1339170401&sr=1-1


Music: Make the Most of Me. Marie Miller.
 Holding out for a Hero. Ella Mae Bowen. 
Wonderful, beautiful songs.


Happy Summer Ya'll
 

"THIS is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."

The day you are in now is the only day that you have now. This sounds silly but think about it; yesterday is gone and there is no way you can ever get it back and there is no guarantee that tomorrow will ever come or that you will get to see it. But today, today, is what we have, it is all we have. However this one day that we have was made by the Lord. Our great and wonderful father who has loved us sense before the stars were flung into the sky, created this very day. Therefore we should be glad to be in it. Because this day we have hundreds of moments and opportunities to share and show Gods love and grace to the world.
Let us not confuse joy or rejoicing with happiness.

hap·py

   /ˈhæpi/ Show Spelled[hap-ee] 

adjective, hap·pi·er, hap·pi·est.

1.

delighted, pleased, or glad, as over a particular thing: to be happy to see a person.

 

Happiness is an emotion over an event or situation. However joy is a rational response to a situation.

 

When God gives you a less than ideal situation, you have a choice in how to respond. What God asks of us is not to be happy is hard time but to think of it as joy. "Because we know that suffering produces endurance, endurance produces character, and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint, us because God has poured out his love to us through the Holy Spirit whom has been given to us." Romans 5:3-5

 

So today whatever day this is, consider your challenges a joy.

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28

This is not a promise that things will work out today. Its a promise for a future glory when we are united with God and made perfect and whole. But until then my friends

 

 

 

Summer begins

School is out, and I feel that this is the perfect time to reflect on how this year has been going. If you will remember I did a post in January with my New Year resolutions ( http://quippyquintessence.blogspot.com/2012/01/another-year.html) here is how they have been going...

Resolution: To raise my Latin grade and entire letter in the second half 
Result: Latin grade went from a - C to B +. Success!

Resolution: To not get bellow a 90 on any week of my Adv Bio or Worldviews work.
Result: Adv Bio was an average of a 87 for the semester but my higher first half grade let me keep it an A.
Worldviews of the Western World for the third quarter didn't work out so well and one week I did get a 66, however in the 4th my lowest weekly grade was a 96.5!! Success!

Resolution: To love my family better
Result to date: Getting better but not where I want to be. Still in progress

Resolution: Learn the difference between sarcasm and wit
Result: In my vary biased opinion I think that my sarcasm has been used mostly for gentle-teasing, and is used less often. I'm still wondering whether I am cut out to be witty though....

Considering all things I would say this year is heading down fairly well. There have been many trials and challenges, but, "God is in His Heavens, all is right with world" (taken from Anne of Green Gables)

I have some very dear and wonderful friends who have kept my head up and set on God, as well as made what little of my summer that has yet taken place very happy.

For example the sweetest most Godly girl on the planet graduated Saturday and I got to spend the day and the night and the next day with her and her amazing family!

So far I have seen this movie 4 times, and I love it SO much. I'm not much of an action movie fan but I love this one so much, and have some really great friends willing to see it with me, hopefully I can see it some more, but maybe thats pushing my luck.......

We watch the greatest show that is not on tv right now

I learned that I like arcade games, a lot, and that I would most likely would be better at being a sniper than jumping rolling pizzas...

My plans for this summer simply revolve around getting a job, visiting colleges, hanging out with friends and growing closer to God.

These I hope I can be totally successful at.

 A deep thank you on this remembrance day to all who have risked their lives for every single person in this country unconditionally. Specially Grandpa Bunny, Papa, Dad, Michael and Jamie, I love you all and am so proud to be your grand daughter/daughter/ cousin.

Cum Deos Liberorum

Oh, my sweet dear readers (if there are any of you left) I have been the most laxidazy of bloggers. So many struggles and triumphs of the last few months I wish I could have shared with you. But as this lovely pintrest picture shows, I have been working very hard and a great many good and nice things have slipped through the cracks.

In a few weeks I will be finnished; I cant wait to blog more, and Im sure I will have more intersting things to write on as well. Right my revolves around world views durring the russian revolution and stuff (I know, Im falling asleep just thinking about it.)

However I would like to show you a quick little thing that keeps me going through the days.

One of Gods most beautiful things.....flowers.


I love flowers so much. They remind me of Gods love and His promises to us.
 

blue flowers.................

and pink flowers (my favorite)



See you in a few weeks!

Quick!

Just a little side note:
Yes, I changed my background
No, Im not sure I will keep it
Yes, do check out my twin sister's brand new blog http://thecamoballerina.blogspot.com/
It's awsome. Just like she is :D

Love. Post 1of 14

Welcome to Febuary! I cant believe that it is here. This month I am going to do 14 posts on love. Unfortunetly I do not have the opportunity to blog every day but each post will represent the days leading up untill valentines day. I am going to hit on ideas such as what love is and isnt. Maybe show some songs that I feel describe Biblical love, who knows I might even do a crafty one! Lets start.

 These last month I have spent a massive amount of time in Gods word. I've read
*1st and 2nd Peter,
*1st and 2nd Timothy,
*Philipians,
*Colossians,
*1st Thesalonians
*and I am on the 2nd one now.
The last time I read this much of the Bible in such a small amount of time was a few years ago when I tried to read through the entire New Testament in a year. I never finnished or found it very rewarding.
I discovered that the problem was that I was treating it like a text book instead of love letter from the maker of the universe.




Think about it. How do you read a text book?
If your like me its somthing along the lines of
*first figuring out how much I have to read (so I dont go over).
* Groaning at the seemingly ungodly number
*Staring at the clock and trying to determine how much of my life this is asking for
*skim, while highlighting the parts I will need to come back to quickly while studding later on
In essence, learning what I need to learn in the shortest amount of time so I can do somthing that is really interesting...like knitting

But how do you (would you) read a love letter?
*quickly tearing it open with great anticpation
*reading slowly
*carefully
*deeply
*your heart would swell as you read the best parts over and over
*you would keep it in nice condition
* read it on stormy nights, soaking in the words
* memorize parts of it and think of them durring your day to day activities.




Now the God of the universe, who has known you, and planned your life from before he flung the stars into the heavens writes you a letter. The and in it he tells you how much he truly cares for you and how how wants you to live. And that if you fallow this plan of His you are going to do great and wonderful things!
And that he is building you the perfect house in his mansion. Better than any of the ones you could imagine here on earth. He knows you better than you know your self, so it is going to be awsome! He writes of all the amazing things that he has done in the past out of love to you. Such as sending his son, a part of himself, to be tortured, killed, and put in a grave. But not just to do that, but to kill death its self. To make a path for you, his broken little child to come to him.
 
This is the Bible.
This is love.

Welcome...

  The Year of The Dragon

Found this on pinterest.

It describes me so aptly I felt the need to share it

its not a good part of me, but a part none the less

a reminder that there is much to conquer in my life

like letting the world know that in this broken world not everything can always be fine

Blessing on your spiritual journeys dear readers,

Quippy

The simple sweetness of being just a little bit girly....

 

Okay, I'm more than a little bit girly. But I do play airsoft, love tramping through the outdoors, shooting bows and arrows, and running. I will now completely distroy the credibility of my last sentece by letting you know that todays blog topic is lace.

I love, lace. But it hasn't always been this way. When I was little I hated lace! I thought it was for granies with dolies in stuffy old houses with cats. I have come a long way sense then, I now have learned apriciate doiles (for the crafting possibilities),  I love old house, and I find cats more likeable (though dogs and cows are still my favorite animals).

If you don't like lace maybe this will change your mind, and if you do then I hope you enjoy these pictures (from pinterest) as much as I do!

Lace can be on almost anything

It is slim

and elegant

you can use it all over

or just a wee bit

it is intricate

it is lovely

Lace it beautiful

~ A girly little Quippy~