Dig A Well

My mom shared this: dig a well in prayer with me and it was really encouraging. I hope you read it and like it. (Since I am obviously not going to write any more blog posts this year, maybe I could share one written by another... )

The last thing I wanted to share with you is something I read this morning and had to re-read for the simple truth that struck me so deeply.
A reminder of the importance of this Call.

"We may take heart from the suffering of Job. Suffering was the necessary proof of the reality of his faith - to us, as to his contemporaries and his enemy Satan (his and ours). The suffering of our Savior proved the reality of His love for His Father. The world still needs to be shown that there are those who, no matter what the circumstances, will, for the love of Him, do exactly what God commands. The end He has in view is a glorious one. We can fully count on that, as we can count on the naked wood's one day exploding into a glory of blossom." -Elisabeth Elliot

 

May you be filled with His joy, peace, and blessings from above.

 

Love in Christ,

                                                                                    Ashlin

Are you having a beautiful September?

September!

I don't have anything smart to say. Just popping in to say my life has been very busy. I have been in a program for about a month and a half that will by the end have me certified as a Nursing Assistant (with a couple other certifications as well). It is quite an experience! The class is filled with 24 other people, who help to make a mosaic of stories. Only God knows all their stories, the past, the present, the future and all.

"Not without design does God write the music of our lives. Be it ours to learn the tune, and not be dismayed at the "rests." They are not to be slurred over, not to be omitted, not to destroy the melody, not to change the keynote. If we look up, God Himself will beat the time for us. With the eye on Him, we shall strike the next note full and clear. If we sadly say to ourselves, "There is no music in a 'rest,'" let us not forget "there is the making of music in it." The making of music is often a slow and painful process in this life. How patiently God works to teach us! How long He waits for us to learn the lesson!" ~Ruskin

I hope and pray that I am learning more than things about nursing. I hope I am learning more faith in God, for times of rest or crescendo.

Right now, it is time for me to be silent; to wait on Him and be filled with His peace in the waiting.

50 Years Ago Today. . .

Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered I Have a Dream, at the Lincoln Memorial, Washington D.C.

Audio for this speech.

To be honest, this is the first time I've read through his entire speech and understood it all. I mean this time I really understood the scripture Martin Luther King, Jr. quoted and all that it meant, both in context in the Bible and as it was related to the times in 1963. So much has changed in this country now. So much for the better; there has been a great progress. And sadly, some of the change has been for the worse.

Through it all, may we as the Christians in this nation, and all around the world, never cease to pray for our nation, our people and our leaders.

I Have a Dream

"I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.

 

Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.
 

But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. And so we've come here today to dramatize a shameful condition.
 

In a sense we've come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the "unalienable Rights" of "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note, insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked "insufficient funds."
 

But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. And so, we've come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice.
 

We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of Now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children.
 

It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning. And those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual. And there will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.
 

But there is something that I must say to my people, who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice: In the process of gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again, we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.

The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. And they have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom.
 

We cannot walk alone.
 

And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead.
 

We cannot turn back.
 

There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, "When will you be satisfied?" We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality. We can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be satisfied as long as the negro's basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be satisfied as long as our children are stripped of their self-hood and robbed of their dignity by signs stating: "For Whites Only." We cannot be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until "justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream."
 

I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. And some of you have come from areas where your quest -- quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive. Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed.

Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my friends.
 

And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.
 

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."
 

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.
 

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.
 

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.
 

I have a dream today!
 

I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of "interposition" and "nullification" -- one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; "and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together."

This is our hope, and this is the faith that I go back to the South with.

With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

And this will be the day -- this will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with new meaning:

My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing.

Land where my fathers died, land of the Pilgrim's pride,

From every mountainside, let freedom ring!

And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true.

And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire.

Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York.

Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania.

Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado.

Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California.

But not only that:

Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia.

Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee.

Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi.

From every mountainside, let freedom ring.

And when this happens, and when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual:

                Free at last! Free at last!

                Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"

Just Some Quotes (Family)

The Bible calls debt a curse and children a blessing; but in our culture, we apply for a curse and reject blessings. Something is wrong with this picture. ~ Doug Phillips

The family is the true society ~ Pope Leo XIII

Family means putting your arms around each other and being there.  ~Barbara Bush

In a houseful of toddlers and pets, you can start out having a bad day, but you keep getting detoured.  ~Robert Brault

 There is no cure for laziness but a large family helps.  ~Herbert Prochnov

"A family without a commitment to the God of the Bible has no hope of stemming the tide of cultural onslaught. If we mix a little biblical truth, a little secular psychology, a little romance novel ideology, and a little eastern mysticism, we will get a deadly mixture of lies. Unfortunately, this is exactly what many Christian families do." ~ Voddie Baucham

Any woodsman can tell you that in a broken and sundered nest one can hardly expect to find more than a precious few whole eggs. So it is with the family. -Thomas Jefferson

"If parents have raised their children to be great doctors, lawyers, athletes, or musicians, but have not trained them to honor them and obey God, they have failed." ~ Voddie Baucham

Having a place to go - is a home.  Having someone to love - is a family.  Having both - is a blessing.  ~Donna Hedges

The happiest moments of my life have been the few which I have passed at home in the bosom of my family. ~Thomas Jefferson

What greater thing is there for human souls than to feel that they are joined for life - to be with each other in silent unspeakable memories.  ~George Eliot

Learning The Father's Love

"Whenever I have resisted Him, I have cheated myself. Whenever I have yielded, I have found joy."

This is from The Elisabeth Elliot Newsletter Archive. To read through others go to elisabethelliot.org/

When my brother Dave was very small, we spent a week at the seaside in Belmar, New Jersey. In vain my father tried to persuade the little boy to come into the waves with him and jump, promising to hold him safely and not allow the waves to sweep over his head. He took me (only a year older) into the ocean and showed Dave how much fun it would be. Nothing doing. The ocean was terrifying. Dave was sure it would mean certain disaster, and he could not trust his father. On the last day of our vacation he gave in. He was not swept away, his father held him as promised, and he had far more fun than he could have imagined, whereupon he burst into tears and wailed, "Why didn't you make me go in?"

An early lesson in prayer often comes through an ordeal of fear. We face impending adversity and we doubt the love, wisdom and power of our Father in heaven. We've tried everything else and in our desperation we turn to prayer--of the primitive sort: here's Somebody who's reputed to be able to do anything. The great question is, can I get Him to do what I want? How do I twist His arm, how persuade a remote and reluctant deity to change His mind?

When the people of Israel were encamped in Pi-hahiroth and saw the Egyptians coming after them, they felt they were looking death in the face and it was all Moses' fault--"as if there weren't enough graves in Egypt that you brought us out here to die!"

"Don't be afraid," said Moses. "Stand by. The Lord will fight for you if you'll just be quiet." You know the story of deliverance--the sea was rolled back, Israel marched through it dry shod, and when the Egyptians pursued them the sea swamped their horses, their chariots, and the whole army. "Not even one of them remained." The song of victory Moses and Israel sang reveals their recognition not only of the strength, majesty and wonder-working of the Lord, but of His loving-kindness, immeasurably beyond anything they had dared to hope.

Poor Dave! His father could have forced him to come into the water, but he could not have forced him to relax and enjoy it. As long as the child insisted on protecting himself, saving the life he was sure he would lose, he could not trust the strong love of his father. He refused to surrender. In this simple story we hear echoes of the most ancient story, of the two who, mistrusting the word of their Father, fearing that obedience to Him would ultimately bar them from happiness, chose to repudiate their dependence on Him. Sin, death, destruction for the whole race were the result.

Learning to pray is learning to trust the wisdom, the power, and the love of our Heavenly Father, always so far beyond our dreams. He knows our need and knows ways to meet it that have never entered our heads. Things we feel sure we need for happiness may often lead to our ruin. Things we think will ruin us (the chariots of Egypt, the waters of the sea, or the little waves in Belmar!), if we believe what the Father tells us and surrender ourselves into His strong arms, bring us deliverance and joy.

The only escape from self-love is self-surrender. "Whoever loses his life for Me will find it" (Matthew 16:25, NIV). "Dwell in my love. If you heed my commands, you will dwell in my love, as I have heeded my Father's commands and dwell in His love. I have spoken thus to you, so that my joy may be in you, and your joy complete" (John 15:9-11, NEB). My father knew far better than his small, fearful, stubborn son what would give him joy. So does our Heavenly Father. Whenever I have resisted Him, I have cheated myself, as my little brother did. Whenever I have yielded, I have found joy.

-Elisabeth Elliot 

I hope you are having a wonderful Sunday afternoon.

~Ashlin

Cute Stuff

This isn't really like me, and I will not make a habit of it, but I've got nothing "special" or worthwhile in the post. Might not want to waste your time - just a heads up.

Last warning: the title says it all. All that's below is just random stuff I find cute.

That's just cute.

Look at that face! Look at it!

When my sister saw this she said, "They're so pretty - it hurts!"

 No one - NO ONE - can deny the cuteness in these next two pictures.

 Many people may see absolutely no cuteness in these last two. But it's my blog. Yes, rats are cute to me. Sorry. Same with kitties.


Another quote I love. ↓

Know that there is often hidden in us a dormant poet, always young and alive. - Le Musset

Have you seen ↓this↓ short? It is so cute.


Okay, that's it. I got that little bug out. What can I say? I had to share something cute with you. =) I'm satiated...

Today . . .

. . . today would be a very nice day to stumble into Narnia.

I would love to enjoy a summer day in Narnia. To see the tall emerald trees glistening from the last recent rain, and to run through the green, green grass. Maybe I would meet a fawn, after splashing my feet in a happy brook, who would invite me to tea.



Painting by Pamela Goodman

Of course there would be plenty of tea, and a good amount of toast with butter or honey. Maybe he would bring out sardines and even some cake. But without doubt, plenty of cups full of tea.

I would like to stay in his little cave, he would tell me of how winter is gone from these mountains, rejoicing that the White Witch has been defeated. And we would both talk of how wonderful Aslan is.

I suppose the only thing I can do to make this possible is ignore that little thing some like to call reality, and stick close to my good friend Imagination.

 

 

But, then again, maybe that isn't necessary.


Wouldn't today be a wonderful day to steal away some time and view the creation of our great King with a vision unobstructed from sinful flesh. To stop and be immersed in His glory.


Thank You, Lord, for the glory that can be found in Your Word, in Your creation, and in the sweet fellowship with You and other believers.

Some days, there is no better thing to do then stop and tell yourself,
Life is beautiful.

Sure, life is hard. Sometimes I feel like. . . well, I've got this head cold, and I have no idea why things are going the way they're going or why things aren't going the way I think they should be going. I have no idea which way my life is going, and see that life will only be less and less predictable as I go on (and realize that I can't [and maybe shouldn't] predict any outcome in the first place.)

Having Jesus - no, Jesus having me, having called me before the foundations of the world to Himself, it is beyond comprehension. It is beyond belief. And yet I do believe, I know it is true. And if Jesus has you, you know He can never leave you, never let you go. And having Him (or, rather, Him having you) doesn't mean life will not hurt any less. But it does mean you will have joy so much more!

". . . I [Jesus] am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." -John 10:10b

Just Some Quotes (Work)

If monotony tries me, and I cannot stand drudgery: if people fret me and the little things of life set me on edge; if I make much of the trifles of life, then I know nothing of Calvary's love." ~ Amy Carmichael

 "Proverbs tells us that a virtuous woman "works with her hands with delight" and "does not eat the bread of idleness." A godly woman is one who sees her life as mission of service. What others view as a burden, she views as a blessing and opportunity." -Christine Russell

Keeping the house in order is a beautiful way for women to serve their families. It demonstrates love and respect for our husbands and children in that we think that they are important enough to provide them with a clean, welcoming and beautiful environment. It also enables us to be available to serve others by opening our homes at a moment's notice or being able to temporarily drop the home routines without things falling into chaos in order to go help those who need us."-Kimberly {Raising Olives}

“She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.” -Proverbs 31:27

To a Young Lady Sweet stream,
that winds through yonder glade,
Apt emblem of a virtuous maid--
Silent and chaste, she steals along,
Far from the world's gay, busy throng:
With gentle yet prevailing force,
Intent upon her destined course;
Graceful and useful all she does,
Blessing and blest where'er she goes;
Pure-bosom'd as that watery glass,
And Heaven reflected in her face.
 ~ William Cowper

"A good many are kept out of the service of Christ, deprived of the luxury of working for God, because they are trying to do some great thing. Let us be willing to do little things. And let us remember that nothing is small in which God is the source." ~ D. L. Moody

"She... worketh willingly with her hands."-Proverbs 31:13

Have you ever realized that you can give things to God that are of value to Him? Or are you just sitting around daydreaming about the greatness of His redemption, while neglecting all the things you could be doing for Him? I'm not referring to works which could be regarded as divine and miraculous, but ordinary, simple human things - things which would be evidence to God that you are totally surrendered to Him. -Oswald Chambers

Praise Him

Life.
What is the meaning in that word? Life. I think it is something different for every person. What is life?

"As for man, his days are like grass; as a flower of the field, so he flourishes. For the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children’s children, to such as keep His covenant, and to those who remember His commandments to do them. The Lord has established His throne in heaven, And His kingdom rules over all."

Psalm 103:15-19

Our days are like a passing shadow. Life is brevity. But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting!

But finish reading the song of David. Let's see the end through.

"Bless the Lord, you His angels, who excel in strength, who do His word, heeding the voice of His word. Bless the Lord, all you His hosts, you ministers of His, who do His pleasure. Bless the Lord, all His works, in all places of His dominion.

Bless the Lord, O my soul!"

In contrast to the fleeting nature of our days on this earth is the steadfast love of the Lord. His character is ceaseless. His love endures forever. His mercy is from everlasting to everlasting. His grace has no end. This is good news for us, who are gripped with the vanity of life. Even the greatest of us. Ecclesiastes 2. Psalm 39:4

At the end of the day, all is vanity if not to praise the Lord, our Creator.
He is eternal. To Him only, belong all good things; all things eternal.

Only Him.

His praise, His glory, is to be our only concern because He willingly gave up His life that we can have the choice to give it all back to Him.

How quickly the moments slip by! How deeply I wish to take them all in. I've been thinking, lately, of just how impossible it is for me to wrap my mind around what God has given me. This life, filled with trials, hard, passing and beautiful. My family, also beautiful, and able to touch me in a way no one else can. What a gift I have in them! His grace, new every morning. His love, calling every day. His blessings engulf and surround me, like oxygen, and I can never take it all in. But how often taken for granted?

Do you feel the sand slipping through the hour glass, feel time all around you moving and snatching the years so quickly by? I dare you to feel your age and each year that has passed, and notice how quickly it all has gone by. At the end of your life, say, fifty years from now, will you wake and
think, "God?
"how did I get here? Where did my life go?"
Or will you wake and
thank God,
for a life poured out, spent in the best way possible.

We who believe in His word are born again to an imperishable hope. Therefore we will not die. We will go on living with Him for all eternity.

John 11:25-26; “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?’”
Corinthians 15:51-57; “Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’ ‘O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”


Wishing you a day filled with praise for our wonderful Savior,
Ashlin

Remember

I was thinking of the passage in Psalm 106. I read it this morning and these are the parts that really stuck out to me:
"Praise the Lord!
Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord? Who can declare all His praise? . . . Our fathers in Egypt did not understand Your wonders; they did not remember the multitude of Your mercies, but rebelled . . . Nevertheless He saved them for His name’s sake, That He might make His mighty power known. . . Then they believed His words. They sang His praise. They soon forgot His works: They did not wait for His counsel, but lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tested God in the desert. And He gave them their request, but sent leanness into their soul. . . Who had done great things in Egypt, Wondrous works in the land of Ham, Awesome things by the Red Sea. . . Then they despised the pleasant land; they did not believe His word, but complained in their tents, And did not heed the voice of the Lord. . . Thus they were defiled by their own works, And played the harlot by their own deeds. Therefore the wrath of the Lord was kindled against His people . . .Many times He delivered them; but they rebelled in their counsel, and were brought low for their iniquity. Nevertheless He regarded their affliction, when He heard their cry; and for their sake He remembered His covenant, and relented according to the multitude of His mercies. . . Blessed be the Lord God of Israel From everlasting to everlasting! And let all the people say, 'Amen!'
Praise the Lord!"
And then I also read this today.
 Just little reminders,
to remember.
How many times are we commanded to just remember?  In the King James Version bible, the word "remember" appears 148 times. So, we're reminder to remember a lot.

I'm reminded of ten big, daily reminders.

I don't know if you've seen the video, The Gospel, but chances are you have. I would recommend you watch it again.

It's too easy for us to go through each day with out taking the time to think on, to remember, Who God says He is, what He has done for us and the blessings we have been given just this very day.




Psalm 77:11 "I will remember the works of the Lord: surely I will remember thy wonders of old."

~Ashlin

Just Some Quotes (Words)

I love to write out some special quotes like these and put them on a pretty little paper and set them somewhere for some one special to see. I can't give them to you this way, but just imagine I've written them with curly letters on a curly paper that has floated your way, okay? Great!

I'm thinking of doing several of these "Just Some Quotes" posts each one on different subjects. So let me know what you think, and if there is a certain subject you would like me to post quotes on. Thank you!

Oh, how many minutes in the day are filled with dialogue and conversation! How often do we give careful thought to what we say and how we say it? Our words can be used to encourage, edify, strengthen, build-up or they can be used to hurt, destroy and put others down." A gentle and quiet spirit is not only imperishable; it is precious in the sight of God. It's also one of the hardest qualities to cultivate. Far from a sign of weakness, a gentle and quiet spirit is the sign of a woman who is strong in faith, mind and character." --Anna Sofia & Elizabeth Botkin

 

She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness." -Proverbs 31:26

 

"There is no restraining men's tongues or pens when charged with a little vanity." - George Washington

 

"All men will be Peters in their bragging tongue, and most men will be Peters in their base denial; but few men will be Peters in their quick repentance." -Owen Feltham

 

"Lord, make my words as sweet as honey, for tomorrow I may have to eat them!" -Anonymous

 

Help me guard my lips, O Saviour,
Keep me sweet when sorely tried,
Answers soft to others giving,
Meekly swallowing my pride. -Basch

"No man has a prosperity so high or firm, but that two or three words can dishearten it; and there is no calamity which right words will not begin to redress." -Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

"The cure of an evil tongue must be done at the heart. The weights and wheels are there, and the clock strikes according to their motion. A guileful heart makes a guileful tongue and lips. It is the work-house where is the forge of deceits and slanders; and the tongue is only the outer shop where they are vended, and the door of it. Such ware as is made within, such, and no other, can come out." - Robert Leighton

 

The true test of a man's spirituality is not his ability to speak, as we are apt to think, but rather his ability to bridle his tongue. - R. Kent Hughes

 

If God takes our idle words seriously, how much more seriously does He take those words spoken with forethought? And if He takes our normal statements seriously, how much more seriously does He take our promises, especially when those promises are raised to the level of the formal vow? - R.C. Sproul

 

For all sad words of tongue and pen,

The saddest are these,

'It might have been'.

-John Greanleaf Whittier

 

When you have spoken the word, it reigns over you. When it is unspoken you reign over it. -Arabian Proverb

Memorial Day

Make sure you take the time to thank a Veteran or military family for all they sacrifice in order to keep us safe.

Verse of the Week

"But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." - 2 Corinthians 3:18

 As John Piper says, "Beholding is becoming."

Brilliant Blog Bouquet Award / Sunday Morning

My sweet friend and fellow blogger, Sarah awarded me, or my blog rather.

 

Questions:

1. If you could have a "flower pen name" like we have here on our blog, Violets and Daisies what would it be? This will probably be the longest answer. I would say Zinnia for many reasons. It's a fun name. Who wouldn't want to sign off as Zinnia. Also, it was my grandmother's favorite type of flower, so it's kind of grown on me. (Well, not her favorite but one of her favorites.) The flower, when looking at flower meanings, represents thoughts of friends and lasting affection which I think suits me (my sister agreed). Plus the flowers bloom in March, which is the month I was born. So there was just to much going for it to not choose Zinnia. I know, TMI. (The translation, for those of you who "don't speak text" : to much information.)

2. What is your favorite ever Bible verse and why? Galatians 2:20 which says "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."

3. What are the blogs which inspire you most? My top 5 would be the following.
1. Maidens of Virtue is very good, I find the three sisters' posts very inspiring or funny or just a good read. I am currently enjoying the short story series very much!
2. Echoes of Now Miss Jade Valcarcel is an incredible writer, I find her blog very sincere and moving. (She's also a writer for Set Apart Girl.)
3. Fruitfulness at Home A blog (also written by three sisters) of some friends I also like to reed and see Michelle's photography
4. All She Has to Say has good, applicable lessons from another young Christian lady, encouraging and sometimes funny.
5. Desiring God Blog has encouraging, helpful posts like this one.

4. If you and your friends could visit any country in the world, where would you go? I guess one of the "I" places, Israel, Ireland, maybe Italy. =)

5. If you have one, feel free to share your testimony as to how you became a Christian.
I am so thankful to be raised in a Christian home. It has blessed me more than I know. So since I was raised going to church I've heard the amazing Gospel story countless times, and when I was younger I said "the sinners prayer" every time I had the possibility. I have no idea how many people came up to my parents and said, "Congratulations, your daughter just accepted Jesus as her Savior today." But, as you may have guessed, they didn't mean much. Of course I loved God and wanted to go to heaven, I knew I was a sinner, but I loved me more. I lived for me. I remember vividly the day when I was thirteen years old and I truly cried out to God that He had to save me and wanted to let my flesh die in Christ and I wanted to live in the Spirit. It wasn't until I turned sixteen that I started to really grasp surrender and of course it is an on going process as the Lord continues to work in me until the end. Philippians 1:6

 

~Rules~
Put a link to who gave you the award. Post the award to your blog. Answer the questions. Choose 5 blogs to receive the award. Let them know you've awarded them.
The Questions: 1. If you could have a "flower pen name" like we have here on our blog, Violets and Daisies what would it be?
2. What is your favorite ever Bible verse and why?
3. What are the blogs which inspire you most?
4. If you and your friends could visit any country in the world, where would you go?
5. If you have one, feel free to share your testimony as to how you became a Christian. Have a blessed weekend!

I also saw this musical tag on Sarah's blog. It was so funny that I thought I'd just pair it with this post.

RULES 1. Put your iTunes, Windows Media Player, etc. on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS.
4. Tag 20 friends. (Since this is an old tag this doesn’t really apply anymore, but if you’re reading this you’re absolutely welcome to steal it as well! Please do!) 5. Everyone tagged has to do the same thing.

 

QUESTIONS
If someone says "Are you okay?" you say… 
Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker Suite, Op.71A - Coffee (Arabian Dance)

Am I okay?  I guess I just need some coffee, or (more likely) I need to dance!

 

What would best describe your personality? 
Shackles (Praise You) by Mandisa

I guess I feel shackled? (That's a real word right?) "Take the shackles off my feet so I can dance! I just wanna praise You, I just wanna praise You!"

 

How would you describe yourself? 
Drifting to Far From the Shore by Aaron Weil Band (Basically an unknown singer who does Christian Bluegrass.)

. . . Um. Drifting? That's bad.

What do you like in a guy/girl?
All the Fun by Paul Overstreet
I guess I like all the fun!
 

How do you feel today? 
Crucified by Salvador
I feel that everyday. (Gal. 2:20)

What is your life's purpose?
There You Go by Caedmon's Call
To get going!

What's Your Motto? 
The Ninety and Nine by Andrew Peterson
Good motto.

What do your friends think of you?
Don't You Want to Thank Somebody by Andrew Peterson

I guess they think I oughta be more thankful.

What do your parents think of you? 
Be Thou Near To Me by Selah
Haha.
 

What do you think about very often? 
For I Know the Plans by Word of God Speak
I'm always planning.

What is 2 + 2? 
Beauty and the Beast from the soundtrack

Haha, the one song from that soundtrack I have on my ipod! Well, it is four words right? 

 What do you think of your best friend? 
Sinking by Michael Peacock

They're sinking?

What do you think of the person you like? 
Lord I'm Gonna Love You by Keith Green
I'm just not sure how to comment on that one.

What is your life story? 
Circles by Alison Brook
Spinnin' in circles!

What do you want to be when you grow up? 
(I've Got A Gal In) Kalamazoo by Glen Miller
I want to be a gal in Kalamazoo! (Not really.)

What do you think when you see the person you like? 
Someday Soon by Francesca Battistelli
Haha. Yeah, that's right! (Perfect song.)

What will you do at your wedding? 
I Stand Amazed by Bart Millard

I guess I will.

What will they play at your funeral? 
A Prayer by The Blind Boys of Alabama

That will work.

What is your hobby/interest? 
He Will Come by Mandisa
I just keep " Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;" Titus 2:13

What is your biggest fear? 
As You Therefore by Nathan Clark George

Um, speaking gibberish is a big fear of mine, since I do it quite often. "What is your biggest fear? As You Therefore!" Does that make any sense? Well, that's about how I speak somedays. =)

What is your biggest secret? 
Esengo by Selah
From what I could tell by searching the internet it means "glory". Which doesn't make much sense. . . again.

What do you want right now? 
Fofar Sodger/ Trip to the Skye/ The Birdie by 25 Years of Celtic Music

I want the birdie, I want a trip to the skye, and I want fofar sodger? Translation please?

What do you think of your friends? 

Take Another Run by Paul Overstreet
That's right, let's not give up, dear friend. We can take another run at it.

What's the worst thing that could happen?
It's Been a Long Time by Mark Shultz

The worst thing that could happen is waiting to long until it's to late.

What is the one thing you regret?
The Jug of Punch by Celtic Wonder 

Uh. . . yeah, hmmm. 0_o

What makes you laugh?
Suddenly by Daniel Bashta

Surprises? Sudden changes?

What makes you cry?
Carol Ann by Michael W. Smith

Carol Ann, you make me cry.

Will you ever get married?
1945 by Jamie Grace

Right. . . I would have gotten married if I live in '45?

What scares you the most? 
The Parting Glass by Shaun Davey
Saying Goodbye. True.

 Does anyone like you?
Here For You by Branded
My daddy! (It's a daddy, daughter song.)

If you could go back in time, what would you change?
What Wondrous Love is This by Fernando Ortega
Through God's amazing love I can know that I needn't change a thing. All things work together for good to those who love Him. (Isn't Fernando Ortega the greatest ever?)

What hurts right now?
The Chasing Song by Andrew Peterson

My legs are a little sore from running around.

What would you want to say to the person who tagged you (if you were tagged)?
Love Enough by Andrew Peterson
"In stubborn spite of our stubborn spite we are loved nonetheless, we are loved all the more and I believe there is love enough for the taking." Sing with me, Sarah, I know you listen to Andrew Peterson's music.
 

What will you name this post?
Sunday Morning by Javen

Well I hope you all have a great Sunday morning! Oh, I forgot to tag/award people. Here we go:

Rachel @ Rachel's Blog
Reina Laaman @ Reina Laaman

Abeeda @ Abeeda's Journey

Sarah, Jenny and Julia @ Maidens of Virtue

and Heather @ The Things I Love

 

Have Fun,

Ashlin

Silence is Golden?

I hope the silence on the blog has been "golden". It's been a little nice for, not doing my e-mails or reading up on blogs for almost a month. It's been a while, hasn't it? I didn't mean to take a break but somehow the end of  March slipped past me without so much as waving goodbye and of course the beginning of April came and went just as silently. All the while I've been telling myself to get back on my blog and do something, but I couldn't write.

Sometimes I cannot write because I have nothing to say. And other times I have too much to say and I can't seem to find a place to start or the right words to fill the empty spots that need filling. The words are just a little too far out of reach, when the idea is near enough to be seen yet distant enough to be intangible. So I was silent, not because I had nothing to say but because I had so much to say.

Am I making any sense?

How does one describe One who is utterly indescribable? Is there a word that means joy but is beyond incomprehensible joy? A word that encompasses the thunder of every waterfall, the dance of every brook, the laughter of every baby in the nestle of every daddy's arms? 

Is there a word that means passion? A word that gathers the roar of every lion, the blast of every volcano, the peal and crash of every wave that ever exploded against a seashore?
Is there a word that means intimacy and warmth? A word that bottles the softness of every sunshine, the promise of every rainbow, the twinkle of every star, the tiptoe of every doe and fawn between every forest's autumn leaves? 

Is there a word that means love? A word that means kindness? A word that means power, bigness humility, purity? 

I know of only one such word. It is the most awe-inspiring, breath-stealing, unequivocally magnificent word in this language or any other. Ironically it is a mere five letters, yet it carries a truth and meaning so big, so life-changing, so nation and eternity altering if only given the chance. 

It is the word of words. The single word that every human life right along with its every human hope and struggle is answered by and resolved in. It is the beginning, and it is the end. It is the fullness of life, the gateway to eternity, the hope of the ages. It is... 

Jesus

                                           -Bruce Marchiano

There is no greater joy on earth than to know Him. To truly know Him. Not to know of Him, to read daily about Him, to sing or pray to Him (though those may be amazing), but to know Who He is. To have an intimate relationship with th Creator of all things, to be one with Christ, to have the Spirit within you, is mercy too great to be taken so oft for granted.

Jesus. He loves you so much more than you know. He loves us so much that God "made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." (2 Corinthians 5:21) I hope you stop and come in to the presence of Him who loves you so and just draw nearer to him. Because it is easy not to. It is easy to forget how great a God we serve.

I read this in a devotional this morning: Psalm 5:3 - In the morning I will order my prayer to Thee and eagerly watch.

David had an incredible sense of expectancy about God. God was the great reality in his life. He knew the promises of God, he appealed often to them, and then he "watched" for God to show Himself strong. And God loved him for it.

We have to make it a habit. We have to choose to seek God, but when we do the reward is beyond anything we could compare. I remember something my dad said once during a devotion we did that has stuck in my head. We were reading in Daniel and he said, "Do you think Daniel just happened to pray three times a day? No, of course not! He had to make a decision to seek God through prayer every day, 3 times a day."

But that's the gift we've been given. Eternal life is not heaven, heaven is just a perk that comes with it, a relationship with Jesus Christ is the gift. If you don't have that I pray you find the Way the Truth and the Life today. For He loves you and wants you more than you know.

.~.~.~.~.

Well, I feel like I'm back in the blogging groove. We'll see! I just heard this song I hadn't previously heard on the radio and I had to remind myself that it is okay to keep smiling like a maniac. This is your God! He is your adopted Father!


Have a wonderful day,
Ashlin

Much Loved Quote

". . .you will regret nothing when you look back, except lack of faith, or fortitude, or love.

You will never regret having thrown all to the winds in order to follow Your Master and Lord.

Nothing will seem too much to have done or suffered, when on the end,

we see Him and the marks of His wounds;

nothing will ever seem enough. . ."

Amy Carmichael

Genius - The Movie

I don't know if you have heard of The Way of the Master, but it is a great outreach ministry that is worth taking the time to visit. If you've ever seen any of their videos you have than you know how they can make you stop and really think about some things. Their movies can start up quite a bit of deep discussion too, if you watch them with a group.

If you haven't seen their new movie, Genius. Here it is:


These will be a well spent 30 minutes!

Let me know what you think; about the video, the ministry, anything, and it might just start up another conversation!

Blessings,
Ashlin

Verse of the Week

And they were all amazed at the mighty power of God.

Luke 9:43a

(A right response to the work of Jesus.)

I think even the dessert is beautiful!

Michael Jr.

    Michael Jr. is my favorite comedian. Period. (I said period even though I put a period already to add emphasis. It's redundant and weird but I've seen it done. One thing I've never seen done, though, is for someone to explain why the said 'period'. . . Now that's weird. . .)
    As I have already said, this month is is Black History Month. I'd love to hear some of what you've been learning about. What is your favorite black historical figure? Have you learned of any new people from history this month that you previously had never heard of?
    Well, you might enjoy testing your knowledge of Black History by watching this funny and interesting video by Micheal Jr.

Take your pick, they're both funny. You can pick both, it's okay.

 

 This guy is just plain funny. I call him hilarious. He is a Christian too, so I will garantee that you will like his stuff if you liked what he said in the video(s). http://michaeljr.com/

 

Have a great day (and keep brushing up on your history),

Ashlin

Black History Month

This month is Black History month. I find black history truly is incredible, and much of the history is truly unknown. I have heard it said that the history of African Americans is not unlike that of God's chosen people the Jews. Taken from their homeland their were forced into slavery for centuries until God delivered them. African Americans triumphed and prospered, overcoming their tragic beginnings. I think of the words of Joseph "You meant evil against me, but God turned it into good".

 

Rev. Henry Highland Garnet, the first African
American to deliver a sermon in congress

"Let no rancor or ill-will lodge in your [heart] for any bad treatment you may have received from any. If you do, you transgress against God, Who will not hold you guiltless. He would not suffer it even in His beloved people Israel; and you think He will allow it unto us? . . . I am sorry to say that too many think more of the evil than of the good they have received." -Rev. Richard Allen (a former slave)

Martin Luther King Jr.

"I have decided to love. If you are seeking the highest good, I think you can find it through love. And the beautiful thing is that we are moving against wrong when we do it, because John was right, God is love. He who hates does not know God, but he who has love has the key that unlocks the door to the meaning of ultimate reality." Martin Luther King Jr., clergyman, activist, writer, and leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement.

"Each person must live their life as a model for others." - Rosa Parks, known as "the first lady of civil rights" and "the mother of the freedom movement", African-American civil rights activist


Booker T. Washington

"Character, not circumstances, makes the man." - Booker T. Washington, founder and president of Tuskegee, as well an educator, former slave, author, orator, and advisor to Republican presidents

"One and God make a majority." - Frederick Douglass, the first African-American to be appointed to office in four different presidential administrations, also a social reformer, orator, writer, statesman and former slave

"When I was young, I said to God, God, tell me the mystery of the universe. But God answered, that knowledge is for Me alone. So I said, God, tell me the mystery of the peanut. Then God said, well, George, that's more nearly your size." - George Washington Carver, former slave, scientist, botanist, educator, and inventor

I encourage you to dig deeper into the true history of some amazing men and women of African descent this month (and every month). Here are a few resources you may find helpful.
Webistes:
African American Perspectives
Freedmen's Bureau Online
Harper's Weekly
Neglected Voices
(Biographies and Speeches of the first African American Congressmen)



Olaudah Equiano

Books:
(You can read these books for free at gutenberg.org)
Up from Slavery: an autobiography by Booker T. Washington
The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano
and
The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
to name a few.
I've really enjoyed American History in Black and White, but I haven't found that free, it must be purcharsed.