Language of Silence

-My friends at school participated in the day of silence. I came home feeling good after the day was done, but I didn't really think we had made much of an impact. Today at school, one of my teachers gave me a 'thank you' card reading: Dear Pro-Life Students at Citrus High, Your silent protest in defense of the unborn came to my attention through a colleague who was persuaded to change his vote to a pro-life candidate as a result of your witness. It has been said, "God's first language is silence. Everything else is a poor translation." Thank you for serving as a megaphone for God's voice.

This is a testimony of a student who took part in the day of Silence for standtrue.com. For those who are not aware, day of silence was a day where students around the nation wore red tape across their mouths in observation of the silence of over 5 million babies represented because of abortion.  Standtrue.com is similar to abort73.com, both of which I support greatly because of the things they have done and the testimonies I have seen and heard because of these websites.  What this teacher said in the thankyou card to the student who observed day of silence recently is AMAZING.  It really hit me, God's first language IS silence.  I don't know necessarily that that can be literally translated but it can be a true and powerful statement.  We may walk by some one and pray for them as they pass.  They may never literally know that we did but God can do powerful things to make that known.  This is one of the many reasons I support websites such as this and also the cause that they stand for.  Go visit these sites, pick up some shirts and read up so you too can be educated and possibly change some ones mind or situation they are in.

http://www.abort73.com

http://www.standtrue.com

Patiently awaiting

Patiently awaiting what you are so impatiently hoping for is the hardest.  Happiness is so fleeting but so longed for.  Fun times are so cherished, but so easily vanished into the cold early morning air.  It never truly satisfies, it just quinches the longing for something in the mean time. Yet soon disappears.  You feel like you are being fooled into being happy again, and then it comes crashing down for the littlest reason.  A feeling of excited butterflies and hope for whats ahead is the best feeling.  Leaving where you were smiling bigger then you have in a long time, but being too high above the clouds to realize its not true, it never was in the first place.  But holding on to it for too long hurts even more.  Which of the two is better? I don't know, really,  I dont. Wish I could say, but I would be lying to myself, and you too.  You want the answers, walking around with your head high and hoping to fall for another one maybe being treated better than what you were. But... how is that possible when you were being treated like a princess? Will the lies ever subside and will trust ever be regained? Not just by that one, but by others?  The sensible answer would be: yes.  But it isn't that easy.  Hiding behind the "joy" is so easy to do, but so deceiving and yet so much better then showing the real feelings behind that smile and energy.  Isn't that what happened in the first place? Joy, happiness, times that lasted and ended with a smile and a kiss.  That was very clearly so fake.  Or was it?  These questions are but mere theories, that have probably already been proved but the oblivion behind that not so every lasting joy stricken smile is clueless to the answers that are probably already there.  Dwelling on this will seem so silly soon after this, but now, it seems perfectly reasonable.  It may be, but it also very likely may not be. The maturity is probably severely lacking, but what being doesn't experience this? What being experiences this in a way that is much better than possible?  Not this one. Being so caught up in the words that are said and the charming actions are all too common to get brought down yet again by.  Thinking it may be different is a pure mistake.  But so completely easy to fall back into once your there again.  Feeling lonely is way too much to handle, but provides so much time to think about the way things were handled.  Where to go and what to do next will forever be a mystery.  Will it ever come about again that true love is shown?  Doubtfully so, but what a thought to hold on to.  Is it worth it....?

A picture worth a thousand words

This is a picture I will be doing my third essay on in my English 101 class  We were asked to look at a gallery of World Press Photo of the Year gallery.  This gallery is full of 50 pictures with the most memorable/tragic photo of the year.  This one specifically took place in April 1980 in Uganda.  This as I'm sure you can tell is a small, starving Ugandan boy with a missionary holding his hand up.  I have a  heart for people hurting such as this and I felt like what a better opportunity to learn more about it and pray for these people than by doing a report on a picture that says more than I will be able to express in my essay.  Mike wells is the photographer and in the paragraph about him, it included that this picture laid on his desk for five months before he published it.  When he won he felt as though he was unworthy of the gift when people are starving and suffering in Africa.  This picture says so much to me, and I can't wait to write about it.  Although this boy is likely not with us any more here on this earth, pray for others who are in the exact same position, and likewise, for their salvation.  It is sadly, but so amazingly the only thing they have to hold on to. 

What is he hiding?

Did you know?

Some thoughts on Sunday Sermon @ DSC

Worship is response.  It does not begin or end with us.  It is solely focused on the one who created worship with that thought in mind that God himself is a jealous God and wants worship to be focused around Him, not us.  So often we raise our hands our close our eyes and forget that this is done to worship the true Creator of worship, not to show our love for the Lord to other people but to extol Him during worship by gestures such as this.  

To see that the oppression in this world is not outside ourselves but is truly us is the first step to realizing something bigger than us.  We so often walk around oppressing others for what they do when in all reality, we are the oppression by even doing that.  What a thought.  That really hit me, because often times I do catch myself oppressing others about silly things that don't last but don't realize truly I am causing more oppression than they are by being themselves, the selves that the Lord perfectly created in His eyes.  Yes, its much easier said than done, but such a good reminder.

The reason that Jesus taught and came to preach freedom to us in Luke 4 is because of the following three experiences he personally took part in: captivity, exile and freedom.  What a better way to express and teach freedom then to have personally experienced and fought through it.  It made so much sense to preach what you have done or been through.  What an encouraging way to live.  

A question to ponder and give me your thoughts on:

Why can't god just go over the whole world and miraculously heal every body?  

Ryan asked us this question in the message yesterday and I would love to hear your thoughts.  Its some thing I know we have all thought about or do think about at some point in our lives. 

Go listen to:  Sing to the Lord by Hillsong

We sang this yesterday in the service and it is such a powerful song.  You will enjoy it :o)

ESPN Video, touching story

I know I'm posting alot of videos lately, but sometimes words can only say so much until a story makes all the more difference than a 250 word blog.  So here it is: Check this out, what a testimony. Thanks Zach (http://www.takeyourvitaminz.blogspot.com)

Remembering Christopher Laurie

Christopher Laurie | A Life Changed from Harvest Online on Vimeo.

This man is amazing, he did so much.  It breaks my heart, and yet I never knew him personally.  I knew some of the people surrounding him in life though, and I also know the ever so raw feeling of a completely tragic loss of a loved one.  Especially but not limited to those who are atimately serving Christ and following after Him so hard.   The ones who have SO much to offer this world.  It brings back harsh yet realistic memories of the tragic loss my family, I and many others experienced four years ago October 20, and once again on November 15, just three years ago.  It makes me yearn for a better quality of life, that months down the road becomes once again so fleeting to me.  It makes me yearn for peace in times of trouble such as the Laurie family is still most likely experiencing.  I am a person who wants to take it away, because I know the ever so present and miserable feeling of that.  Yet the hope that lies within the concept of our Savior is so promising.  Watch this in remembrance of Chris Laurie and his family, meanwhile praying for the needs this family is continuing to actively experience day to day.  What a Savior we have.  What a Savior.

Interesting and Controversial?

Interesting line from the recent debate between McCain and Obama as they closed their debate.

"...nobody is pro-abortion. I think it's always a tragic situation" -Obama

Hmmm... 

All I have to say. 

These people are LEGIT

I was watching Extreme Makeover Home Edition last night before I went to sleep.  If you didn't know, Extreme Makeover came to Albuquerque and served a family and a local pastor in the South Valley.  The family received a new home for themselves, and also the houses next to them as the family houses those who are unable to live on their own or are rehabilitating from an addiction or life struggle.  It was an amazing story and such a work of the Lord.  I since then have watched this show as much as possible.  It is amazing to see the joy in these people's hearts as they receive a gift they would have never expected or much less even asked for, as they are thankful for enough in their circumstances.  I watched it last night and saw a story of a family who had tragically lost parents to two young girls.  Similarly, the cousin that took them in has a son that is a survivor of cancer.  They couldn't have asked for more, they were content with being together as a family and still being alive.  But much to their surprise, Extreme Makeover saw their circumstances and instantly fixed their house to better suit them.  They were so thankful and tears were brought to their eyes, as were mine.  These episodes always do this to me.  I see their hurting hearts and see the joy they experience just a mere week later and it breaks my heart.  I take for granted so much that those people would LOVE to have, but don't even dare to ask.  And then, I see it on the other side.  Ty Pennington is well off, so are the people that work alongside him on the show. Yet, they give EVERYTHING they can possibly get their hands on.  Its amazing.  Its praiseworthy.  Yet, is it?  I thought about writing this blog, praising them for the things they do for these people.  But, who is REALLY worth of this praise?  Them? Well, to an extent.  But ultimately to the Lord,  whether these families realize it or not they are blessed beyond all belief and most don't realize it.  By God's grace, the family in Albuquerque brought some of the EMHE staff to the Lord as they worked on their house.  But other than that, where are these families without the Lord? Blessed? Yes. But do they know why?  Most don't, and for this, prayer is most worthy.  Check out some episodes on TV or on this website to see what I mean! :)

"http://abc.go.com/primetime/xtremehome/index?pn=index"

SO CUTE!

Sad Reality

Nothing yet so much to say

She is the one who every body goes to, the one who when they are hurting and upset, they run to.  They want advice and seek her position and opinion on things.  They admire the love for the Lord she tried to portray every day and yet knows that she too is nowhere near perfection.  Never will be.  She smiles and says "I'm doing well and you?" when asked how she is that day.  She pretends its all perfect, but most of the time, it really is.  She meets as many people as possible and tries her hardest to maintain those relationships because she cares.  She prays for those who walk past her, knowing she will likely never see them again, but hopes that some how they feel the presence of the Lord over them in whatever they are dealing with.  Most likely, she's been through it too and would love to take their pain away for the hopes of saving their hearts dealing with the same thing she has struggled through.  Yet, she sees in herself imperfection, someone struggling for hope, someone hoping for the best in the situation, someone crying out to God after awhile of not having to do that, someone running back into His arms.  Seeing other surrounding her where she sits, hurting and most likely hurting more than her.  Why would she deserve this?  The answer: because she too is sinful and needed to be brought back to her Savior who is loving and comforting more than any person, more than any fake smile, more than any happy response that is deeply hidden with a world of hurt for herself and for others experiencing the same.  Yet, she can't say any thing.  She doesn't want to, she believes others don't deserve to hear her pointless struggle when so many more are struggling that much more.  But she wants to cry out, plea for comfort, ultimately to the Lord, but to others who are important to her and could offer some  comfort, some happiness. That would offer her some peace, but relationships with people are so fleeting compared to her everlasting relationship with some one who will never leave.  There is nothing to be said with so much given to her, but yet so much to say and to be heard. She waits and rests in the peace of her God who will show her there is no one like Him.

Lord make me....

Lord make me an instrument of thy peace; where there is hatred, let me sow love

Where there is injury; pardon

Where there is doubt; faith

Where there is despair; hope

Where this is darkness; light

And where there is sadness; joy.

O, Divine master grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console. 

To be understood; as to understand.

To be loved; as to love. 

For it is in giving that we receive. 

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned and it is in dying, that we are born to eternal life.

Fall is in the air!

Fall is in the air, and I'm lovin' it!  I love the smell, the sights and the food of the state fair.  I experienced it all over again on friday night, but with some one really special to me.  Ben and I embarked on our State Fair adventure, him going for the first time.  We had a BLAST.  Its fun being kids, but for me, remembering all the good memories I have of the state fair.  The tradition is so much fun to keep on with and to see whats new/old/gone.  Secondly,  I was driving my sister to school and as I turned back home, to get ready for my own school,  there it was... 4 hot air balloons high in the sky.  Another tradition that some may think is weird and some, like me, may treasure.  I love watching them and will never forget eating donuts and drinking hot chocolate at my grandpa's yard for his business because it was THAT close to the balloon field. However, I've never truly GONE and EXPERIENCED it.  Ben and I will also be doing that and for him, experiencing once again for the first time.  I love this time of year on until the end of the Christmas season.  I have so much to be thankful for in my life, that may not always be the case, but it is now and because of that, to God be the glory for all of it!

Pray for him

Birthday Water!!

The September Campaign Trailer from charity: water on Vimeo.

"the truth will set you free..."

The truth will set you free is an excerpt from a dream Micheal Guglielmucci had weeks before he admitted to living a lifestyle of sin.  As you know, I posted earlier on the song "Healer" and how Guglielmucci fessed up to a lifestyle of sin after performing the song in front of a crowd while wearing an oxygen mask. As the family has had time to cope and deal a little bit with the prcoess f healing for Mike, Mike's father posted a letter on this that he obviously read to his church that he and Mike are involved in.  The whole story is here: http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,24233308-5006301,00.html.  I encourage you to read and pray for this family as they experience a hard time.  

Taking for Granted the Things so Easy to Forget

I just got out of a hot shower, in my nice pink bathroom, pink zebra stripe shower curtain and all. Of course, if you know me well enough every thing has to be pink and thats exactly how my bathroom is.  I was thinking though during my hot, enjoyable shower.  We so often take for granted the idea of a daily, hot shower.  We take for granted the fact that we live in a place where, we can open our mouths during our showers, and not get a disease that makes you so sick you have to be hospitalized.  We can make our showers as hot as we want them, and most likely, unless its a 2 hour shower, not run out of hot water.  And then on the other hand, we so often forget that that hot water we use, some one has to pay for.  Before I left my old church about 5 years ago, I took a trip with the youth group to Juarez, Mexico.  The option of taking a shower was definitely there, but it was cold water and we would have to keep our eyes and mouth shut in an effort to not catch any thing.  As we drove through the streets, my youth pastor at the time reminded us that the people at the orphanage school we visited through out the week would never receive a hot shower and probably not have a new set of clothes until Christmas when another youth group generously comes through with collected clothes. Point is, we so often take for granted jumping in a hot shower every day, and with in 10-30 minutes being done and not even thinking about the people who don't have it, or the people who provide that money or whatever for us to have our showers.  Be thankful for the things we so often take for granted. And pray for those who wouldn't take it for granted if they indeed had it. What do you have trouble taking for granted?  Let me know in a comment :o)

Brokentone Photography

On Levi Lusko's(http://www.levilusko.com) blog, I came across a picture he had featured in one of his blogs.  His friend, Kenton, is a professional photographer and does alot of the photography for Harvest Fellowship and their crusades as well.  I clicked over to Kenton's page and saw some amazing pictures.  I probably looked for a good hour.  He takes pictures daily, wherever he goes, with a super sweet camera and posts them on this site.  There is every thing from sky landscapes, to choir tours, to Christopher Laurie and his family as he recently passed away, to opossum's sleeping in a trash can on his college campus.  He does some really cool things with the pictures he takes and so I decided to put his link into my blogroll, here on the right hand side.  He is a Christian and going to California Baptist College.  His most recent pictures are from the China trip he and his choir took and there are some awesome photos. Not only does he just post random, talented pictures, but alot of them have a special meaning to him, and to others as well as I read the comments.  Hope you enjoy as much as I do! To take a look at more than the two pictures I have posted, mind you there are so many even better than these, go to my blogroll and click on "Brokentone Photography"

So for me, this blog is really relevant.  I am beginning college in a matter of days.  Of course and unfortunately, this means to me more responsibility and ALOT more growing up.  It means, learning how to raise a home in the Lord, a healthy one, a happy one, and a well-balanced one.  I know kids is a long ways away for me, for goodness sake I have AT LEAST four more years of college.  But whether or not that means four more years til I'm married, only He knows.  I need to get started though on some "home making 101" as http://www.girltalk.blogs.com is talking about actively on their page. I am really excited about the series they are doing and I look forward to continue reading on this.  GirlTalk has alot of good ideas and know exactly what girls of every generation need to hear and read.  I encourage you, girl, woman, guy, man, whatever to read this and continue reading their series along with me.  Go to this link and read up! Enjoy!

http://girltalk.blogs.com/girltalk/2008/08/a-daughters-hea.html

This Is Our God news

This is Our God is the new album Hillsong has recently released. My favorite is actually "Desert Song", it has an awesome meaning and the performance for the recording of it was definitely a heart tugging one.  Another popular song, with 300 hits on youtube of it, is Healer.  Healer had a story behind it about Micheal Guglielmucci and his 2 year battle with terminal cancer.  News reports that he actually did a performance of this song with an oxygen tube around his nose.  This was found out to be a fraudulent and dishonest illness.  Read the story here and pray for this man as he seeks help in this situation.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24216087-5006787,00.html

A Slice of Cherry Pie

I stumbled across this blog (http://asliceofcherrypie.blogspot.com/) and found it really interesting and in my own sort of nerdy way, really cool. It is a lady that lives in Kent, England and is a self-inspired, and amazing might I add, chef.  She posts how to videos, pictures and recipes for all she makes.  Her accent is beautiful and she seems like a super nice lady.  Her recipes seem yummy so I'd encourage you to check her site out.  It is now in my blogroll.

 This is my favorite one I found in her lunch recipes, a fritata! What a fun name ;o) and a yummy lunch treat. Enjoy her site!

Does any body know?

Does anybody know how to post a video in a blog when your using blogspot? I'm not really sure how to, its different from wordpress but I found a video i wanted to post and couldn't do it. Place advice in a comment please! Thanks guys

Why I stopped blogging

As some of you know, I erased my blog about a week ago. I did it because, to me, there wasn't enough traffic going through for it to be worth while.  I quickly changed my mind.  I wrote because I have alot to say and truly have a heart for the things I was writing about.  So to quit, was kinda silly.  I am back, but on blogspot because I think its gonna be better to use.  I hope people read these again, and I hope God blessed it in a way I don't expect, as He did last time in a couple different ways.  That is my soul purpose for this blog, although the things I post are interesting to me, ultimately my prayer is that they glorify Him.  So I'll get back into this ASAP, but keep readin' whoever :o) and this time, give me lots of feedback on my blogs! Thanks