Created to soar...

Unspeakably beyond...

2011-07-13T19:36:00.001-05:00

Wow! It's been over a year since I last posted. A lot has happened. A lot of things I didn't expect. Some things that happened made me question if God really had it all under control, if He really cared enough to work in my life, if the things that surprised me surprised Him too. Of course, I knew in my head that that couldn't possibly be. I've been taught since before I can remember that God is all powerful and that of course He cares about my life. But I think as I get older and experience more of life, the "rubber meets the road" and the answers that I have always known must not just be "the answers" to all of life's questions, but must become a part of my life. They must become what I live by and how I think. Knowing that the answer to the question "Is God in control and if so, does He care enough to handle my pain and fear and dreams?" is a definite "Yes!" does not mean a whole lot until you have to wake up each morning and trust that it is so. Have you ever wondered if maybe there was just one thing that slipped His divine attention? As I look over the last year, the thread I see throughout all the happenings and mishappenings, all the long nights and painful days, is not the hurried actions of a God losing control, it is a loving God calling me to a greater trust - a greater trust in Who He is; a greater trust that He is working in a thousand ways I do not yet see; a greater trust that He is holding me. A greater trust that the story He is writing with my life is "exceedingly abundantly" above all that I could ask or think...

"God is God. Because He is God, He is worthy of my trust and obedience. I will find rest nowhere but in His holy will that is unspeakably beyond my largest notions of what He is up to." ~ Elisabeth Elliot

How did you die?

2010-04-23T13:37:00.004-05:00

While going through old pictures and documents of my grandpa's, my mom found this poem cut out of a newspaper. I thought it worthy of sharing. =)

Did you tackle that trouble that came your way
with a resolute heart or cheerful?
Or hide your face from the light of day
with a craven soul and fearful?
Oh, a trouble's a ton, or a trouble's an ounce,
or a trouble is what you make it,
And it isn't the fact that yo're hurt that counts,
but only how did you take it?

Your are beaten to earth? Well, well, what's that?
come up with a smiling face!
It's nothing against you to fall down flat,
but to lie there - that's disgrace.
The harder you're thrown, why the higher you bounce,
be proud of your blackened eye!
It isn't the fact that you're licked that counts;
It's how did you fight and why?

And though you be done to the death, what then?
If you battled the best you could,
If you played your part in the world of men,
Why, the Critic will call it good.
Death comes with a crawl, or comes with a pounce,
And whether he's slow or spry,
It isn't the fact that your dead that counts,
But only how did you die?

By Edmund Vance Cooke

Epic...

2010-03-15T19:36:00.004-05:00

Have you ever wished that you could make a choice right now that would stick for the rest of your life? Like that you could choose to be diligent now and that would settle it for the rest of your life? Or that you could choose never to say anything unkind to anyone ever again, and voila! you never did? Well, I have. But alas, it is not to be. Reality screams each morning as I wake up that the moments of the coming day will be filled with choices. At the moment of decision, each choice will seem like an inconsequential one that doesn’t really affect much of anything. But, that too is not true. I am writing to submit to you that each choice in a day has an impact of epic proportions. Yes, epic. (and I’m speaking of choices we make in how we act, think, talk, or do. Not choices like whether we brush our teeth at night or in the morning. Although, I presume that could have epic impact as well. :P)

I suppose I should give you a little background on how I came to this conclusion. I was watching a movie. =) This movie had daring heroes, extraordinary battles, dreadful villains, and sacrificial love. It was full of intricate friendships, courage, genius, sacrifice, humor, color, grand exploits, and best of all, the will to overcome evil, even when it looked like trying to do so would be suicide. All in all, it was epic. After it was over, I started whining to God, “Whyyy can’t I be a part of something epic like thaaat? Why can’t I fight battles, save lives, and beat the bad guys?” You want to know what He told me? He told me to look around at my life and see that I was part of an epic battle. And that’s when it clicked. I was looking at the choices in my life as small insignificant decisions. But, no choice can be insignificant in the daily battle between right or wrong, light or darkness, love or hate. I was looking at my life as just one of 6 billion being lived right now. But no, my life is here and now “for such a time as this.” I was looking at myself as just a girl. But no, I am a warrior engaged in battle every day.

I am a part of something epic. And so are you. Don’t overlook the moment the Creator of all the universe has given to you now while you wait for His epic plan to transpire in your life tomorrow. His plan is taking place right now. The choices you and I make in this moment, in this often gloomy battle against a sinister foe, hold a deeper significance than we may ever know.

You’ve been forgiven.

You’ve been redeemed.

You’ve been made a warrior in the greatest battle of the ages.

Your life, your daily battles, are epic.

Live like it.

Random happiness...

2009-05-29T17:48:00.009-05:00

My family outside of a cabin in Oklahoma.
I had a blast on our family vacation... I read books, went put-put golfing and tied for the 2nd place looser :P, went go-carting, ate ice cream, and pizza, and Dream Bars.

As I worked on my Life notebook this week, I found some inspiring quotes that I thought I would share with you...

" You can always trust an unknown future to a known God." Sam Davison

"The sovereign God wants to be loved for Himself and honored for Himself, but that is only part of what He wants. The other part is that He wants us to know that when we have Him we have

everything -- we have all the rest." A.W. Tozer

"In Christ alone I place me trust, and find my glory in the power of the cross, in every victory let is be said of me, my source of strength, my source of hope, in Christ alone."

Advanced Excel Photo Hunt

2009-05-19T17:02:00.013-05:00

Time: Precious moments.

White Trash: I was glad my trash can happened to be full of mostly white trash!

Stapler: Don't they look bored?

Squirrel: All the fat little squirrels that haunt our back yard seemed to know I wanted a picture of them and promptly disappeared. SO this is a picture of our squirrel chaser being a goofball.

Police: The NYPD

Date: Yummy! :)

Leap: February 29, 2008 - the day the year lept

Coffee: I like the chocolate better!

Fears: Doorway to fear

Making a statement: Spring beauty!

Reflections: Summer music!

Self-portrait: Me in my pink and black room! *happiness*

A day in the life of an A.E. gaurdian angel...

2009-05-08T18:27:00.012-05:00

So... many of you may remember Gabriel. Rachel and I lovingly created him one night when we all had to come up with A.E. mascots. Yes, he is a cyclops, and no, he is not wearing a blue skirt. That is a tunic!

He has been blissfully at rest on my dresser for the last weeks. But early Thursday morning that all changed...

You ever wandered what a gaurdian angel would go through in one day? Well, let me show you!

12:30 am... Isn't he sweet to still be wide awake while I finish studying?

Morning - Sleep came at last but all too soon the peaceful strains(note sarcasm) of my cell phone alarm forced themselves into our consiousness. The day had begun...

More studies...

Then off to work we go...

He stood guard in front of the lemonade(By the way... this lemonade is the best in Oklahoma :) ya'll really need to come try it)

As you can tell he is a little bit worse for wear from riding around in my purse. I'm not sure where his other leg was at this point. It's tough being a guardian angel!

We headed to the mall to get a Mother's Day present.The poor fellow lost his head somewhere along the way and now it is in my sisters car on the way to her work!

They day ended with ice cream, my favorite soundtrack and blissful sleep. All in all it was a good day! But...the moral of this story is up to you!

Love...

2009-04-27T12:52:00.009-05:00

So I have been thinking a lot about love lately. Not the mushy romance kind, but true love. The type of love that causes people to forgive and forget, no matter what. The type of love that causes people to open their hearts to others no matter the pain that may follow. The type of love that inspires to faithfulness and compassion, no matter what. The type of love that causes someone to give their life, no matter what.

Thinking about love really made me look around at the relationships I share with the people in my life right now. I looked at them and found something lacking. And I think it was commitment. The commitment that says "No matter what". Now, don't get me wrong, I have great relationships with my family and friends. But settling for great is no longer enough.

This world is constantly searching for something real, not just great. Something that will always be true. Someone that will say no matter what.

Are you willing to be that example of real love? Are you willing? No matter the pain, the waiting, the ridicule, the disdain, the dark nights, the horrible storms, the endless days, the stress, the sickness, the poverty or wealth...no matter what?

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."

John 15:13

Just because...

2009-04-14T16:39:00.006-05:00

I love Dove Dark Chocolate! It is one of the things on my happiest of happy's list.

What makes it so special? Not only is the chocolate simply amazing and an incredible confidence booster when it feels like the kingdom of Advanced Excel, or life, is just too much to handle; the wrappers make me smile. (OR laugh, when they are really stupid.)

If you were a dove dark chocolate what would your wrapper say? What would be your message to the world? Would it be something like…

“Look at the reflection of the leaves in your favorite pond.”

(Pretty ponds are few and far between in Oklahoma because they are all red. So I looked at the reflection in the standing water on our pool cover :P)

“Promise yourself a smile today.” Or

“Whisper in the dark.” Or

“Smile when you want to, cry when you need to and laugh whenever possible.” Or

“Do a little more each day than you think is possible”

What are you going to inspire others to do or be?

"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." Jim Elliot

Life...

2009-03-21T15:14:00.008-05:00

11 things I want to be able to say about my life :

~I lived each day with purpose

~I saw the Northern Lights

~I lived life to the fullest

~I went skydiving at least once

~I lived outside my comfort zone.

~I lived with confidence and passion.

~I followed where God led

~I never missed an opportunity, no matter how small, to bring comfort, cheer or happiness into someone’s life.

~I had no regrets

~I finished the race, I kept the faith... and married a really handsome guy!

~I learned to love unconditionally

5 things I want to do in heaven:

~ Sleep on the clouds

~Ride a star

~Walk up a rainbow

~Hear the stars sing

~Help God paint a sunset

Soooo... what are you going to be able to say about your life? Or what are you dreaming of doing in heaven?

"Your true character is revealed by the clarity of your convictions, the choices you make, and the promises you keep. Hold strongly to your principles and refuse to follow the currents of convenience. What you say and do defines who you are, and who you are...you are forever."

www.successories.com

No matter what...

2009-03-19T17:25:00.011-05:00

The night, heavy with mist and dew, rolls in waves through the mountain chasm in which I stagger. The moon hid behind dark clouds, afraid to show its face. The scarce trees, clad in a gray cloak, move listlessly as the shadows dance in a cold wind that disturbs the silence of these hours of darkness.
The night appears dreary beyond relief. It seems that I have been here before, I must have gone in a circle. Which way do I turn? Where do I go? I have no one to call, nowhere to go, and no strength to try. The mist and clouds have enclosed me. I surrender. My knees give way beneath me and I slump to the ground. Lying there listless, fearful and numb, my eyes begin to close. The nothingness around me has won.
Suddenly I jerk awake. What had I seen? Was it a sparkle of light above me? Or was it a glint in the eye of some creature come to devour me? Or could it just have been my tense imagination? I take in the stillness around me, not quite daring to hope that I will see the light another time. I drift once more into the nothingness, but startle awake as the glint of light flashes yet again. What was it? My confused mind could not make any sense of it. I slowly pull myself from the ground intent on finding the answer.
Wondering about the newfound strength within me, I stumble in the direction from which the light came. Seconds drag on and become minutes, minutes become hours and still I have not found my answer. The path is steeper, the walls of rock higher on either side and the darkness impenetrable …. Or so I thought.
But what was that? Once more the light glistens above me, this time clearer and stronger. Without heeding where I go, I fight desperately on, until I can struggle no farther. The walls of the canyon rise on all sides except the way I just came from. That bleak nothingness again creeps around me as I stand in misery. I was lost forever. The end had come.
Suddenly the rock around me crumbles, the clouds flee and the impenetrable darkness gives way to a soft glow. I gasp in awe as I find myself standing on a protruding slab of solid rock. And once again I see that sparkling light, only multiplied by thousands and thousands, dancing for joy in the heavens above me.
Once more my knees buckle under me, for I had found the light. Or maybe... the light had found me. I gaze in wonder at the stars glittering in the vastness above me. Once set on their course they’ve never strayed. They shine like signals of comfort each night, and even shed their light when hidden and unseen. As when the sun fades them into invisibility during the day, or when the clouds hide them behind their dreary faces. They seem so still in the night sky, yet they are fire balls of energy traveling on their predestined way. No matter what, they are always there, giving hope to the hopeless, guidance to the lost, strength to the weary and light to those engulfed in darkness.

The stars in their courses never stray,
held in their place by Love’s strong sway,
shining like beacons of hope each night
inspiring me to stay in the fight