This is One of the Most Precious…
Little girls and videos I’ve ever seen. Plus, this little girl has an amazing voice! God bless her!
Rhema Marvanne – ‘Amazing Grace’ REVISED 6/11 from Black Olive Media.com on Vimeo.
Do We Really Mean What We Sing?
This is a link to a great post on my friend’s blog! It’s short, but very thought-provoking.
A Proclamation!
AUDIO~
National Day of Prayer-Lincoln
The other day I had a great idea after being inspired by this proclamation: How about I record it! I’m sure it won’t be too hard and it will be lots of fun!
Let’s just say it turned into two more hours of work than I anticipated and I was very exhausted by the time I was done editing. But I suppose I should look on the bright side, now I know what to expect next time! 
With that being said, I ask that you PLEASE forgive me for the volume differences and my horse sounding voice at times.
Transcript~
Proclamation of a National Day of Prayer and Fasting
Washington, D.C.
March 30, 1863
Senator James Harlan of Iowa, whose daughter later married President Lincoln’s son Robert, introduced this Resolution in the Senate on March 2, 1863. The Resolution asked President Lincoln to proclaim a national day of prayer and fasting. The Resolution was adopted on March 3, and signed by Lincoln on March 30, one month before the fast day was observed.
By the President of the United States of America.
A Proclamation.
Whereas, the Senate of the United States, devoutly recognizing the Supreme Authority and just Government of Almighty God, in all the affairs of men and of nations, has, by a resolution, requested the President to designate and set apart a day for National prayer and humiliation.
And whereas it is the duty of nations as well as of men, to own their dependence upon the overruling power of God, to confess their sins and transgressions, in humble sorrow, yet with assured hope that genuine repentance will lead to mercy and pardon; and to recognize the sublime truth, announced in the Holy Scriptures and proven by all history, that those nations only are blessed whose God is the Lord.
And, insomuch as we know that, by His divine law, nations like individuals are subjected to punishments and chastisements in this world, may we not justly fear that the awful calamity of civil war, which now desolates the land, may be but a punishment, inflicted upon us, for our presumptuous sins, to the needful end of our national reformation as a whole People? We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of Heaven. We have been preserved, these many years, in peace and prosperity. We have grown in numbers, wealth and power, as no other nation has ever grown. But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace, and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us; and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us!
It behooves us then, to humble ourselves before the offended Power, to confess our national sins, and to pray for clemency and forgiveness.
Now, therefore, in compliance with the request, and fully concurring in the views of the Senate, I do, by this my proclamation, designate and set apart Thursday, the 30th. day of April, 1863, as a day of national humiliation, fasting and prayer. And I do hereby request all the People to abstain, on that day, from their ordinary secular pursuits, and to unite, at their several places of public worship and their respective homes, in keeping the day holy to the Lord, and devoted to the humble discharge of the religious duties proper to that solemn occasion.
All this being done, in sincerity and truth, let us then rest humbly in the hope authorized by the Divine teachings, that the united cry of the Nation will be heard on high, and answered with blessings, no less than the pardon of our national sins, and the restoration of our now divided and suffering Country, to its former happy condition of unity and peace.
In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.
Done at the City of Washington, this thirtieth day of March, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the United States the eighty seventh.
By the President: Abraham Lincoln
William H. Seward, Secretary of State.
(Source: http://showcase.netins.net/web/creative/lincoln/speeches/fast.htm)
WRITTEN OVER 100 YEARS AGO, AND YET, STILL SO RELEVANT TODAY!
Quote of the Week~
“We don’t always know God’s reasoning, but His will is always perfect
and all we are asked to do is believe and have faith in Him.”
How God Wants Us to Spend the 7th Day
I know, long time no post, but it is high time for one and I was prompted the other day to post about something I read. It was from “Real Christianity by William Wilberforce” (revised and updated by Bob Beltz). I have been reading this for a while now, but I have to pause to write something down on almost every page – thus the reason I’m still reading it. Right now I’m in the fourth chapter and have been for quite some time. Just the other day, though, it started to feel like it was taking me FOREVER to finish the chapter. So, I started flipping through the book and realized I was only a couple pages into the chapter. Soon after that I didn’t feel so discouraged because I discovered that THE CHAPTER HAS 60+ PAGES! I feel much better now.
Anyway, throughout this chapter Wilberforce has been presenting the difference between “real” Christians and “cultural” Christians and he uses some great issues to contrast them.
“Sunday” (the day God ordained for rest and to spend time with him) is one of the areas he addresses and I gained a lot from his points. Below are some excerpts:
“…we should lay aside the business and cares of life to spend time with God…After church, if they go, how do they spend the rest of this day? Do they spend the day cultivating their relationship with God?…Instead of experiencing the day as a day of spiritual opportunity, a day of reflection and adjustment, a day to correct the errors that might have accumulated during the week, a day of joy, love and harmony, many abuse the day…They find it much easier to utilize Sunday to finish work started during the week than to take the exercises of Sunday and insert them into the middle of the week…For many, business itself is viewed as more recreational than enduring what they feel to be drudgery of Sunday.” (pg. 81 & 82)
The words that are underlined are, unfortunately, the category I fall into and am guilty of in my own life. When I was reading this I felt like God was talking directly to me–and the more I read, the more I was convicted and challenged. It was so hard-hitting that when I was done, I felt so guilty and a fire burned inside of me until I wrote, “I have been challenged/convicted to not work at all on the Sabbath, but rather to spend this day honoring God and building my relationship with Him.”
I pray that whenever I am tempted to work on Sunday I will remember these wise words of Wilberforce that he penned over 200 years ago.
I MUST GIVE GOD SO MUCH MORE THAN I DO!
I hope this inspires you as much as it did me.
The Purpose of the Passion
A Family Research Council and Washington Update Publication
written by Tony Perkins (April 2, 2010)
The Purpose of the Passion can be summed up as–a second chance! The life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ provides a second chance for mankind to walk in relationship with the God who created them. The Scriptures make clear that through Adam sin entered the world, but through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ there is justification for every man, woman, boy and girl–if they only place their trust in Him.
The passion of Christ provides a second chance for each of us to be right with God by being forgiven of everything and anything we have ever done. The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ gives you and me the ability to live life to its fullest because we can be free of guilt and be guided by a purpose that eclipses all that the world has to offer.
Mel Gibson, in his movie The Passion, captures both the need and the power of the second chance available to us through Christ. Jesus is praying in Gethsemane when the guards of the high priest arrive to arrest Him. The guards approach and ask for Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus identifies Himself and Judas comes up to Him and kisses Him, saying “Hail, Rabbi.” Jesus asks Judas why he is betraying “the Son of Man with a kiss?” Judas is stunned and steps back.
The guards move in to arrest Jesus. Suddenly, Peter explodes into action, attacking the guards. Ultimately, Peter pulls out a sword and cuts off the ear of one of the guards. Peter is eventually subdued, and Jesus tells him to drop his sword, saying, “Those who live by the sword die by the sword.” Then Jesus reaches down, picks up the guard’s severed ear, and looking into the guard’s eyes, heals him.
Jesus stands up, and the remaining guards move in and arrest Him–striking Him and handling Him roughly. They shove Him along the road and begin to leave. The healed guard is still on his knees, unmoving. His fellow guards tell him to get up and come along, but he cannot. The guard can no longer participate in anything that brings harm to the Christ.
He was left in the garden of Gethsemane to marvel at what the Savior had done for him. In the film, Peter, left behind, then comes face to face with the guard after Jesus healed his ear and touched his life. This is especially poignant, as within hours Peter would need that same forgiving touch of Jesus and a second chance.
This is the same Peter who had walked with Jesus (Matt 4:18-20). This is the same Peter who boldly declared that Jesus was the Son of God (Matt 16:13-17). This was the same Peter who committed to follow Jesus to the death (Matt 26:35). Despite all of this, Peter denied even knowing Jesus, not once, but three times (Matt 26:75). Was this the end for Peter? Was Peter beyond the forgiveness of Jesus Christ? Not at all! Following the resurrection, Jesus gave Peter a second chance (John 21:15-17).
The Purpose of the Passion is to give each of us a second chance. Whether you’re like the guard who came face to face with Jesus for the first time or whether you’re like Peter who had walked with Jesus in the past, declared who He is to others and even committed his life to Him, if something is separating you from the abundant life Jesus has obtained for you–a second chance awaits you. That’s the Purpose of the Passion.
This was posted with full permission of the Family Research Council.
They are a very politically active group and making a difference all across the country. Sign up for their email updates here The information they update you with are things you will probably never hear from anyone/anywhere else.
Yes, we’ve all heard and read this type of story many times, but I hope it inspired you as much as it did me.
Hopefully…
…soon I will be able to write more and share. Oh, how it pains me not to use my time to do it, but oh how I would feel so guilty when I know should be doing other things. So soon my friends (if you’re still there)-SOON I PRAY!
Good-night!
Thoughts from a Weary Soul~
“Life is hard and rough
but God’s strength will
never fail.”
My Heart is Saddened…
…As I have just learned that the House voted in favor of the $940 billion health-care reform. I’m sad, but it also makes me angry! (The only words to describe how I feel about this whole thing are “dumb, dumb, dumb!”) Ever since the beginning of this new administration, my hatred toward lying and bribery have increased IMMENSELY! And now, I think it’s tripled!
I believe these are two of the worst sins that came into effect after Adam and Eve rebelled against God!
*big sigh*
Oh, how I wish there was no such thing as compromising. 
I apologize…
…For the lack of posts over the…well, long time! And I’m afraid it might be like this for a while longer. *sniff* (Please don’t abandon me forever!) Life has been pretty busy. I wonder where my day has gone and then I realize it was occupied by by stuff, stuff, stuff. I can’t even post pictures because my camera is broken! Boohoohoo. But I really haven’t had time to do that or upload or post them. *sigh*
Let’s see…here’s why: For one, my camera is unable to take pictures; I’m also trying to make sure my schoolwork gets done along with my babysitting. (Babysitting’s my job. It’s like other jobs kids get before graduation, but better! It might not be a set income, but if I’m not available I can just say “no”. AND…I get to watch little kiddos-which I love. It can be spontaneous or God might provide a weekly time-which he has in my case. FOUR, actually! Sometimes, it can get pretty overwhelming.) Now don’t get the wrong impression, I’m NOT writing all this to complain about the things I have to do or brag about how much I’m doing. (I must admit though, there are times I start griping and then have to bite my tongue and remind myself these opportunities are from God. Work is not to be despised but God wants us to use it to create and be creative.)
Other WORK projects:
I started and am still working on my Psalms Project. (Notating doesn’t come very natural to me unfortunately.)
I’m also preparing for Music Progressions, so that makes me keep up with practice.
I have been doing lots of research for my orchestration program. And through God I have been able to make some great progress!
I have had the the wonderful experience of now fighting off being sick twice ; ) …and I’m pretty sure that number will be three soon. But I will still rejoice!
I’ve been doing other research.
I’ve been praying and thinking long and hard about different decisions I have to make.
I’ve been trying to fix computer problems.
Trying to learn and learn and learn!
And whenever I get on the computer I can never seem to squeeze in a post; I’m so glad I could this time.
Even through the busyness of life I try my best to thank God for His blessings. And even through the stress somehow His peace surpasses all the load of “things to do”, and I still find SO MUCH JOY IN LIFE…and doing work! His strength is what keeps me going!
For this occasion I dug out some pictures of the little Baker’s I babysit every Thursday morning+one little girl Noelle was babysitting that day.
From farthest back: Tim, Nathaniel, Addy Jobe, Nora
Can’t you just see “mischievous” written
all over that smile?
“You can’t catch me I’m the gingerbread man!”
I hope you all enjoyed the post today! Have a great day!
