Parents are a blessing

I am so unbelievably blessed. Years ago, when I was probably 12 or 13, my mom and I were fighting. My dad spoke over my life with those rare words that stick with you for a lifetime--"Don't alienate her, because then you won't have her when you need her most later on." He was so right. My mom and I became best friends, and every day I grow more grateful for her consistency, her friendship, and her wisdom and prayers.

We talk about anything and everything. The Spirit often guides our conversations--time and again, I've had a topic that I wasn't sure how to broach with her. I've learned to keep my mouth shut, and invariably, He opens a door in the conversation so wide I can't miss it.

God is so good!

I've always been a papa's girl. However, as I've grown older, I've wished our relationship could be more--grown up. It seems I often revert to a 6 year old when I'm with him. Recently, amazing changes have been taking place in our relationship! I know it's only the work of the Holy Spirit. Papa has started to voluntarily tell me he loves me! He's always responded in kind when I told him, but rarely has he initiated it. Also, he recently told me that he would pray for me in a very specific manner instead of his general blanket statements about prayer. Also, he's one of the few people who's bothered to ask me very specific questions about my major when he didn't understand things. He makes me think about things from an outsider's perspective which has been very useful when making changes to my future plans.

All in all, I'm so blessed to have two parents who love the Lord and who raised me accordingly. Honestly, I think they are one of the reasons I'm sort of afraid to be a mother--They did such a good job! I don't think I can match up! haha. Thankfully, God has been even changing that thought in my heart. Someday.... :D

Superchick Song

I heard this today on a CD Amy gave me and it totally fit how I've been feeling! (Superchick's lyrics have a habit of doing that, btw).

One And Lonely lyrics
It's not like they meant to hurt me
Watching TV, checking Britney, televised, my guy's
Checking out her thighs and I roll my eyes and sigh

It's not like I even need to be
competing with unreality TV, fantasy
Not for a smart girl like me
Some days it's hard to be a one girl revolution

[Chorus:]
Sometimes I have good days and it's good to be me
Sometimes I get the best of insecurity
And it's quite alright to be the one and only
But today I feel like the one and lonely

It's not that I don't know beauty is only skin deep
Just the skin I'm in, not the girl within
But one imperfection takes away my grin,
Not that I think I'm ugly, but
Acne throws me for a backslide
I won't go outside
Makeup can't hide how I feel inside
Some days it's hard to be a one girl revolution

[Chorus]

Oh, the one and lonely
We all have bad hair days
Those nothing good about me days
Just keep moving on cause they'll be gone
And we'll still be here going on
We have our yesterdays
No lunch cause the jeans don't fit days
Just keep moving on cause they'll be gone
And we'll still be here going on

[Chorus 2:]
Sometimes I have bad days and it's hard to be me,
Sometimes I get brought down by insecurity
And I have my days where I'm the one and lonely
But today I choose to be the one and only

Yeah, I'm the one and only

Pray for President Obama

I was listening to the radio today, and they were discussing how President-elect Obama had filed a court motion to be allowed to say "So help me God" in his inaugural oath of office. I've never gotten a clear answer, but I was under the impression that Obama is not a born-again Christian. I was struck by the fact that, regardless of my opinions about his policy goals or past dealings, and possibly because of my (somewhat negative) opinions, I need to make praying for President Obama a priority. Regardless of his commitment to Christ, "there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God." (Rom. 13:1b) God will use the administration of Obama, and his faithfulness to the Lord will determine whether his administration is used to further the Kingdom or bring judgment on the nation. I would encourage you to continue to lift President Obama in prayer.

Pray for his heart to be softened.
Pray for his eyes to be opened to God's will.
Pray for his desire to be used of God.
Pray for him to be used to once again make us a nation blessed because we serve the Lord.

"Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for his inheritance." Ps. 33:12

ONLY

I was reading a note by a friend today, and it commented something to the effect of "You [God] ask only for me". There are so many days that I want to keep parts of me because for some reason I seem to think I can do a better job. Most recently, my love life (or lack thereof) has been the most difficult to surrender. In light of all this, I started to wonder at the difference that one little word, "only", makes. If He asks only for me, what else could He ask of me that he's not? The most staggering answer He brought to mind was that He could have asked me to pay for my sins. Taking into account the extreme debt I owe Him, paying only myself seems quite appealing. I want to keep that at the forefront of my mind each day as I lay down myself and take up my cross to follow Him.

Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it." Matthew 16:23-25

Fading Facebook

I'm feeling a bit...burnt out with facebook. It's great to keep up with people that I don't talk to often, but for the most part it's just....exactly that: a lot of people I don't talk to often.

So, I've joined yet another fad of technology and created my blog. I've always liked writing (and talking), so hopefully this will be a better way to let that out than seeing how much I can fit in my fb status.

I'll leave it at that for now. I'm currently "watching" a movie 1300 miles away with some of my best friends. God is so good! I complain about technology, but I don't know what I'd do without it!

I pray the Lord blesses you this day. Prepare your field fully expecting that God will send the rain!