Live Like We're Dying

A few things that happened this week in our lives:

• Jacob started his 2nd semester of seminary this week
• I went into my 2nd week of teaching which meant I had calmer, less anxious kindergarteners...and parents
• We had a nice break from Wednesday night and Sunday night youth activities before they start up full swing next week
• We started planning and preparing for our Youth All-Nighter next weekend
• We found out we're trying to sell our church building to buy or build a new one...big news!
• Jess, Jenn, and I threw Jaime a Bridal shower which was a lot of fun to be with people my own age...that rarely happens
• We are getting caught up on finances only to have Jacob's tooth break in half this week...which means we are no longer caught up with our finances

Through the day-to-day of life I sometimes just get caught up going through the motions and not really living with purpose. Today while I was listening to a radio talk show I started thinking about the purpose of this life. They were talking on the show about "purposeful living" and I began to look at my purposes. Ultimately everything I do should come down to Christ. My serving should be to bring Christ glory; teaching and helping grow up the next generation should be to bring Christ glory; all my decisions, thoughts, and words should be to bring Christ glory.

Romans 13:23 says, "...everything that does not come from faith is a sin."

So with that being said, boy am I one big sinner! I act out of faithlessness all the time! My purpose gets skewed so often and I begin to make it all about me. I serve because I want the applause. I teach because I want to be the best teacher for my own gratification. I make decisions based on my desires. The things I think and the words I say are full of selfishness and vanity. And the list could continue forever. What a beautiful reminder that I NEED a Savior! I NEED cleansing! I NEED forgiveness!

Romans 8:18-25 says, "I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out...For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind...What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God-THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD!"

I am constantly reminded of my need for my Savior and the purpose of my life. What a beautiful gift the cross is to the world. What a beautiful sacrifice Jesus paid for us, for mere sinners!

Romans 5:8 says, "But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

He gave up His life so that I may truly live, so today I was reminded (once again) to live like tomorrow was my last. To live with a purpose. To live for eternity. To live for the One who gave up His life so that I may find true life.

Matthew 16:24-26 says, " 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 will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?"

Overseer of My Soul

Since the last post lots has happened...Jacob and I took a break from life and had a small staycation, we had the junior highers over for our annual Crud War, the highschool kids came over for a Paint War in the woods behind our house, we went on a mini-vacation with my whole family to Sea World, floated the river, and celebrated my mom, aunt, and uncle's bdays, I started school again this week, and my baby sister is leaving for college tomorrow. Life happens so fast! It all comes and goes so quickly. Another summer has passed, I've started on my 3rd year of teaching, one sister has married and moved off, another is moving off to college, summer vacations have come and gone full of memories, but without enough rest, youth activities are changing pace now that school is starting back up, and I find myself wondering where all the time goes. In the midst of all the change I hold tight to my constant...Jesus Christ.

Life will change, people will leave, chapters will close, seasons will come and go, but the beauty of it is that new people will come into our lives, new opportunities will present themselves, new relationships will evolve, new experiences will transform our lives, and new memories will be made. How thankful I am that the Creator of the Universe, the Savior of the world, the King above all kings is my Friend, my Father, my Healer, my Comforter, my Provider, my Teacher, and the Overseer of my very soul...1 Peter 2:24-25 - "He Himself bore [my sin] in His body on the tree, so that [I] may die to sin and live for righteousness; by His wounds [I] have been healed. For [I was like a] sheep gone astray, but now [I] have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of [my soul]."

I give this next season to Him and thank Him for yet another day to live for Him. What a blessing to live to serve my King!! What a blessing that every season is in the very hands of God and I have no need to fear!! What a blessing that He has gone before me and walks beside me!!

Ecclesiastes 3:1-11; 7:14 -"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven...He has mad everything beautiful in its time. When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other. Therefore, a man cannot discover anything about his future."

Sea World

The Birthday Clan with my Mimi & Papa
All the Cuzzies

Attacking with Paint!!

The winning team...although to others it was up for debate



Love him

The worst smelling, rotten food EVER!

Hosing my cousin off...she was such a trooper :)