I Am ... Held

Who would have thought that Mother's Day could be such a sad time when one has such a beautiful and wonderful family? After waiting for a couple of weeks for the inevitable to happen, the miscarriage finally happened yesterday...on Mother's Day. The heartbreaking irony of it is not lost on me. I had to work this morning b/c the executive assistant was out and there were several caterings that needed to be done - 3 meetings requiring coffee/water/etc. this morning, lunch for one and afternoon snack for another. I left early to go home and take some more pain meds for the cramping I'm still going through - they made me very fuzzy and sleepy. Thankfully, the bleeding has mostly stopped, but the cramping is still going on, though lessening in frequency finally.

To top it off, Oscar did not get the job with LCRA. They went with someone "more qualified", but what we found out today, from another job he interviewed for, was practically given the job and then was told he DIDN'T get it, is that the loss of this opportunity and quite possibly the LCRA job is b/c of his driving record - which is NOT bad. He had 3 tickets on his motorcycle, two of which were NOT moving violations (one was no helmet, one was not having an M class license - which he got), and which were supposed to be off his record in March.

They didn't come off as he was told they would.

They're still on and he was told today that they would be on there for seven years. All of his skills, experience and knowledge deal with jobs that require having a CDL and even though he still has his CDL, hasn't had a violation in over a year and prior to those tickets hadn't had any tickets in probably 10+ years, he is not able to get a job. Unfortunately they don't look at his spotless record prior to them or the fact that it's been over a year since he's had any or the fact that they were on a motorcycle, not a truck or CDL required vehicle or the fact that two were not even moving violations (they still consider them as such). He is a very, very good driver, but it doesn't matter.

Oscar tries so hard and he is such a wonderful, beautiful soul and has a truly golden heart. I am beyond proud to have him as my husband. He is an amazing husband and father and best friend. It breaks my heart to look into his eyes and see such despair and hopelessness. I talked to a lawyer friend of mine to see if there's something that can be done regarding Oscar's record so that he can get a job that isn't flipping burgers. Hopefully Scott will have some information for me tomorrow.

Two songs I listened to on my iTouch that really spoke to me are Nichole Nordeman's "I Am" and Natalie Grant's "Held". It's so hard to keep up the faith when it is one punch after another with no respite to be found lately, but I know that God has a plan. I just wish I new what it was. I'd like a breather. Really. I'm not sure what else God has to teach me through these difficulties. I'd just like a break from the stresses.



I Am
Nichole Nordeman

Pencil marks on a wall, I wasn't always this tall
You scattered some monsters from beneath my bed
You watched my team win
You watched my team lose
Watched when my bicycle went down again
And when I was weak, unable to speak
Still I could call You by name
And I said, Elbow Healer, Superhero
Come if You can
You said, I Am

Only sixteen, life is so mean
What kind of curfew is at 10pm?
You saw my mistakes
And watched my heart break
Heard when I swore I'd never love again
And when I was weak, unable to speak
Still I could call You by name
And I said Heartache Healer, Secret Keeper
Be my best friend
And you said, I Am

You saw me wear white by pale candlelight
I said forever to what lies ahead
Two kids and a dream, with kids that can scream
Too much it might seem when it is 2am
And when I am weak, unable to speak
Still I will call You by name
Shepherd, Savior, Pasture Maker
Hold onto my hand
You say, I Am

The winds of change and circumstance blow in and all around us
So we find a foothold that's familiar
And bless the moments that we feel You nearer

When life had begun, I was woven and spun
You let the angels dance around the throne
And who can say when, but they'll dance again
When I am free and finally headed home
I will be weak, unable to speak
Still I will call You by name
Creator, Maker, Life Sustainer
Comforter, Healer, my Redeemer
Lord and King, Beginning and the End

I Am
Yes, I Am



Held
Natalie Grant

Two months is too little.
They let him go.
They had no sudden healing.
To think that providence would
Take a child from his mother while she prays
Is appalling.

Who told us we'd be rescued?
What has changed and why should we be saved from nightmares?
We're asking why this happens
To us who have died to live?
It's unfair.

Chorus:
This is what it means to be held.
How it feels when the sacred is torn from your life
And you survive.
This is what it is to be loved.
And to know that the promise was
When everything fell we'd be held.

This hand is bitterness.
We want to taste it, let the hatred numb our sorrow.
The wise hand opens slowly to lilies of the valley and tomorrow.

(Chorus)
This is what it means to be held.
How it feels when the sacred is torn from your life
And you survive.
This is what it is to be loved.
And to know that the promise was
When everything fell we'd be held.

Bridge:
If hope is born of suffering.
If this is only the beginning.
Can we not wait for one hour watching for our Savior?

(Chorus)
This is what it means to be held.
How it feels when the sacred is torn from your life
And you survive.
This is what it is to be loved.
And to know that the promise was
When everything fell we'd be held.

Word Filled Wednesday for April 28

"While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, Who can tell whether GOD will be gracious to me, that the child may live? But now he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me" (2 Samuel 12:22-23)

Well, this is certainly not the news I was expecting to give today. After my doctor's appt yesterday at 10 weeks I was supposed to be joking about having Irish Twins - 2 babies born a year apart - and how I'd have 2 babies in diapers, etc. Instead, the doc told me that the baby I carry died about 3 weeks ago and that I will miscarry in the next 1-2 weeks.

The Bible says that life begins at conception and teaches a kind of "age of accountability", if you will, for we are condemed by rejecting Jesus, yet infants and children up to the age of knowledge (of understanding truly about right and wrong - different for every child) are not capable of rejecting Jesus.

King David, when faced with the death of his baby with Bathsheba in infancy, wrote that verse above. He believed that he would be reunited with that baby.

I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me

King David knew the baby, having died, could not come back to this life, but he believed that he would go to him. I believe the same as King David.

I will await the day when I am reunited with this precious life inside of me in heaven and I will love the children I have here on this earth even more.

I will praise God, even in the midst of this heartbreaking storm, because He is who He is and His ways are not our ways nor His thoughts our thoughts.

I don't know why. I don't understand. All I can do is trust and have faith that God had a reason and while I may never know it here on earth, I will know when I am Home.

Does it stop the tears or the questions? No. But it gives me a measure of peace that I would not otherwise have.

Oscar and I leave on Friday evening for Nevada for a week-long getaway with his mom and stepdad, one that is now much more needed than ever. Chances are good that I will miscarry while I'm up there. I would rather do it there than here at home with the kids around.

I'll be taking a break next week while we are gone.

From the time I knew of you, little one, I loved you and wanted you. I might not have gotten a chance to know you here on earth, but I will have eternity to know you in heaven.

"Praise You In This Storm"
~Casting Crowns~

I was sure by now
God You would have reached down
And wiped our tears away
Stepped in and saved the day
But once again, I say "Amen", and it's still raining

As the thunder rolls
I barely hear Your whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away

And I'll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands
For You are who You are
No matter where I am
And every tear I've cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

I remember when
I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry to you
And you raised me up again
My strength is almost gone
How can I carry on
If I can't find You

But as the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away

I lift my eyes unto the hills
Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord
The Maker of Heaven and Earth
For other Word Filled Wednesdays please visit our hostess Susan @ Forever His or drop by “The 160 Acre Woods” to find out more about how to participate in Word Filled Wednesdays.

OB/GYN Answering Machine Message

This is so wrong but so funny! Comedienne Jolene Roxbury does the most hilariously inappropriate OB/GYN Answering Machine Message. Oscar and I went to a friend's BBQ today and two of the guys started quoting this. We had to look it up when we got home. Got a huge laugh out of it.

Hope none of y'all have a SUIT. (You'll understand if you listen to it) LOL!

Word Filled Wednesday for April 21

Again, will have to comment at home, please bear with me.

"...do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength." Nehemiah 8:10 (b)

There is a commandment in that verse and an exhortation.

Do not sorrow. I don't know about you, but when it says "do not" in the Bible, I certainly pay attention. It is a commandment from the Lord to NOT do something that is displeasing to Him. Do not sorrow.

No matter what you are going through in life, God is commanding you to not sorrow, don't be sad, don't grieve, don't be disappointed or depressed. Just . . . DON'T!

But why?

Because the joy of the LORD IS our strength! His joy is ours. If we delight in what the Lord delights in and keep that as our main focus, instead of looking for the negative, then how can we be sad or depressed when it comes to life?

There are a lot of things wrong with this world, but that's because this is a fallen world, filled with fallen people, run by the great deceiver, temping, luring, enticing everyone to do the wrong thing and tricking them into thinking it is the right thing, only to have those people ensnared by feelings of "how could I have...?", guilt, sorrow, anger, unworthiness, misery, etc. once they realize the wrongness of their actions/behavior/attitude. Haven't you heard? Misery loves company and the devil is the most miserable wretch of all!

But what if we "turn our eyes upon Jesus"? What if we learn to love what He loves? What if we train ourselves to delight in what He delights in? I think it's very clear that we will gather strength from His joy when we are flagging and falling behind and feeling sorry for ourselves, our circumstances, just feeling sorry in general.

Instead of depression, peace.

Instead of anger, happiness.

Instead of grief and pain, contentment.

Instead of sorrow, joy.

Once we learn to see things as God sees them, our world view, our lives, our personalities, our emotions will be radically changed! We will gather the strength we need to get through this life because of the joy of the Lord as we focus on the right things.

"Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His Glory and Grace"

The joy of the Lord is my strength,
the joy of the Lord is my strength,
The joy of the Lord is my strength,
the joy of the Lord is my strength.

He heals the broken hearted and they cry no more,
He heals the broken hearted and they cry no more.
He heals the broken hearted and they cry no more,
the joy of the Lord is my strength.

He gives me living water and I thirst no more,
He gives me living water and I thirst no more.
He gives me living water and I thirst no more,
the joy of the Lord is my strength.

Are you willing to let the joy of the Lord be YOUR strength today? Because, honestly? I can't see any other kind of strength enduring through the tough times and trials of life other than the strength of God. Can you? Find your joy in Him today and see how wonderfully He can change your life!

For other excellent Word Filled Wednesdays please visit our hostess Christy @ Critty Joy or drop by “The 160 Acre Woods” to find out more about how to participate in Word Filled Wednesdays.

In Other Words for April 20

“If monotony tries me,
and I cannot stand drudgery;
if stupid people fret me and
little ruffles set me on edge;
if I make much of the trifles of life,
then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If: What Do I Know of Calvary Love?
by Amy Carmichael
Ah, patience. It is a virtue. So they say.

Some days I don't feel very virtuous. Do you?

I know it is hard to be patient when the phone is ringing, one kid is running around the house screaming, one kid is incessantly trying to talk your ear off and the baby is crying and meanwhile, hubby is watching TV, seemingly oblivious to it all.

Those are the Calgon moments. Remember those commercials? Woman comes home after a stressful day. Wants nothing more than to escape. She fills the bathtub, puts in Calgon bubble bath and as she slips under the water she pleads, "Calgon! Take me away!" and suddenly she is whisked into this peaceful presence and place of serenity.

Don't you wish it worked that way in real life? I know I do sometimes.

Or what about the day to day tedium. Same routine. Day in. Day out. Ad nauseum. Do you ever wish for some exciting adventure to come along and whisk you away from the doldrums in which you find yourself?

How about the stupid drivers in rush hour traffic? Come on, you know the ones. I know that you have one incident in your mind. What about that driver who doesn't want to wait for the line of traffic and drives on the shoulder or in the turn lane and then tries to weasel their way in (RIGHT. IN. FRONT. OF YOU!) at the light? Or the teen (or adult) illegally texting or talking on the phone and almost causing several wrecks by virtue of not paying attention? Aren't there times you just pray for a cop to be around to catch them in the act?

I know I have. I must confess. One of my biggest pet peeves is stupid, slow, inattentive drivers! I have precious cargo. I AM precious cargo. In traffic, almost nothing pushes my hot button faster than bad drivers.

What about running late for a meeting, or dinner, or movie, or anything that you have scheduled that is important to you because of someone else? Doesn't that just irk you no end? I'm sometimes a minute or two late to things because of my own interruptions and reasons, but when someone else makes me late to something I want to do, I find myself sometimes biting my tongue to keep from snapping and saying something I'll regret.

What do we do when the stress is too much to bear and the patience is running thin and we just can't seem to find any respite from it? What do we do when we are so bored in our lives and seek diversion in some way? (A true trap to fall in to as Satan lies in wait to snare us due to boredom!) How do we react to the outside influence of others in our lives that rub us the wrong way or make us late, or say the wrong thing or make a fool out of themselves when they're with us?

How are we supposed to act?

John 13:34-35 states "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

And Mark 12:31 says that the second greatest commandment is to 'Love your neighbor as yourself. 'There is no commandment greater than [these]."

What? You mean I have to love others even when they have pushed me to my limit? Even when they have wronged me? Even when I am the one doing the right thing and they're doing all the wrong things? Even when I am stressed BEYOND my limits and nobody is helping me to do anything? Even if I don't know them and they don't know me and they're acting like a jerk?

God says YES! Even then.

Let me tell you a story. One of my co-workers, who goes to my church, was talking about how they were on their way to one of the Sunday services and this other driver starts acting like a real jerk. Traffic for this Sunday was kind of heavy – I think it was like a Capitol 10K run or something like that – and this driver was speeding and cutting people off, honking and ended up flipping someone else off as they cut in front of my co-worker. Imagine my co-worker's great surprise to see that very car turn into the church parking lot in front of him! How in the world were others supposed to "know that this person was Jesus' disciple" through their witness? If anything, their actions said otherwise!

What about the boredom? When we find ourselves bored in our lives, we haven't been spending enough time with God. God will certainly give us peace, contentment, fulfillment, etc. When we get bored, we tend to hedge over into doing the wrong things as Satan puts them out there before us. Life with God is never a dull moment. There are moments of rest and respite and peace, but they're never truly "dull". Being bored is a great way for Satan to sneak in under our radar and infiltrate our lives in such a manner that we have no clue that it's even happening until it's too late.

Calvary love. What is it? By my definition, it is loving others as God has loved us. It is loving ourselves as God has loved us. If we truly love each other and ourselves as God has loved us then we will truly value the other person and see them as God sees them.

If we love others as God loves them, it is harder to get angry and frustrated and use words that are not seasoned with grace when we speak to them. If we love others as God loves them, we won't spoil our witness for Christ. Instead we will have a more pleasant home, a more harmonious relationship with our family and spouse, with our friends. We will be the living example of the kind of person God desires us to be and with that witness, draw others to Him.

If we love ourselves as God loves us, then we will find it hard pressed to be bored in our day to day routines as we discover new lessons that God is teaching us daily in order to grow us in Him. We will not find ourselves even tempted by the snares the devil tries to throw in our path to keep us or steer us from what God's plans for us are.

With Calvary love, we see the world in a whole new light. And when we see things as God sees them, we find ourselves more inclined to act and behave as servants, disciples and followers of God and we can change the world for Christ. One Calvary love encounter at a time.

For more perspectives on this In Other Words quote, please visit our hostess this week Patricia @ Typing One-Handed.

Word Filled Wednesday for April 14

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
~Isaiah 40:31

So many adjustments in my life happening lately. Some days I just don't know where to begin! These past several months have definitely been an exercise in faith and trusting God for His provisions. How grateful and thankful I am to God for all of His abundant blessings! There is no way that I ever would have been able to do this on my own or on our own without God's help. As my regular readers know, my hard-working husband has been out of a job since October. With me as the sole wage earner for the past several months, including maternity leave from work, there is no way to have made ends meet without God's help but we've made it so far. Now we have to face several other challenges in our lives.

Oscar has a job interview tomorrow. This is a job that I have been praying for for him and it meets ALL of the specifics. It's just been a very long time in coming. I do believe that from the time he applied to this interview it's been about 2 months. The decision might even be another week or so. Oscar's difficulty is selling himself, even though he's so knowledgeable and passionate about what he does, it all comes down to self-esteem. He and I have been practicing the top 25 interview questions, and some of them are pretty tough but he's doing great so far! I just pray that he won't freeze up come tomorrow b/c when he gets a question that he can answer easily, he SHINES in the answer and you can almost feel his enthusiasm for the work that he's done. I know that this is the job that God has for Oscar, I feel it so clearly and have been praying for it for so long.

Also, this new pregnancy is one that is going along pretty good so far even though I have had to get on high blood pressure medication b/c my BP is way too high. And I still have the diabetes issues that will most likely cause me to go back on insulin during this pregnancy. My concerns about this pregnancy are twofold. I know that work can't fire me for getting pregnant again for the 2nd time in a year, believe me, neither one was planned other than by God, but I still have the normal concerns as usual about the amount of time for being off on maternity leave for the 2nd year in a row could be an issue. I know not really, but just preggo nerves showing on that one. And I'm working on a major move at work. Think major move of about 200 people, in waves, between floors over the period of a week and I am the main point of contact between those moving and those in charge of the move. The point of contact for questions and challenges. I worked Monday and yesterday when I was sick as a dog with a stomach virus that is going around right now. Why? B/C it's my job. I can only pray that God sees fit to allow me to keep this job that I simply love, love, love doing. Plus we need the insurance. And concern #2, affording daycare at $900+ a baby.

We are going to have to move in with my mom temporarily, or maybe long term. 7 people in a house that is less than 1200 square feet. That will be nothing short of a challenge! My mom has discussed quitting her job at the end of my maternity leave to take care of both babies, which, thank God, would be such a burden lifted. We would be the one paying all the bills at the house, which is fine by me, and she would cook every night (keep the food expenses WAY down!) and teach the babies until they could get into a private school as I absolutely refuse to send them to a public school. However, that is not set in stone yet. In reality I wish more than anything we could afford for me to be a stay at home mom and I would homeschool, but that's a wish. In this economy it has to be a two family income, especially with multiple kids...

I had one credit card, which, when it came down to figuring out whether to keep the vehicles to drive and food in our bellies as opposed to paying $300+ a month on the card, it was no contest. Sadly, that has now been turned over to collections b/c, frankly, there was just no extra money to pay it. So we'll have to figure out what to do there. God will provide. He always does. But in the realm of everything else, that has been the only negative.

The one thing that this has really taught me is that God is good ALL the time, even when we can't really see it. There is not enough thankfulness, joy or love in my heart to express how fully and completely I feel about all that He has done for us.

This time of trial and tribulation has also been a time of growth in our family. Growing closer to each other and growing closer to God. I know that this has strengthened my faith and trust in God to where I doubt nothing anymore. I may have little worries from time to time, but I always remember that GOD PROVIDES! And He will continue to do so. If He cares for the sparrows, how much more does He care for His own children and give good to them? We may not see the good as what WE want it to be, but it is always the good that is what is best for us in God's eyes, and that is the only good that matters.

I still have so much in my own life to change and I am a daily work in progress. One of my favorite saying as a kid that came on a "Holly Hobby" spiral notebook (remember Holly Hobby?) is "Please Be Patient, God Isn't Finished With Me Yet". And the day that He is finished with me, the day that I am complete, will be the day that He calls me home. I know that are things that I need to change and I just have to put my stubborn self to the side and get out of God's way. LOL! After all, it's the very least I can do for all that He has done for me. :-)

With God I've learned that I can keep going a whole lot longer than I thought I could. He has renewed my strength. He renews it daily. I keep walking, I keep trusting and I do not grow weary. I have learned to wait on Him instead of doing what I want. How GREAT Thou art, Lord! How great Thou art...

"Oh, Lord, my God
When I in awesome wonder
Consider all the works Thy hands have made
I see the stars
I hear the rolling thunder
Thy power throughout
The universe displayed.

Then sings my soul
My Savior God to Thee
How GREAT Thou art!
How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul
My Savior God to Thee
How great Thou art!
How great Thou art!"

If you’d like to join us for Word Filled Wednesday, post your photo and Bible verse. (or feel free to add mine to your site) Then send a link back so others can visit and have a word filled day!

To see other wonderful Word Filled Wednesdays for this week please hop on over to Lori @ www.allyouhavetogive.com or drop by “The 160 Acre Woods” to find out more about how to participate in Word Filled Wednesdays.

In Other Words for April 13

“God can use small ingredients to make big miracles happen:
fabric and thread to lift hope in the sick,
five loaves and two fish to feed five thousand hungry people,
and faith the size of a mustard seed to move a mountain.
Shouldn’t we give all that we have to God
just to see what He might do with it?”
What I Learned from God While Quilting
by Ruth McHaney Danner & Cristine Bolley
So many people think that God cannot use them to reach others for one reason or another. How silly is that!?Let's forget the "things" that God uses and instead think about people as the ingredients. Let me give you a list of the unlikely people that God used to bring about His will.

The next time you feel like GOD can't use you, just remember...

Adam and Eve brought sin into the world
Noah was a drunk
Abraham was too old and a liar
Isaac was a daydreamer
Jacob was a liar and a thief
Joseph was abused
Moses had a stuttering problem and was a murderer
Gideon was a coward
Samson was a womanizer and a covenant breaker
Rahab was a prostitute who committed treason when she protected the Jewish spies against her government
Jeremiah and Timothy were too young
David had an affair and was a murderer
Elijah was suicidal
Solomon was the result of an affair
Isaiah preached naked
Jonah ran from God
Naomi was a widow
Job went bankrupt
Mary was a teenager who got pregnant out of wedlock and gave birth to Jesus, Savior of the world
John the Baptist ate bugs
Peter denied Christ, was quick tempered and had a "potty" mouth
Matthew was a tax collector
The Disciples were uneducated fishermen, crooked tax collectors, anarchists, dishonest, stiff necked, unbelieving and fell asleep while praying
Martha worried about everything
The Samaritan woman was divorced, more than once
Zaccheus was too small
Paul was too religious (and, As Saul, he killed Christians before he became one)
Timothy had an ulcer...AND
Lazarus was dead!

And yet they all were used by God to accomplish great things. So really, what excuse do you have? God can use you to your full potential if you turn yourself over to Him fully and TRUST Him to know that what He is doing, what He is using you for is what is best. So many times we try and second guess God and where He is leading us. Once again, read the list. He used some of the worst people to bring about His will and look at the amazing results! How much more can He do with you and your small faith? What gifts has He given you that you can use to further His kingdom and reach others for Christ?

God's will always gets accomplished. The question is, "Are you in? Do you want to be used by God to bring about His purposes?"

I do.

I'm really happy to know that I'm qualified to start now, just as I am.

Besides you aren't the message, you are just the messenger.

To view other perspectives on this In Other Words quote, please visit our hostess this week Mama's Little Treasures.

Friday Fill-Ins for April 9

And I hope to have the Friday Field Trip up later today.

1. In 1992, I was young (18), blissfully ignorant and having a blast in life...and I wouldn't go back even if I could. Blissfully ignorant isn't all it's cracked up to be.
2. My son and daughter give me a world full of laughter and smiles.
3. Do what you need to, with what you have, where you live, in order to make your world a better place for everyone.
4. Right now, in the Caribbean/Bahamas/Mexico/Islands with my husband is where I'd like to be.
5. The trees and flowers are telling me SPRING HAS SPRUNG! (Thankfully I don't have allergies from them!).
6. The never-ending love you carry for your family is something that just keeps going on.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to seeing my awesome friend Mari that I haven't seen in something like 3 years, tomorrow my plans include spending time with my son and husband, cleaning and getting things together to pack for moving and Sunday, I want to go to church and then watch Sherlock Holmes and relax on the couch!

If you want to participate in the Friday Fill-In, go visit the delightful Janet at Friday Fill-Ins. :-)

In Other Words for April 6

wretch
n.
1. A miserable, unfortunate, or unhappy person.
2. A person regarded as base, mean, or despicable
3. a despicable person
4. a person pitied for his misfortune

Wretch, what an awful sounding word and an even more horrible description. Who wants to be pitied? Who wants to be regarded as a miserable, unfortunate, unhappy or despicable person? Not me!

And, yet, that is exactly what we all are. If we could see ourselves draped in the mire, muck and slime of our sins, that is exactly the kind of person we would see. We may think that, "oh, just because I don't have that kind of sin that he does, I'm not as bad of a person."

WRONG!

The Bible says in Romans 3:23, "for ALL have sinned and (ALL) fall short of the Glory of God". None of us are "good enough" to get to heaven on our own. Not one of us is "better than" the sinner beside us. Sure, we may not have committed adultery, or killed someone, but we all have lied and put something or someone else before God. And, the Bible says that whosoever looks at another person with lust in their hearts has already fornicated/committed adultery with them. The Bible also says that whosoever has hatred in their heart for their fellow [man], it is as if they have committed murder in their hearts.

Ouch! That doesn't sound so good does it? So, according to the Word of God, even if we haven't physically committed adultery or murdered, if we have those thoughts and feelings in our hearts, it's like we have done it anyway.

How can we expect God to forgive us if we do not forgive those who have wronged us? How can we, with a clear conscience, go before God and ask Him to forgive our sins if we do not forgive those against whom we have been holding a grudge.

Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.

It's SO IMPORTANT that it is in the Lord's Prayer. It is in the model of the prayer that we are to emulate when we pray, yet, very few churches are teaching that these days. Forget being a wretch in those churches! You can FEEL GOOD about yourself and your sins. Who needs to repent in order to stop being that wretch the song talks about? God's here to give you what you need, what you want, what you desire. He's not here to condemn you, He's here to love you and make everything ok! He's the new "Dr. Feelgood"!

WRONG! WRONG! WRONG!

The message of the Gospel is that WE ALL ARE SINNERS. Nobody is better than the other. In the eyes of God we all are wallowing in our sins, much like pigs wallow in their own filth.

The difficult thing is when the churches teach in error what Salvation is about. So many people go down the wrong road and are led there purposely by those who are supposed to be leading the flock.

Wonder why we don't have any huge revivals anymore? Why there are not people on fire for the Lord like they were in the time of Jonathan Edwards, Charles and John Wesley, Charles Spurgeon and Dwight L. Moody? Because most churches these days are not willing to talk about SIN or the need to REPENT or the dangers of HELL. Those are such . . . uncomfortable words to those who are lost and they're supposed to be! For unless we know just how lost we are, how can we know what we must do to find our way to God? He, who is the compass by which we should be directing our lives by.

My dear blogfriend, Esthermay, who is our hostess this week, has the most outstanding perspective on the dangers of the "seeker" churches in regard to this quote. I highly encourage you to head over to her and read her post!

The best part is though, that it is God's GRACE that saves us all, if we but repent and believe that God will save us, that He sent His Son to die for ALL of us. The thief, liar, adulterer, murderer, cheater beside us; the thief, liar, adulterer, murderer, cheater inside of us.

Without His grace, we would continue to wallow in our own filth. Without His grace, we would forever be that wretch the song refers to with no hope in life or death for all eternity.

Grace
n.
1. (Christianity / Ecclesiastical Terms) Christianity
a. the free and unmerited favour of God shown towards man
b. the divine assistance and power given to man in spiritual rebirth and sanctification
c. the condition of being favoured or sanctified by God
d. an unmerited gift, favour, etc., granted by God

Grace is giving us what we do not deserve. Mercy is not giving us what we do deserve.

Grace, Grace, God's Grace
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within
Grace, Grace, God's Grace
Grace that is greater than all our sin

AMAZING GRACE how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost,
But now I'm found.
Was blind
But now
I SEE!

To view other perspectives on this In Other Words quote, please visit our hostess this week Esthermay @ The Heart of a Pastor's Wife.

Monday Memeday for April 5, 2010

Have you been Saved? Yes
Have you been Baptized? Yes
Which church do you attend? First Evangelical Free Church, Austin, TX
Do you read your Bible daily? No. I should though. I'm going to work on reading through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation
Where is your Bible right now? Probably in Nate's diaper bag still from church yesterday
Which version of the Bible do you read? NIV, KJV and NKJV
What's your favorite book in the Bible? I don't have just one favorite. I like Psalms for the prayers to God and assurances, I like Proverbs for the wisdom, I like Daniel for the prophetic chapters showing us how the nations will be, I like Romans for the exhortation to Christians and the Christian life, I like Ephesians for the encouragement for Christian families and how we are supposed to act toward one another, I like Revelation b/c it tells us how the world ends and is very thought provoking as to how the Seven Lampstands representing the Seven churches of the day correlate to the Church after the death of Christ through present day.
Do you listen to Christian Music OUTSIDE of Church? Yes, but not all the time
Favorite Biblical Person? John the Apostle
Why? He got to SEE the end of all things and the new heaven and new earth! He got to SEE what we can only guess about and read about until such a time as we are called Home
Anything you just don't understand? No. I wish I could say that I don't understand why the suffering, why the pain, but I do understand b/c it is brought about b/c of our sin nature.
Would you name your child after someone in the Bible? I did. Emily's middle name is Abigail - who was one of King David's wives. Nathaniel was the youngest disciple of Jesus. If I have a girl, her name will be Hannah Grace and Hannah was the mother of the prophet Samuel. She was barren and asked God to bless her with a child and He did. Hannah means Grace of God. If this baby is a boy his name will be Jacob Thomas. Jacob was the son of Isaac and Rebekah and twin brother of Esau. Jacob fathered 12 sons and a daughter, who became the ancestors of the nation of Israel, which is the name Jacob himself received after wrestling with an angel. And Thomas was one of the disciples of Jesus who was told to touch His wounds in order to believe it was really the resurrected Christ.
Favorite passage? I don't have just one.
Do you pray a lot? I definitely do, but not as much as I should
Define prayer: Prayer is a conversation with God, a dialogue of worship, praise, supplication, listening, pouring your heart and hurts out to Him, trusting Him that He hears and obeying the answers He supplies you with. The best prayers I've ever had are ones where I just come before Him and talk to Him like He was in the room with me.
Are your friends Christians? Most are, yes. However, even Jesus ate with the non-believers, so I do have several non-Christian friends as well and try to be an example to them as well.
What do you think of other religions? All I can say is that ONLY through Jesus do you get to heaven. By no other way, and that's what all other religions teach. They do not teach by Faith alone, through Christ alone, by Grace alone. There's always something else that must be done to "earn" one's place or a "better" place into heaven
What is your strongest Spiritual Gift? Probably my encouragement
Do you share the word of God with others? Not like open air preaching, but if someone wants to talk about their beliefs, I'm going to have a discussion with them about what I believe.
Do you believe in Reincarnation? No. Hebrews 9:27 says: It is appointed for man to die ONCE, and after that face judgement.
When was the last time you read the Bible? Read some scripture yesterday
When was the last time you went to Church? Yesterday
Do you go to Sunday school? No
Do you participate in your Church activities? Some of them but I have a very busy life and kiddo bedtimes so I do what fits in to our family schedule apart from Sunday.
Do you tithe? Not right now b/c we are trying to make ends meet.
Do you think it's best to let your children find their own way No. It is best to teach them in the admonition and fear of the Lord so that when they grow up they will not stray from what they have been taught. It saves them a lot of pain in the long run. Trust me, I know only too well what happens when one strays.
Do you believe in Heaven and Hell? YES!
Do couples that pray together stay together? I believe so, yes.
Do you find yourself in tears quite often in Church? Only sometimes. More often, I get goosebumps over something our pastor has said that resonates with me.