Have you ever thought of what it would be like to live with complete abandon? Live with the faith of a child?

Living With The Abandon Of Faith

Trust in God entirely, and when He brings you to the venture, see that you take it.
We act like pagans in a crisis, only one out of a crowd is daring enough to bank his faith in the character of God.
-O.C., My Utmost For His Highest, May 30

Summer Plans

It is May 29 (already!) and the summer hasn't officially begun, but that does not prevent it from filling up quickly!
There are so many options, so many ways to spend my time. What is best? I don't know! The summer seemed so long ........ back in March. Now I can see the end of it, and it is jam packed.

July is full, and perhaps part of August.
Should I spring for 4 more units and commit all my weeknights, from now to June 22?
When will I fit in ...........?
*sigh*

It makes my head spin!

Better or Best?

The great enemy of the life of faith in God is not sin, but the good which is not good enough. The good is always the enemy of the best. ...We have to learn to walk according to the standard which has its eye on God. - O.C., My Utmost For His Highest, May 25


God desires most from you...the one thing that no one else can give Him - your affection. Just as much as God longs for your love, there's an enemy who seeks to steal it. ...
Satan can't stop worship from happening, but he'll deceive anyone who lets him, leading them to empty wells and puny gods.
Our lives are on loan from God, a sacred trust of opportunities and decisions. ... Every one of our choices is made on a battlefield with heavenly ramifications. - Louie Giglio, The Air I Breathe, pgs. 31, 32

Mexican Evening Primrose

Psalm 113

1 Praise the LORD.
Praise, O servants of the LORD,
praise the name of the LORD.

2 Let the name of the LORD be praised,
both now and forevermore.

3 From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets,
the name of the LORD is to be praised.

4 The LORD is exalted over all the nations,
his glory above the heavens.

5 Who is like the LORD our God,
the One who sits enthroned on high,

6 who stoops down to look
on the heavens and the earth?

7 He raises the poor from the dust
and lifts the needy from the ash heap;

8 he seats them with princes,
with the princes of their people.

9 He settles the barren woman in her home
as a happy mother of children.

re-cap of a wonderful weekend

Thursday -

-John is here!-

Friday -

-heading out for the morning-

-enjoying a moment of peace and quiet-

-Friday night was spent on a "date" at a farmer's market and an Italian restaurant-

-John presented me with an early birthday present that evening: a necklace. It is sooooo gorgeous! The best part is that it was hand-delivered. :-) -

Saturday -

-The family (sans Anna) went up to Yosemite, stopping for a moment at the Sugar Pine Railway-

-Breakfast (and a paper) at the Wawona Hotel-

-Yosemite Falls and the Merced River-

-Pooh sticks!-


-Picnic at the soda springs in Tuolomne Meadow-


-Fern Spring-

Sunday - visiting the grandparents

Mom made up a web album:

2007-05-17-21 John came for the weekend!

Sanger and Clovis -

May 17, 2007
by Jane and Tim

View Album

Know therefore that the LORD your God is God;
he is the faithful God,
keeping his covenant of love to
a thousand generations of
those who love him
and keep his commands.

-Deuteronomy 7:9-

Sample pictures ...

... more to come!

Friday Night

Dinner at Luna's

Newest Addition

Her name is ............. Clara? Nephertiti? Dustie? Kitty?

Anna hasn't decided on a name yet!

Last Day

Just a few more hours .......... and two more finals.
After that ........ finis - for this semester. :-)
How I am looking forward to tomorrow! No more (forced) studying, no more (forced) early mornings, no more bus rides (!), no more depressing evenings with the math professor (she is retiring), no more, no more.

I love the feeling of the last day of school (disregarding the mild stress of finals)!!!!!!! It is a bit similar to going barefoot for the first time in the spring ............. (happy sigh).

Lead Me Closer

Scotty's Castle - corridor, originally uploaded by Lizi Beth.


On the edge of something big and brave
Every breath is another step of faith
Part of me still likes the ground
Where I feel safe and sound
But You push me, pull me
And I finally let go

Ever closer, closer to the truth
One by one my fears fade into blue
Wherever You are taking me
Is where I need to be ...

I waiver, You're steady
I falter, You never fail
You fight for me, I surrender
To You, to You

-travis cottrell, "falling", found



In shady, green pastures, so rich and so sweet
God leads His dear children along
Where the water's cool flow bathes the weary one's feet
God leads His dear children along

Some through the waters, some through the flood
Some through the fire, but all through the blood
Some though great sorrow, but God gives a song
In the night season and all the day long

Sometimes on the mount when the sun shines so bright
God leads His dear children along
Sometimes in the valley, in darkest of night
God leads His dear children along

Some through the waters, some through the flood
Some through the fire, but all through the blood
Some though great sorrow, but God gives a song
In the night season and all the day long

-george a. young, "god leads us along"

My Mother

Mother & Daughter - June 16, 1986

I love you Mother for your quiet grace,
For that dear smile upon your kindly face,
For marks of toil upon each loving hand,
That worked for me ere I could understand;
For all time's touches on your hair and brow,
For never were you quite so dear as now;
...
-Clara Simpson, "My Mother"

An Appropriate Time

God's voice thunders in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding.
-Job 37:5

There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:

a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

... He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.
-Ecclesiastes 3:1-9, 11


Yes.
There is a time for everything.
A time for every joy and every sorrow.
God knows our hearts, our desires, needs and fears. He also know all of history, all of the future, and all of eternity.
Being human, we are finite. God alone has infinite knowledge and understanding. We cannot know what is to come, and we only have a partial knowledge of the present.
That does not stop us from planning our futures, though. We need to be reminded (over and over, it seems) that the times we desire may not be the times God has in mind.
We may not see the why behind a perceived "delay" or sorrow, but we can rest in knowing these things: God is sovereign, God is faithful, and God is love.

"As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts."
-Isaiah 55:9

Oh, yes! He is the Eternal One, the Ancient of Days. He sees the end from the beginning. I can rest in that.

Sisters

"best-est" friends


There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
-Proverbs 18:24

Mmhmm. (a.k.a. "sister")

Longing

"Let not our longing slay our appetite for living."
-Jim Elliot

walking, part 2

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." - Chinese proverb

Thus, the journey of faith continues, step by step.

"Thy word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." - Psalm 119:105



"Establish my footsteps in Thy word, and do not let my iniquity have dominion over me." - Psalm 110:133

"If the LORD delights in a man's way, he makes his steps firm; though he stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand." - Psalm 37:23-24

love them like Jesus

. ... .

You’re holding their hand, you’re straining for words
You’re trying to make sense of it all
They’re desperate for hope, darkness clouding their view
They’re looking to you


Just love them like Jesus, carry them to Him
His yoke is easy, His burden is light
You don’t need the answers to all of life’s questions
Just know that He loves them and stay by their side
Love them like Jesus


Lord of all creation holds our lives in His hands
The God of all the nations holds our lives in His hands
The Rock of our salvation holds our lives in His hands
He cares for them just as He cares for you


So love them like Jesus, love them like Jesus
You don’t need the answers to all of life’s questions
Just know that He loves them and stay by their side
Love them like Jesus
Love them like Jesus

- casting crowns, "love them like Jesus"

. ... .

What do you do when someone comes to you with a burden too big for you to deal with?
Love them the way Jesus would, the way Jesus does.

How do you try to comfort someone who is hurting with a pain that crushes?
Love them the way Jesus would, the way Jesus does.

I do not have all the answers to your questions. My shoulder cannot hold all of your tears. I am not strong enough to carry your burden.

With God's help, I can love you. Love you like Jesus would, like Jesus does.

post script: The best part of "loving like Jesus", is that you can share in the joy of the ones you are loving.

Girls' Retreat

Anna and I went with the girls from our church (jr. high through college) up to the mountains for an over-night retreat.

As we were driving down this afternoon, our car load listened our way through someone's CD wallet. I decided that I am putting the A Walk To Remember soundtrack on my wish list.

We heard an old Backstreet Boyz, as well as Casting Crowns (eclectic mix!).

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 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.

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 raised me up again
my strength is almost gone how can I carry on
if I can't find You
and 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
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

"Praise You in This Storm"
Mark Hall and Bernie Herms

One Step At A Time

full moon over the fields (april 30, 2007)

Sometimes the night was beautiful
Sometimes the sky was so far away
Sometimes it seemed to stoop so close
You could touch it but your heart would break
Sometimes the morning came too soon
Sometimes the day could be so hot
There was so much work left to do
But so much You'd already done

Oh God, You are my God
And I will ever praise You
Oh God, You are my God
And I will ever praise You
I will seek You in the morning
And I will learn to walk in Your ways
And step by step You'll lead me
And I will follow You all of my days

Sometimes I think of Abraham
How one star he saw had been lit for me
He was a stranger in this land
And I am that, no less than he
And on this road to righteousness
Sometimes the climb can be so steep
I may falter in my steps
But never beyond Your reach

And I will follow You all of my days
And I will follow You all of my days
And step by step You'll lead me
And I will follow You all of my days
And I will follow You all of my days

- bebo norman "sometimes by step"

the fifth of may

I just saw a sign posted on campus that read:

Cinco de Mayo Yardsale

- May 4th -

May 4th? Doesn't "cinco" mean five? Go figure.

The Passion of Patience

I will stand on my guard post
And station myself on the rampart;
And I will keep watch to see what He will speak to me, ...
"For the vision is yet for the appointed time;
It hastens toward the goal and it will not fail
Though it tarries, wait for it;
For it will certainly come, it will not delay."
- Habakkuk 2:1,3 (NAS)

I will climb up to my watchtower
and stand at my guardpost.
There I will wait to see what the Lord says...
This vision is for a future time.
It describes the end, and it will be fulfilled.
If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently,
for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed.
- Habakkuk 2:1,3 (Living)

Today's reading from My Utmost For His Highest - titled "The Passion of Patience" - was based on Habakkuk 2:3. Chambers said, "The vision of God is the source of patience... . Moses endured ... because he had a vision of God." Moses had a vision. God had appeared to Moses and spoken to him. Moses believed and acted on that faith. He acted on his vision.

Oswald Chambers pointed out that there is a difference between being "patient" and being "spiritually satisfied" (i.e. no longer having a hunger or thirst, the idea that we have "made it"). The reading ended with the sentence, "Beware of the danger of relaxation spiritually." Beware of relaxing, yes, but do not strive on your own.

Refusing to turn our burdens over to the Lord, acting as if we are an "army of one" and can make it on our own, will result in spiritual burnout. Why? Because Christianity is about relationship, the relationship between God and us. When we act as if we are self-sufficient, God is faithful to bring us back to Himself, bring us back into intimate communion with Him.

Weak and wounded sinner
Lost and left to die
O, raise your head, for love is passing by
Come to Jesus
Come to Jesus
Come to Jesus and live!

Now your burden's lifted
And carried far away
And precious blood has washed away the stain, so
Sing to Jesus
Sing to Jesus
Sing to Jesus and live!

And like a newborn baby
Don't be afraid to crawl
And remember when you walk
Sometimes we fall...so
Fall on Jesus
Fall on Jesus
Fall on Jesus and live!

Sometimes the way is lonely
And steep and filled with pain
So if your sky is dark and pours the rain, then
Cry to Jesus
Cry to Jesus
Cry to Jesus and live!

O, and when the love spills over
And music fills the night
And when you can't contain your joy inside, then
Dance for Jesus
Dance for Jesus
Dance for Jesus and live!

And with your final heartbeat
Kiss the world goodbye
Then go in peace, and laugh on Glory's side, and
Fly to Jesus
Fly to Jesus
Fly to Jesus and live!
- Chris Rice, "(Untitled Hymn)"

Walking

P4250010, originally uploaded by Lizi Beth.

... we walk by faith, not by sight ...
- II corinthians 5:7

See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin.

So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'
For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.
Each day has enough trouble of its own.
- matthew 6:28,31-34

The Source of Love

P4140023ismall, originally uploaded by Lizi Beth.

"The springs of love are in God, not in us."
- oswald chambers, my utmost, april 30