so, for Thanksgiving, Ted’s parents are in town.  We’re getting together at his grandma’s house and since this is the year for my sister and brother-in-law to be at his family’s house for Thanksgiving, my parents are coming with me.  I’m so glad that we all get to spend the holiday together!

i’m really excited.  i love Thanksgiving!  its probably one of my favorite holidays!  And I love being able to spend it with the folks I love.  :)  I”m also excited because everyone is making the food gluten and dairy free for me (and Ted’s nephew TJ who is also allergic to dairy).  I’m grateful for folks who are so understanding and willing to serve me in this way…

on Friday, Ted and I are getting up to go shopping at 5 am!  What an amazing guy… he must really like me to get up that early to stand in lines with a bunch of crazed ladies.  haha.  i’m hoping to get most of my Christmas shopping done that day… we’ll see how it goes!  i have a list of quite a few things I’d like to get…  then later that day, we’ll meet up with some other folks in his family to do some more shopping and then end the day with a yummy dinner at the Melting Pot with his parents and brothers (and families).  Yay!

Saturday Ted and I get to go to lunch with my sweet friends Christa and Wendy.  I’m still mad at Christa for moving to NC last January, but i guess i have to forgive…. sometimes its just SO hard…  :)  then on Sunday i’m getting together for coffee before church with my other friend Christa.  Fun times!  I’ve missed both of them.

then next Tuesday, Laura (my roommate), Ted and I are going to decorate our Christmas tree.  Even though Ted and I are going to be out of town from December 24th through January 4th, I’m still putting up the tree… it just seems criminal to not have it up…

Christmas is only a month away… wow… time flies!  We’ll spend Christmas eve with my family and then drive that night to Mississippi where we’ll be until December 28th.  On the 28th, we’re driving from MS to Pennsylvania… 16 hours!  I figure if we can make it through that, we can make it through anything! :)  Then we’ll spend a few days with both sets of my grandparents and will get to see my aunts and uncles and cousins!

I’m really looking forward to the next month!  yay!

May 5, 1789. So full is my dependence on divine Providence, so strong is my faith that God will give what is good, and do what is best for me—that my mind is serene and tranquil.  James Meikle

“The Living God is with us, whose power never fails, whose arm never grows weary, whose wisdom is infinite and whose power is unchanging. Therefore today, tomorrow and next month, as long as life is continued, He will be our Helper and Friend. Still more, even as He is through all time, so will He be through all eternity.” – George Mueller

You are my God, and I will give you thanks;

you are my God, and I will exalt you.

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;

his love endures forever.

In you, O Lord, I take refuge; let me never be put to shame. Rescue me and deliver me in your righteousness; turn your ear to me and save me. Be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go; give the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.

Deliver me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of evil and cruel men. For you have been my hope, O Sovereign Lord, my confidence since my youth. My mouth is filled with your praise, declaring your splendor all day long. Do not cast me away when I am old; do not forsake me when my strength is gone.

Be not far from me, O God; come quickly, O my God, to help me. May my accusers perish in shame; may those who want to harm me be covered with scorn and disgrace.

But as for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more. My mouth will tell of your righteousness, of your salvation all day long, though I know not its measure. I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, O Sovereign LORD; I will proclaim your righteousness, yours alone.

Since my youth, O God, you have taught me, and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds. Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, O God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your might to all who are to come.

Your righteousness reaches to the skies, O God, you who have done great things. Who, O God, is like you?

Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up. You will increase my honor and comfort me once again.

I will praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, O my God;  I will sing praise to you with the lyre, O Holy One of Israel. My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to you— I, whom you have redeemed. My tongue will tell of your righteous acts all day long, for those who wanted to harm me have been put to shame and confusion.

Here I am again
In this raging sea
On my knees again
Deep calls to deep
I feel I’m drowning
My arms are
Just too tired to swim
I feel like I’m sinking
On my knees again
In the roar of Your waterfall
In the storm of You
May You find me holding on
May You find me true

Chorus:
And I put my hope
And I put my trust
And I put myself in You
In You, Lord [2x]

Here I am again
In need of you
Broken, Beaten
Needing You
In the roar of Your waterfall
In the wonderful storm of You
May You find me holding on
May You find me true

(Chorus)

Bridge:
Wash me clean
Set me free
Hold me close
And cover me

(Chorus x4)

Here I am
Here I am…

David Crowder Band

You do not treat us
as our sins deserve
though we are guilty as charged
Your Son was treated
as if responsible
for all my sin.

Lord, you are gracious
Lord you are compassionate
Slow to anger, rich in love
Lord you are.

Your Son was perfect
Blamelesness itself
Father You turned your face away
You bruised and crushed Him
That I might know your grace
for all my days

Lord, you are gracious
Lord, you are compassionate
Slow to anger, rich in love
Lord you are.

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases
His mercies never come to an end
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases
His mercies never come to an end

Lord, you are gracious
Lord, you are compassionate
Slow to anger, rich in love
Lord, you are

Slow to anger, rich in love
Lord, You are

© 2006 Sovereign Grace Worship (ASCAP)
Words and music by Pat Sczebel
As recorded on You and You Alone

I have been greatly comforted lately by the promise and hope that my God will never leave, never forsake, never dissapoint and never abandon me. 

Several months ago, I began dating a wonderful man of God and have been greatly blessed and encouraged by his deep love for God and his tender care for me.  But there have been times already where we’ve disagreed.  There have been moments where i’ve done something sinfully to make him angry and I’m sure he could have found it easier to simply walk away.  and vice versa. 

we were talking last night and I was crying and my heart was struggling with being full of fear… i am so grateful for the gift he is to me and am scared of the thought of losing him.  i’m very aware that God knows the end result and though we plan our steps that His plan may not be for the two of us to be together… or that if we end up together that one of us could die and that life may not end up looking like what we hope and plan at this point.  I hope and pray that is not the case.  well, last night, I was really struggling with trusting God and was fearing that God would maliciously or vindictively take Ted away from me to simply teach me a lesson or punish me somehow. 

Ted graciously reminded me that our God is not vindictive or harsh.  He does not hold our sins over us and his desire is for good for His children.  And as His child, that means His desire is for good for me. 

But sometimes that’s hard to believe because life doesn’t feel that way.  Yesterday was one of those days… I spent most of the day with a heavy cloud over my head and with a fear of God’s judgment or vengence.  I was yet again, more aware of my sin than of God’s grace as displayed through the cross of Christ. 

I’m grateful for the reminders God gives us in our weakness.  Yesterday, He reminded me that He is good, His mercy is everlasting and His goodness and truth endure through all generations. 

I don’t need to fear the unknown future.  I don’t need to worry about “what-ifs”.  My God has promised never to leave.  Even if all around gives way, He is the confident Rock on which I stand.  And I know that even if He were to take me down another undesired path, just like He upheld me through every path I’ve faced thus far, He will do so again.

So, I was able to sleep last night, resting in that promise.  Resting in knowing that my God will always be by my side as my friend, underneath as my support, ahead as my guide and behind as my protection.  And how grateful I am that those are truths that will never ever change.

God has promised to sustain us by his grace.

He has promised us the sustaining grace of forgiveness, so that we can stand before him unafraid. He has promised the sustaining grace of enablement, giving us the strength to do what he calls us to do. He has promised us the sustaining grace of protection, delivering us from evil. He has promised us the sustaining grace of wisdom, protecting us from our own foolishness. He has promised us the sustaining grace of perseverance, keeping us until the final enemy has been defeated. He has promised the sustaining grace of eternity, giving us the hope of a day when the struggle will be over.

Whiter than Snow: Meditations on Sin and Mercy by Paul David Tripp

I just wanted to say a super big congrats to Joe Fox from Count it all Joy for being the big winner of the 22 devotional book giveaway from DevotionalChristian.com. 

I hope you enjoy the books and I look forward to reading many of your reviews. 

and by the way… I’m only half kidding about being jealous…  ;)