Tuesday, December 15, 2009

*A Christmas-y Post*

Lindsay tagged me today with a "Christmas-y" kind of tag. :) Thank you so much, Lindsay! I've also taken a few pictures lately of some different Christmas decorations around the house, so I figured now might be a good time to share them. I hope you enjoy...


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1. Do you like sugar cookies?
Yes... If they are soft and moist. :)
Although, I do prefer desserts with chocolate!
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2. Do you like a LOT of lights on your Christmas tree,
or just a few?
Hmmm... well, I love having lights on the tree, but it always seems
to be such a hassle to mess with untangling them and making sure
they still work, etc.... so maybe just a few. :)
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3. Do you prefer a real tree, or an artificial tree?

I'm not really sure! Our family has never had a real one before.

We've always used an artificial tree. It sounds like it would be

fun to get a real tree, though. But I've heard a lot of people talk
about how messy they can be! :)

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4. What's your favorite Christmas carol?

Oh, my! This is going to be hard. How about I list a few? ;)

O Holy Night
What Child is This
O Come, O Come Emmanuel
Away in a Manger

...Just to name a few!
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5. Do you like egg-nog, or boiled custard?
Hmmm... I don't really care for egg-nog, but I've never had

(or even heard of!) boiled custard before. lol So I guess

that would be egg-nog. :)

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6. Do you want a lot of snow for Christmas, or just
enough to sled in?

It would be nice to have a "white Christmas" but it doesn't

really matter to me either way. If I got to choose, I'd probably

go with "just enough to sled in". :)

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9. If you could spend $1,000,000 what would you buy?

Wow, if God blessed me in such a way I would know it wasn't

primarily for myself! I would use that opportunity to

bless others! :) (And by doing so, I would be just as blessed!)

Okay, so it doesn't look like that answers the question exactly.

Let's just say if I had that much to spend I would definitely be on

my knees in prayer about it because it must be something pretty

important God wants me to use it on! lol

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10. What is your favorite name of Jesus?

Obviously, all of them are important but I think "Shepherd"
(Psalm 23:1) & "Great High Priest" (Heb. 4:14) are my two
favorites. They mean a whole lot to me. :)

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That was fun! Thanks again for tagging me, Lindsay!! :) I enjoyed this one a lot. Now I will tag three people:
*
*
*
I hope everyone is enjoying their "week-before-Christmas"!

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7. What's your favorite part of the Christmas story?

Wow, that's hard to answer! All of it is amazing. Without

everything involved it just wouldn't be perfect and complete!

Each circumstance is highly significant.

My favorite part is where God appears to Joseph in a dream and says,

"She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name

Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."

I love that verse so much because it includes me in the story!! :)

Christ was sent to do the will of his Father in heaven...

Thank you, Lord, for sending Jesus!

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8. What's your favorite Christmas movie?

I love the "Nativity Story"!

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^^^ Tee Hee! ^^^


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Sunday, December 13, 2009

A Really Long Post :)

I wanted to let everyone know
is having a nice giveaway.
To enter, you can click HERE.

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Also, Hannah awarded me, and I've been meaning to post about it! Although I've received this one before, I thought I would do the tag part because it's a bit different than it was for the last one I did. :)

So here are the rules:

1. Do a post about the person who awarded you, and their blog.
2. Give the award to 7 of your favorite blogs, give a reason, and leave a comment telling them they have been awarded
3.Give us ten Scripture verses/passages that are especially dear to you
4. Paste the award on your blog
5. Have fun!


First off, Hannah has a very lovely blog where she posts many exciting things. I met her recently through the "blogging world" and I have really enjoyed getting to know her! :) Thank you so much for awarding me, Hannah!


Now, for my ten favorite Bible verses... (And just so you know, this is going to be quite lengthy! So don't feel like you have to read all of it, of course. I really wanted to write out all of the verses, though, instead of just posting the addresses.) Anyway, here goes!


#1
JAMES 4:8
"Come near to God and he will come near to you."


#2
HEBREWS 9:11-15
(Really, the whole chapter!)
"When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!
For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant."


#3
ISAIAH 42:1-9
"Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him and he will bring justice to the nations. He will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice; he will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth. In his law the islands will put their hope. This is what God the LORD says--he who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and all that comes out of it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it: "I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness. I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols. See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare; before they spring into being I announce them to you."


#4
PSALM 37
(Yes, the whole chapter!)
"Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away. Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret--it leads only to evil. For evil men will be cut of, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land. A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found. But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy great peace. The wicked plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them; but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he knows their day is coming. The wicked draw the sword and bend the bow to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose ways are upright. But their swords will pierce their own hearts, and their bows will be broken. Better the little that the righteous have than the wealth of many wicked; for the power of the wicked will be broken, but the LORD upholds the righteous. The days of the blameless are known to theLORD, and their inheritance will endure forever. In times of disaster they will not wither; in days of famine they will enjoy plenty. But the wicked will perish: The LORD's enemies will be like the beauty of the fields, they will vanish--vanish like smoke. The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously; those the LORD blesses will inherit the land, but those he curses will be cut off. If the LORD delights in a man's way, he makes his steps firm; though he stumbles, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand. I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread. They are always generous and lend freely; their children will be blessed. Turn from evil and do good; then you will dwell in the land forever. For the LORD loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones. They will be protected forever, but the offspring of the wicked will be cut off; the righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it forever. The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks what is just. The law of his God is in his heart; his feet do not slip. The wicked lie in wait for the righteous seeking their very lives; but the LORD will not leave them in their power or let them be condemned when brought to trial. Wait for the LORD and keep his way. He will exalt you to inherit the land; when the wicked are cut off, you will see it. I have seen a wicked and ruthless man flourishing like a green tree in its native soil, but he soon passed away and was no more; though I looked for him, he could not be found. Consider the blameless, observe the upright; there is a future for the man of peace. But all sinners will be destroyed; the future of the wicked will be cut off. The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD; he is their stronghold in time of trouble. The LORD helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him."


#5
ISAIAH 55:8-9
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."


#6
JEREMIAH 33:3
"Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know."


#7
COLOSSIANS 4:6
"Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone."


#8
ROMANS 8:28-31
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. What, then, shall we say? If God is for us, who can be against us?"


#9
JEREMIAH 29:11
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."


#10
REVELATION 17:14
"They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings--and with him will be his called, chosen, and faithful followers."

AND...

REVELATION 22:12-13, 20-21
"Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and Last, the Beginning and the End... He who testifies to these things says, "Yes, I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God's people. Amen."


Okay, so that was really long! ...Let me know if you read all of it! ;) Oh, and I'm not going to tag seven other people since I've already done that before. So if you want it, feel free to take it!

Have a blessed Sunday!! :)

A Beautiful Song

.
~How Deep the Father's Love for Us~
written by Stuart Townend


How deep the Father's love for us
How vast beyond all measure
That he would give his only son
To make a wretch his treasure

How great the pain of searing loss
The Father turns his face away
As wounds which mar the chosen one
Bring many sons to glory

Behold the man upon the cross
My sin upon his shoulders
Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice
Call out among the scoffers

It was my sin that held him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished

I will not boast in anything--
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ,
His death and resurrection

Why should I gain from his reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart:
His wounds have paid my ransom

"And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." Ephesians 3:17b-19


Picture taken at our church's Christmas drama 2008

Friday, December 11, 2009

The Name of the Lord Be Magnified

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"Oh, magnify the LORD with me,
And let us exalt His name together."
Psalm 34:3

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I know I haven't done any updates on my Dad since October, so I thought I would write one. :)

The entire month of November was very good for us. (Aside from my Dad feeling somewhat tired at times and a few other minor things.) We had a very good month! But, unfortunately, a couple of weeks ago we noticed he was starting to feel badly again. About 10 days ago he started having a major headache that would not go away, which has always been the first sign of a new lesion growing. Also, now this week the right side of his face is numb and the left side of his body isn't working properly. He has a few other symptoms, too. He went to see one of his doctors on Tuesday and the soonest they could schedule an MRI was for Friday (today). Anyway, we feel pretty sure that he has another lesion growing on the right side of his brain stem because his symptoms are affecting him on the left side of his body and the right side of his face. (He's had three lesions: the first on the left of the brain stem, the second on the right, and the third directly in the center.) We'll see what the results for the MRI are, and if he has a new lesion they want to do another lumbar puncture (this will be his 5th, and he dreads them!) to see if they can find anything indicating what this is... because he still hasn't been given a diagnosis! We've been dealing with this since May of this year and all the doctors are stumped. They also want to try not to give him any steroids if possible, because he's had them every time and they want to see what the lesion does without them. (That is, if they really do find a lesion.) The steriods have been the only thing to take away his symptoms, though. So if he gets as bad as he did last time he will most definitely have to have them.

Anyway, as I've said before, we know God is in control and we trust all things to Him! Here is an excerpt from an email my Mom sent out in October, during my Dad's last lesion. Since it still applies, I thought I would share it...

"Please pray that the new lesion will not continue to grow and cause his symptoms to worsen more than they are now, and that he will be able to go without steroids until after all the testing that needs to be done. You can also pray for answers and go right ahead and pray for complete healing too. Just don't forget to pray that the Lord's will be done because He has all the answers, not us."


Thank you, Lord, for your protection and provision! We know you hold us in the palm of your hand. You know all things, and we trust in you completely. Let your name be magnified in all the earth!

"Thus I will magnify Myself and sanctify Myself, and I will be known in the eyes of many nations. Then they shall know that I am the LORD.” Ezekial 38:23

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We really appreciate all of the prayers for our family. May the Lord bless you and keep you always. :)
"I will praise you forever for what you have done;
in your name I will hope, for your name is good.
I will praise you in the presence of your saints."
Psalm 52:9

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

A Couple of Awards...

Each of these awards came from my dear friend, Lindsay! Thank you so much for thinking of me Lindsay! :)

Now, I will award this one to:


And this one goes to:
In case you would like to know what to do with the awards... here are some directions:
  • Right click on the award and select the "Save As" option
  • Place the award as a picture in a post
  • Say who awarded you...
  • And then write the names of the people you'd like to give the award to, leaving a comment on their blog letting them know they've been awarded!

Thanks again for awarding me, Lindsay!

May the Lord bless you all and keep you... and make His face shine upon you!

Monday, December 7, 2009

I've Been Tagged

I was tagged by Tessa! So here I go...

  • Six names you go by
  1. Taylor
  2. Tay
  3. Taydee (By my family only, lol!)
  4. Tay-tay
  5. Tator-tot (Also by my family only!)
  6. Tay-bay (This one too!) :D

  • Three things you are wearing right now
  1. A long purple skirt
  2. My houseshoes
  3. And my "Speak, Hear, See, Fear No Evil" t-shirt w/ "Psalm 23" written on it

  • Three things you want very badly right now
  1. My Dad to be healed completely
  2. Good weather for our Christmas drama these next two weekends
  3. And God to be glorified!

  • Three things you did last night/yesterday
  1. Missed church
  2. Watched two movies
  3. And wrote a blog post :)

  • Two things you ate today
  1. A bite of my dad's "Strawberry Fields" cereal
  2. And some chicken salad

  • Two people you last talked to on the phone
  1. My mommy
  2. And... probably my mommy! lol (Or possibly my Nana... I just don't talk on the phone that often!)

  • Two things you are going to do today/tomorrow
  1. Work
  2. And read my Bible

  • Your three favorite beverages
  1. I guess I kind of have to say water... since that's all we drink!
  2. Hot chocolate
  3. And Dr. Pepper, if I could have it! :)

NOW TAG EIGHT PEOPLE

This is going to be hard! Okay, I tag:

Chloe

Grace

Hannah

Emily


Rachel

Tsavah

Maggie

and Jennifer

Thank you for tagging me, Tessa! It was a lot of fun. :) Have a blessed Monday, everyone!

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Name Above All Names


Jesus, Name Above All Names
hymn by Naida Hearn

Jesus, name above all names
Beautiful Savior
Glorious Lord
Emmanuel, God is with us
Blessed Redeemer
Living Word

"While the beggar held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon's Colonnade. When Peter saw this, he said to them: "Men of Israel, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go. You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this. By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus' name and the faith that comes through him that has given this complete healing to him, as you can all see." Acts 3:11-16

"Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name." John 20:30-31
"Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." Acts 4:12
The hymn above is one of my most favorites.
There is power in the name of Jesus... Praise the Lord all the earth!
Picture: from our church's Christmas drama last year.

Friday, December 4, 2009

Abigail's Giveaway

Hi Everyone,
I just wanted to let you know that Abigail over at A Light to Follow is hosting her very first giveaway! Click HERE if you'd like to see what she's giving away. I know she would love for you to enter!! :) God bless! Picture by: David Davis