Sunday, August 31, 2008

I love showers.

I've never had a shower that felt that amazing in a long time.

New music is amazing.

Life can be confusing and crazy at times.

But I can promise you something--my life is never boring for long.

At least not normally--thank goodness I have a big God huh? =)

I'm wanting what you want
So bring me high or bring me low just hold me in your love.

=)

Life guys. life. =P

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

I actually enjoyed school yesterday, at least lab and my day after lab....people can be ridiculous though. =P And people and blockbuster make me laugh...or maybe I make them laugh...I'm not quite sure about that. =P But yes my day was made... Also...I could never be Muslim...=P


I went to the Charlie Hall concert last night, it = amazingness. At least in my book. =P He sang my songs [My Brightness and Hookers and Robbers.]

I'm glad that I had gotten the CD before I went though. I knew the lyrics then--although I felt lik a dork when there was practically no one singing--but that's ok, I got over it. =P

I like Charlie Hall because...he gets it. He loves Jesus. =) Andddd yes.

Crack kids, track kids, hookers and robbers
The naked and hungry, mothers and fathers
Abuses, excuses, and guns in your hands.
And I even welcome the arrogant man.

I welcome you all to the biggests of feasts
A night of no shame to pause and to breathe
This is a night of love's renovation.
A feast I am sure that could change a whole nation.

Me, I am not such an excellent host
I am one who forgives but needs it the most

I found the liar, The killers of hearts
I ran away with a new way to start.

I journeyed a road where a bright man appeared
He looked into me, and my eyes filled with tears
My breath fast and short and my heart burning deep
He gave me new eyes and a new way to see

So come as you are, as you are, as you are
So come as you are, as you are, as you are

I still defiled his great love ways
I felt such a famine when I ran away
I missed the presence, the voice like a song
I was nasty and dirty, I knew I was wrong

But he ran to me like a dream, like a father
This love is not earthly this love must be other
He carried me home and threw me a party
A party so loud like the greatest love story

Oh my dear friends applaud now please
I've invited you here to announce you are free
He takes your chains, busting you out of prison

Just open your heart, let your heart come and listen.

Come as you are, as you are, as you are...
Come as you are, as you are, as you are...


Who could accept all your pounding and screaming
Your raging your freaking, cussing and beating
All while he holds you always forgiving
This is the story of love and of living.

Wipe off your tears and laugh just a little
Come break this bread celebrate the forgiver
Raise up a glass, a time to remember
Come break this bread celebrate forgiver.!
Hookers and Robbers//Charliehall.

I've waited a long time to post those lyrics.

I don't think we think like this. I really don't. I know most of the time I don't think like that...

What would it look like to really have Jesus's heart?

Anyways--so Lauren and I missed a picture with him at Passion--but we got one this time. =P

Please disregard my disheveled appearance and the fact that I'm taller than him. =P
Do note that I'm wearing my Passion shirt though. =P

Also just for kicks =P


Sunday, August 24, 2008

Theology based on God’s Word and that alone, but theology that stays true to the concepts that exist outside of two-verse expositional snippets: a God of love reaching out to a lost and broken world. Even though it’s not about us and it’s all about God, it still touches us in a place that’s real and not contrived. It still affects us without our having to arrange it like a house of cards. Theology that gets artists and businessmen, writers and lawyers, even men and women (shocking, I know) to have real community because they’ve all been touched by a God that makes even their personal ideologies seem like excess baggage.
-Brian Colmery

Love. Brian Colmery gets it. I like people that get it--they help me get it too.

I love God. See he's touched my life and I'm never ever ever ever going to be the same. Ever. =)

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

The Bright Sadness

I never do this. Breakdown an album and insist anyone who reads this go out directly and get it; but I digress. I'm doing that just now.

Charlie Hall's new album The Bright Sadness, is absolutely incredible. Musically, lyrically, creatively, it's all glorious. Light on fluff and heavy with real life sums up this album.

It's real. It's not just bouncy music that talks about how life is just marvelous. No, it addresses pain--but how we have hope in the midst of it all. How God's love is what keeps us grounded and is our rock.

The album starts out with

Chainbreaker- This is one of the songs that we sung at passion and it's the one song that when I got home I immediately tried to find, only to discover that it hadn't come out yet. I love this song. It's about how Jesus freed us just as we are, he renovated our hearts, and changed our lives. I love it when it comes to this part
You are free//You are free//Yeah the Son has set you free//Drop your chains sons and daughters//Come and run in liberty

New Year- Where hope can hold the hand of sorrow//we can walk into tomorrow//where peace is found in troubled days//and the joy of Jesus carries pain// Wow. He talks of looking forward to a new year--but not in the sense of everything getting easier; but in the sense that God is going to be there and that is the hope we cling to, and the new opportunity we have to look to Jesus.

Walk the World- Another passion song. It talks about how we are going to be a light to the world and talking about how Christ is the bread and wine and the feast of our life; probably one of my favorite parts of this song--Broken but singing//Our hearts keep shining.

My Brightness- I love all the songs--but this one is....incredible. It just is really pertinent to me or at least it seemed that way to me. It's about always running to God for life no matter what happens, about how God's love is the rock that I stand on when life spins out of control. How God knows where we're going and he knows where we've been. The lyrics are honest and raw, he talks of how our emotions fluctuate and our feelings change, we wrestle with God and then feel guilty for it because we do love him--but then he goes into the chorus of how God's love is our rock again --Yesterday I felt so angry, and today so insecure//and I hated that I wrestle with the God that I adore//Your presence always heals me, so I want to drink it in//You know where we're going God and You know where I've been//

Scenes- About no matter what he's looking out reminds him God.-- //as I lay me down to sleep//as I walk on city streets//as I laugh with friends and feast//it lifts my mind to You// The part song that stuck out to me was; //I have such a short memory so You keep reminding me of You.// How incredibly loving of God. =)

Thrill- I like this song.

The Second Alive- Talks about letting go and taking a walk in burning heart of God. When we let go we truly come alive. I come alive every time I let it go. I love this song.

Hookers and Robbers- Ok, so how many Christian songs have you seen with a title like this? Another one of my favorites. It starts out with Charlie more talking than singing. He talks about coming to Christ just as we are. I could seriously just post the whole song right now because I love the whole freaking thing--but I can't find the lyrics up anywhere yet. //who could except all your pounding and screaming// your raging//your freaking//your cussing and beating//all while He holds you and always forgiving//this is the story of love and living//wipe off your tears and laugh just a little//come break this bread celebrate this forgiver//j

Bloom again- "The beauty of the ash of love, when you emerge, you are more beautiful." Nothing else need be said.

You are God- Another passion song. = amazing. Life flows from God.

Knit My Heart- Ok this is my song. This has been my prayer of my life for the past couple years. //knit my heart to you//I'll dream what you dream//and see what you see//knit my heart to you//move the stone//make my heart yours alone//

Mystery- I love the piano...I really can't say anything else other than the lyrics of this song.

sweet Jesus Christ my sanity
sweet Jesus Christ my clarity
bread of heaven, broken for me
cup of salvation held up to drink
Jesus, mystery

Christ has died and
Christ has risen
Christ will come again
-----------------------------------------------------
Yes-- love this CD.

This captures my heart right now;

I thought Bright Sadness sounded suspiciously like the battle cry of the optimist. The donning of rose colored glasses calling out in the night for all to see the bright side of despair. More of a personality flaw than a birthright. Not something I could really get behind as being something tangible. I was wrong, of course. Bright Sadness is not the act of dusting heartache with sugar and glazing bitterness and resentment with a toothy smile. It is having little to do with wistful optimism and everything to do with hope in the light of the truth.
Hope that promises will be kept, that a refuge will hold, that the sun will return, that seasons will change despite the weighty darkness and all evidence to the contrary.

Hope at the center of despair.

The footprints left, when we look back at the most tempestuous season of life, are purposeful, organized, significance in the chaos--evidence that we were remembered in our darkest and most vulnerable days.

-Emily

I don't now what's going on in your life right now--I don't know if it's going merrily along or if you're really struggling right now with something. I'm not going to sugar coat anything, life isn't easy, and I know that sounds silly coming from an eighteen year old. I know that I haven't really seen or known deep piercing pain. But in what I have walked through, I know that there is a rock in the center of me; and that's the fact that I have a God who loves me more than I can imagine.

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Beautiful.

Come close listen to the story

about a love more faithful than the morning

The Father gave his only Son just to save us



The earth was shaking in the dark

All creation felt the Fathers broken heart

tears were filling heavens eyes

The day that true love died, the day that true love died

When blood and water hit the ground

Walls we couldn’t move came crashing down

We were free and made alive

The day that true love died, The day that true love died



Search your hearts you know you can’t deny it

Lose your life just so you can find it

The Father gave his only son just to save us



Jesus is alive

He rose again
-Phil Wickham
=D =)

Love, Rock, Spinning.

Yesterday I felt so angry, and today so insecure,
and I hated that I wrestle with the God that I adore.
Your presence always heals me, so I want to drink it in.
You know where we're going God and You know where I've been.

And Your love is like a rock when I'm spinning
Your love is like a rock when I'm spinning
Your love is like a rock when I'm spinning
Your love is like a rock when I'm spinning around.
---------------------------------------------------------------

When things happen in my life--whatever they are, whether they are good, bad, amazing, or horrid. I need to stand on the rock that is God's love. This is why I can withstand anything that the world throws at me. Make me rich, make me poor, give me health, give me sickness, give me prosperity, give me grief--it doesn't matter. I stand on the rock.

A strong immovable incredible rock.

I'm not talking about being fake either. Yes, life sucks sometimes. I'm not negating that.

And I know I have an easy life.

People out there are bitter, resentful, angry. People out there are dying, starving, watching their loved ones die. People are in pain. Deep incredible pain.

I'm not sugar coating life, I'm not telling you to paint a fake smile over pain and sadness.

This isn't about having wistful optimism.

This is about having hope in light of truth.

Christ has died and Christ has risen, and Christ will come again.

This is what must drive us, this is where we find our hope. All our hope.

Hope in the midst of despair.
Hope in the midst of pain.
Hope in the midst of heartache.

Ohhhh I love God so so so much.
=)
Adore.

[note; no nothing happened ok Justin, so don't bother asking. =P Nothing bad happened I was just thinking about this today. =P]

Monday, August 18, 2008

http://www.charliehall.com/
The Bright Sadness

=D

Sunday, August 17, 2008


Let me see the whole world through Your eyes
Let this generation wake and rise
Running with Your heart, with Your heart

Bring your kingdom, joy and freedom Light to all the world
Rain down heaven’s power and presence Life to all the world

Feel what you feel, Love what you love
Go where you go, that’s what we want


Charlie Hall? Yes. =)

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Maybe...just maybe God is bigger than this box we have put him in? Maybe just maybe there's more to life than what we think? Maybe....just maybe God is...actually...God?

What if we don't have it all figured out? What if there isn't a formula--what if the only formula that we have is to love God and love people. What if we really lived like that?

I'm debating on whether or not to post my real thoughts...problem is...my real thoughts would tick people off and they aren't...boxish thoughts....

random pictures because I can. ha.

Hahaha I found these from over a year ago they made me smile


I find random things on my camera. And there were alot more than just those two. =P








I am ready for fall.

=)

Jeans, hoodies, ect. yes.

Tuesday, August 12, 2008



Beautifulness.
I stars.
I like music.
I like 70s.
Yes.
And I like this song. =P
=)
There's a mountain
Here before me
And I'm going to climb it
With strength not my own
He's gonna lead me
Or the mountain beats me
Carry me through
Carry me through

There's a river
Here before me
And I'm gonna cross it
with strength not my own
He's gonna save me
Or the river takes me.
Carry me through
Carry me through

Oh Lord be gentle
I'm just a man
Please don't crush me
Help me in.

Oh Lord remember
I try so hard
I walk and talk
Your kingdom love

There's a sinner
Here before me
And I'm gonna give them
Strength not my own
He's gonna carry me
when I get weary
Carry me through
Carry me through

Oh Lord be gentle
I'm just a man
Please don't crush me
And help me in

Oh lord remember
I try so hard
I walk and talk
Your kingdom love

Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Carry me through

Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Lord Sweet Lord
Carry me through. -David Barnes

Monday, August 11, 2008


Life.
Do we live as if this life is but a vapor?
No...
....
I mean seriously...

Saturday, August 9, 2008

Everybody’s tired of all their problems
We need to take the time to understand
That just as much as we can hold the answers
Still we have blame on our hands
Life is the just sum of each decision
Tomorrow is determined by today
It’s possible to change the course of history
As we turn each page
-Article One

More amazing music. =P
I could be all wrong, I could be all right
Either way there's shades of grey we both don't like
Maybe there is hope, maybe I'm naïve
Perhaps it's just the point of view that's hard to see
Yeah I've heard life's gone in a moment
So I'm giving it my all
-Article One

Amazing music. *nod* yes. =)

Friday, August 8, 2008

The Olypics have begun. They are in China. That is cool.

Are you Chinese.

Didn't think so.

=P

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

And so it begins...school that is...

*ick*

Saturday, August 2, 2008

Lord I have a heavy burden of all I've seen and know
It's more than I can handle
But your word is burning like a fire shut up in my bones
and I cannot let it go

And when I'm weary and overwrought
with so many battles left unfought

I think of Paul and Silas in the prison yard
I hear their song of freedom rising to the stars
And when the Saints go marching in
I want to be one of them

Lord it's all that I can't carry and cannot leave behind
it often overwhelms me
but when I think of all who've gone before and lived the faithful life
their courage compels me
And when I'm weary and overwrought
with so many battles left unfought

I think of Paul and Silas in the prison yard
I hear their song of freedom rising to the stars

I see the shepherd Moses in the Pharohs court
I hear his call for freedom for the people of the Lord

And when the Saints go marching in
I want to be one of them
And when the Saints go marching in
I want to be one of them

I see the long quiet walk along the Underground Railroad
I see the slave awakening to the value of her soul

I see the young missionary and the angry spear
I see his family returning with no trace of fear

I see the long hard shadows of Calcutta nights
I see the sisters standing by the dying man's side

I see the young girl huddled on the brothel floor
I see the man with a passion come and kicking down the door

I see the man of sorrows and his long troubled road
I see the world on his shoulders and my easy load

And when the Saints go marching in
I want to be one of them
and when the Saints go marching in
I want to be one of them

-----------------------------------------------------
Ying I went to see The Gospel According to Tennessee today. It was good.

And it got me thinking--imagine that. =P

Part of what was going on through my head was how there was one character in the play that didn't go along with the status quo. She wasn't normal, she just didn't except the things they were when there was something wrong with it ....

She rebeled against the status quo of having strong prejudices towards African Americans. She was full of love and challenged the way people thought and challenged me--would I rebel as she did? What would I do if I was in that society.?

Would I have gone along with the normal? Would I have had a box? And even if I disagreed with the status quo would I have the guts to stand for what I knew to be right? Would I have challenged people's thinking? Their boxes? Or would I have sat back quietly knowing what was right but doing nothing about it?

This is my question guys--we don't live in a perfect world, a perfect country, a perfect society, a perfect town, a perfect church, we aren't perfect people. We have not acheived perfection.

There is always room for growth.

Ok so this is my question; What are you doing about it? What prejudices and preconceived notions are in the society in which you live...or what prejudices or preconceived notions are in your head? Prejudices and wrong thinking come in alllll shapes and sizes.

Do you stand for what you believe and know to be right? Honestly?

Even when it goes against what other people do and think?

What if we really lived this thing guys?

What would that look like?