Is this true...?

These things freak me out.

What Your Face Says

At first glance, people see you as strong willed and stubborn. Overall, your true self is passionate and physical. With friends, you seem logical, detached, and a bit manipulative. In love, you seem gentle and sensitive. In stressful situations, you seem sad and helpless.

What Do People Think Of Your Face?

In the words of...

Oswald Chambers, author of My Utmost For His Highest, here is the thought for the day:

THE UNSURPASSED INTIMACY OF TESTED FAITH
Jesus said to her, "Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?" (John 11:40)

Every time you venture out in your life of faith, you will find something in your circumstances that, from a commonsense standpoint, will flatly contradict your faith. But common sense is not faith, and faith is not common sense. In fact, they are as different as the natural life and the spiritual. Can you trust Jesus Christ where your common sense cannot trust Him? Can you venture out with courage on the words of Jesus Christ, while the realities of your commonsense life continue to shout, "It's all a lie"?...

...Every time my theology becomes clear to my own mind, I encounter something that contradicts it. As soon as I say, "I believe 'God shall supply all [my] need,'" the testing of my faith begins (Philippians 4:19). When my strength runs dry and my vision is blinded, will I endure this trial of my faith victoriously or will I turn back in defeat?

Faith must be tested, because it can only become your intimate possession through conflict. What is challenging your faith right now? The test will either prove your faith right, or it will kill it. Jesus said, "Blessed is he who is not offended because of Me" (Matthew 11:6). The ultimate thing is confidence in Jesus. "We have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end..." (Hebrews 3:14). Believe steadfastly on Him and everything that challenges you will strengthen your faith. There is continual testing in the life of faith up to the point of our physical death, which is the last great test. Faith is absolute trust in God---trust that could never imagine that He would forsake us (see Hebrews 13:5-6).

In the summertime...

If you live in Louisville, this is where you should be on Wednesday night. Good times. I'm hoping to make it in time for the Medicine Show.

One of my favorites...

This is, I think, my favorite cut off of the most recent Nickel Creek album, Why Should the Fire Die?. It's tragic and beautiful and the melody is kind of haunting. And it resonates with me.

Tryin' on a brand new dress
But you haven't worn the old one yet
You've come too far
To turn around now

You've given up the good fight
You're as strong as anyone
You're back where you started from
I see you're back where you started from

Starin' down the stars
Jealous of the moon
You wish you could fly
Just being where you are
There's nothin' you can do
If you're too scared to try

Drag your pretty head around
Swearin' you're gonna drown
With a beautiful sigh
And a river of lies

Starin' down the stars
Jealous of the moon
You wish you could fly
Just stayin' where you are
There's nothin' you can do
If you're too scared to try

Why don't you call me, I could save you
Together we'll find a God we can pray to
That'll take you by the hand

I hate to see a friend of mine
Laughing out loud
When she's crying inside
But you've got your pride

Starin' down the stars
Jealous of the moon
You wish you could fly
But you're stayin' where you are
There's nothin' you can do
If you're too scared to try

It's official...

...I AM a child of the 80s...sheesh. For your amusement (and nostalgia), I've highlighted the ones that didn't apply to me (since that was the smaller number...):

You Know You Grew Up In The 80's if:
1. You've ever ended a sentence with the word SIKE.
2. You watched the Pound Puppies.
3. You can sing the rap to the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and can do the Carlton.
4. Girls wore biker shorts under their skirts and felt stylishly sexy.
5. You yearned to be a member of the Baby-sitters club and tried to start a club of your own.
6. You owned those lil' Strawberry Shortcake pals scented dolls.
7. You know that "WOAH" comes from Joey on Blossom.
8. Two words: Hammer Pants.
9. If you ever watched "Fraggle Rock".
10. You had plastic streamers on your handle bars... and spokey-dokes or playing cards on your spokes for that incredible sound effect.
11. You can sing the entire theme song to "Duck Tales" (Woo ooh!) (but I did watch it)
12. It was actually worth getting up early on a Saturday to watch cartoons.
13. You wore a ponytail on the side of your head.
14. You saw the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on the big screen...and still know the turtles names.
15. You got super-excited when it was Oregon Trail day in computer class at school.
16. You made your mom buy one of those clips that would hold your shirt in a knot on the side.
17. You played the game "MASH"(Mansion, Apartment, Shelter, House).
18. You wore stonewashed Jordache jean jackets and were proud of it.
19. L.A. Gear....need I say more?
20. You wanted to change your name to "JEM" in Kindergarten (She's Truly Outrageous).
21. You remember reading Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing and all The Ramona books.
22. You know the profound meaning of "WAX ON, WAX OFF". (R.I.P. Mr. Miagi)
23. You wanted to be a Goonie.
24. You ever wore fluorescent clothing (some of us...head-to-toe).
25. You can remember what Michael Jackson looked like before his nose fell off and his cheeks shifted.
26. You have ever pondered why Smurfette was the only female smurf.
27. You took lunch boxes to school...and traded Garbage Pailkids in the schoolyard.
28. You remember the CRAZE, then the BANNING of slap bracelets.
29. You still get the urge to say "NOT" after every sentence.
30. You remember Hypercolor t-shirts.
31. Barbie and the Rockers was your favorite band.
32. You thought She-ra (Princess of Power!) and He-Man should hook up.
33. You thought your childhood friends would never leave because you exchanged handmade friendship bracelets.
34. You ever owned a pair of Jelly-Shoes.
35. After you saw Pee-Wee's Big Adventure you kept saying "I know you are, but what am I?"
36. You remember "I've fallen and I can't get up".
37. You remember going to the skating rink before there were inline skates.
38. You ever got seriously injured on a Slip and Slide.
39. You have ever played with a Skip-It.
40. You had or attended a birthday party at McDonalds.
41. You've gone through this nodding your head in agreement.
42. You remember Popples. (only vaguely)
43. Don't worry, be happy.
44. You wore like, EIGHT pairs of socks over tights with high top Reeboks.
45. You wore socks scrunched down (and sometimes still do..getting yelled at by younger hip members of the family). Um, MOM!
46. You remember boom boxes and walking around with one on your shoulder like you were all that.
47. You remember watching both Gremlins movies.
48. You know what it meant to say "Care Bear Stare!!"
49. You remember watching Rainbow Bright and & My Little Pony Tales.
50. You thought Doogie Howser/Samantha Micelli was hot.
51. You remember Alf, the lil furry brown alien from Melmac.
52. You remember New Kids on the Block when they were cool...and don't even flinch when people refer to them as "NKOTB".
53. You knew all the characters names and their life stories on "Saved By The Bell," The ORIGINAL class. I never watched this until college, when I caught the reruns.
54. You know all the words to Bon Jovi - SHOT THROUGH THE HEART.
55. You just sang those words to yourself.
56. You remember watching Magic vs. Bird.
57. Homemade Levi shorts (the shorter the better).
58. You remember when mullets were cool! For the record, I never thought they were cool.
59. You had a mullet! ...but, yes, I had one...
60. You still sing "We are the World".
61. You tight rolled your jeans.
62. You owned a banana clip.
63. You remember "Where's the Beef?"
64. You used to (and probably still do) say "What you talkin' 'bout Willis?" I really DO!
65. You had big hair and you knew how to use it. And this one STILL applies.

What's in a song...?

So I've been wondering for months where this Watermark cd that I'd recently gotten had disappeared to and...lo, and behold...yesterday on the way home from work I notice that it's right there in the stack under my cd player in the car. I'm telling you---it was NOT there before, but there it was! So I popped that bad boy in and was once again amazed and refreshed by the fabulous lyrics on the album. Whether or not you like the style or polished production of the music, there are so many brilliant and worthy themes on this piece that I LOVE it. Here's a little taste:

My Covering
Artist: Watermark
Album: The Purest Place

I died in Your death my Lord
Glory, glory to Your name
Buried in the grave with You
Glory, glory to Your name
And I arose with You my Lord,
Glory, glory to Your name!

Your blood is my covering
My sheltering, where life comes from
Your blood is my innocence
My righteousness, where I begin

Once so far, I am brought near
Glory, glory to Your name
Raised and seated up with You
Glory, glory to Your name
And reconciled to God in You
Glory, glory to Your name!

Your blood is my covering
My sheltering, where life comes from
Your blood is my innocence
My righteousness, where I begin

Death has no victory
Sin has no hold on me
I'm covered in my Christ who is my life....
And I arose with You my Lord
Glory, glory to Your name
Glory, glory to Your name

And Your blood is my covering...
Oh Lord, its where I begin
Your life, Your love, Your blood falls over me
And Your blood is my covering....
Your love it falls over me
And your blood is my covering...

Just so you know...

I will be posting some new stuff soon. :) A friend from church has let me borrow his audiobook copy of The Pursuit of Holiness by Jerry Bridges, read by Alistair Begg (you gotta love that accent). It's good stuff and I want to share some of the exerpts with you...

So get ready.

But, in the meantime, check out this band: The Ditty Bops. Some friends and I saw them open for Nickel Creek this past winter and they are SO fun. We actually met them when we hung around like stalkers in the parking lot waiting for NC to come out to their bus. Turns out Chris, Sean and Sara had made off like bandits to whoop it up with friends of theirs elsewhere in Indy, but the humble Ditty Boppers and band braved the arctic air to mingle with the little folk. Bobby, Emily and I were chatting with the two men in the band, who decided to sing us a little ditty they'd been working up while on the road. Some sort of barbershop quartet-type number.

When they finished, I said, "Well, you have lots of time to work on it."

Of COURSE I was referring to the fact that they had a long road trip ahead of them with nothing to do but sing and iron out a song they CLEARLY said they were still WORKING on, but... Well, you can imagine the looks they, not to mention my horrified friends, gave me.

It's a gift, people.

Since I can't rule the world...

You Should Rule Jupiter

Huge and hot, Jupiter is a quickly turning planet with short days and intense gravity. You are perfect to rule Jupiter, because you are both dominant and kind. You have great strength and confidence, but you never abuse your power. You are always right. Even if you make mistakes, you compensate for them... before anyone knows it. Headstrong and ambitious, you always have a goal in mind. You are optimistic and believe thing things will always work out.

What Planet Should You Rule?

Here I go again...

After a brief sojourn to Brazil and back, I am once again at home and with my nose to the grind (yeah, right). The trip was good and refreshing. And, save the minor setback on the way down of having missed our connecting flight in Brazil due to a one-hour delayed flight in Houston and thinking my parents were perhaps reduced to grease stains on a São Paulo city street, all went well.

For me it was good to be reminded that God is at work, both through and in spite of us. It was a blessing to meet and make new friends and a joy to reconnect with old ones. And it was delectable to get my fill of churrasco and Brazilian home-cookin'. :9

What have you all been up to?