Since their new album is out today, the song of the week is Day's End by Ivoryline: http://ping.fm/FpcOx

Revelation 21:1-8 -- Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband; and I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling of God is with men. He will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself will be with them; he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away." And he who sat upon the throne said, "Behold I make all things new." Also he said, "Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true." And he said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the fountain of the water of life without payment. He who conquers shall have this heritage, and I will be his God and he shall be my son. But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the polluted, as for murderers, fornicators, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their lot shall be in the lake that burns with fire and sulphur, which is the second death."

Music Tuesday #5

Song of the week: The Jig Is Up by Edison Glass
Listen to it and see lyrics on Yahoo! Which has it on Rhapsody....
Correct lyrics here.

I've asked with the right intent and bright eyes
But what I can't seem to figure out is how and why
And I can't seem to handle it

Sometimes I feel like I've been praying diligently with the right motives and with hope yet I still don't understand what God is up to, or understand how God will come through on this thing that just seems so huge. But you just have to stay faithful and not doubt. God will answer in His time...not ours

I'll wait for Your words, I'll trust You'll say

...because God is so much bigger than I can even fathom:

Your eyes see further than mine
I can see as far as the sun and the moon in the sky

I can see the sun and the moon, God can see the whole universe. God can see the future.

I was reading 1 Samuel chapter 1 in verse 10 it says, "[Hannah], greatly distressed, prayed to the LORD and wept bitterly." She was being ridiculed by her husband's other wife for being not being able to have children and this burdened her heart so much that she prayed with passion to the Lord & made Him a vow. Later, God remembered her when she prayed and answered.

I think I need to be more diligent in bringing the burdens of my heart to God. Nothing is too big for Him!!

Music "Tuesday" #4

This week's song:

Burn Out Brighter (Northern Lights) by Anberlin

Listen here. Or youtube it.
Lyrics here.

Focus for me is here:
All I know spins out of control.
Wonder what's next for heart and soul.
Nothing I have can save me now.
Here in what maybe my final hour.

It's my time, cannot survive.
I made mistakes in the past.
Need a chance; can't say goodbye.
Wish I could set things right tonight.

Live; I wanna live inspired.
Die; I wanna die for something higher than myself.
Live and die for anyone else.
The more I live I see, this life's not about me.

I don't feel like I need to do that much explaining on what those lyrics mean. The reason it's song of the week is that one of my friends basically asked me what I want to do with my life. Well, it was more like, I know you want to do museum curating, but have you thought about ... As I started to think about the complicated answer to that, I thought of this song. "Live; I wanna live inspired" and later it says, "Live; I wanna live on fire" which I assume means on fire for God. That pretty much sums up what I desire for my life and I don't know exactly what it is, career-wise, that will demonstrate that. I know I was made for more than just working for a paycheck. I really want to love whatever I do and have it be glorifying to God. ...and travel :)

Music Tuesday (or so...) hahaha

I half wrote my music tuesday entry when another song totally hit me hard in a different way than it had before...so I changed it up to uh, music Thursday...

Song:  Of Men and Angels by The Rocket Summer

Lyrics: I submitted corrections to LyricsMania so at least one site has them...

Listen on Myspace.

First, I would just listen to this and let it sink in.  It took hearing it for over a month before it spoke to me in the way it did.  I don't wholly relate to the theme I find in this song about someone who works really hard to get ahead in their life because the world dictates what success is: money, status, stuff.  And God wants you to live for him, not yourself and all the stuff and power you gain is really not that important when you're starved for God's love.  You may hear God telling you this isn't how He wants your life to be, but you ignore him....but then eventually surrender happens because you realize working for "the man" isn't as fulfilling as you thought it would be.  Where this song spoke to me was near the end where it says:

Hard earned pay or

Hard earned pain

right now they're just the same

What's the use?  

Why work so hard when it's not what you crave?

when what you need is Love

I keep working jobs that basically suck and have nothing to do with the goals I have for my life but I feel like I need to just keep on keeping on because I need to pay bills and I don't see any other way to survive.  In no way am I tasting hints of fame/worldly success in my workplace but I feel so completely unhappy in what I'm doing that I think either this is one horrible test of patience or I am doubting that God has something better for me.  Do you sense my lack of faith in just saying that?  It took me a bit of time to realize I truly am doubting that God has bigger plans for me and will take care of me.  God promises, in Philippians 4:19, "And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus."

And there's this line in verse 2 that goes, "How can I go with mine instead of Yours when Yours is always right? I'm sorry, just pour into me..."

In the grand scheme of things I've been going with mine.  My only plan so far, really, has been San Diego.  I will do what I can just to be here.  In this economy where you take what you can get, it sounds crazy to leave a job based on discontent.  You're one of the lucky ones that's actually getting paid these days.  I'm really tired of working just for a paycheck when I know where I want to go with my life, the ever elusive job that you'd do for free (if money were no object).  My vision get clouded with what I want and I don't just forget to listen to God, but maybe I just don't want to listen.  I'm afraid of what He might say. I just need to trust that He has plans for my life that are bigger than I can see, and beyond what I feel I need to do to survive in this world.

 

It's over quoted, but let's not forget the truth in Jeremiah 29:11-13, " 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."

Next step: pray.

must love my 19 year olds

Chadwick

and its better to go younger than older

old men are boring

12:10amMeself

whattttt

12:10amChadwick

young men are fun

Just died laughing...loved itttt.

Agree to disagree ;)  but I agree?  

oh bother.

R E S T

This past week I was convicted about how I haven't been taking a Sabbath day...like, at all. I was going non-stop everyday (and totally not sleeping to boot) since Good Friday: Work, service, movie night. Girls breakfast, hella necessary nap, serivice, birthday party. Breakfast, outreach, Easter service. Drive, lunch [not] date, drive, !deation, hang out. More !deation, hang out, drive back at midnight. Work, fitting for Friday's show, small group. Work, cafe set up, cafe and more hanging out...On Thursday I was like, man, I am exhausted...and I still have more stuff coming up!! I was creeping on my friend's facebook page and saw a status update that said, "Great Saturday: A Day of Rest (So, I'm gonna watch the NCAA Final Four :)" Oh, hey, a day of rest?? Fancy that. When's the last time I actually did that?? After the Jedidiah fashion show event on Friday I was hanging out with my homies and decided to nix my weekend plans (at least the ones that required waking up early) for some much needed rest. I got home after 2am & took 2 hours to get ready for bed since I decided almost falling asleep in a hot tub of water was a good idea.... Actually, it was though, I was relaxed. I slept in til two!! I totally skipped the half day of volunteering that started at 8am. You can't just give and give and pour out without taking the time to reflect back on God. "Be still and know that I am God..." Psalm 46:10. Relax, let go, and know that God is in control. I mean, even He rested...