Bye Mike!

Life

I'm getting a lot from the book we're discussing in Sunday School - "Don't Waste Your Life" by John Piper. If you haven't started reading it - please read it. I've also been getting a lot from those that have added to our Sunday School discussion. Thank you so much!

One blog post that I've read recently on Boundless.org was great - Trusting in God's Goodness. You can use this article in your relationships, your work, etc. It's perfect for Christmas when we've got to realize it's not about us. It's about Him - JESUS CHRIST. We need to Trust in God not in us. We were made for Him (I'm speaking to myself as well as you). Take a read when you get a minute. http://www.boundlessline.org/2008/12/gods-goodness-i.html and then let us know your thoughts on either this post or what you think so far about the "Don't Waste Your Life" Book. This coming week, we're reading ch. 3. You can check the book out by clicking on the link I have on the right to the book's website.

Stories from my friends that are moms

I loving hearing stories from my friends that are moms. What God shows them through their kids can be so real and so funny and so true. One of those friends is my friend Courtney from college who has posted another two blog posts that have really made me think today. Please read them because I think you will also get a lot out of them.

1. This one is about how many times you actually hear "MERRY CHRISTMAS" rather than "HAPPY HOLIDAYS!" I hope you say "MERRY CHRISTMAS" to everyone you meet this season.
http://crayonscrumbsandchaos.blogspot.com/2008/12/i-say-merry-christmas.html

2. This one is about how we want to put our spin on God's plan for our life: a little sweet, a little spice, a little color, etc. I try to do this all the time and I've just got to stop it. Many times, I want what I want because I think I know what's best for me and not ask God what His plan is for me. He sees the BIG picture and knows what's best for me in the long run and I need to always listen to Him and do what he says. Take a read.
http://crayonscrumbsandchaos.blogspot.com/2008/12/dont-draw-on-china.html

Thanks Courtney for your posts! I hope you all have a great day!

Some great posts I've read today

One of my friends from college has a blog. She's a mom of one daughter and has been a foster mom to another daughter for a few months now. This is her experience with visiting Santa and what God showed her through the experience. WOW! Take a read.
http://crayonscrumbsandchaos.blogspot.com/2008/12/seeing-santa.html

Perry Noble is the minister at NewSpring Community Church in SC. One of my friends at work, who used to attend his church in Anderson, SC, pointed out to me that he has a blog. Today's post called Kissing Toilets caught my attention. It's amazing how God can show us things in the nastiest circumstances. Take a read.
http://www.perrynoble.com/2008/12/09/kissing-toilets/

No Voice

WOW, for someone like myself that LOVES TO SING and LOVES TO TALK, when you have no voice, it changes everything! Thankgoodness I also love to type. I woke up this morning with no voice and turns out I have a viral upper respiratory infection. No antibiotics - I've just got to shut up, rest, stay away from people, and wait it out. None of that fits my personality even though I do like to sleep in some mornings if I can.

On Sunday, we sang this new Christmas song that I had never heard of. It was like they added a verse to the song the Offering (turns out - they did). I LOVED IT! I love Christmas songs so I had to find it. Today, with a little extra time on my hands, I found it on iTunes. It's by Casting Crowns and it's called Christmas Offering. I bought it! It's on their Peace on Earth CD. Because I can't sing it right now like I'D LOVE TO DO, it made me listen to the words even more. It's so beautiful! I just think you should listen to it. If you have myspace or facebook, I believe they have it on their pages. I haven't seen it anywhere else. Bryan will probably play it again on Sunday I'm thinking.

No More Mondays

I actually began two books yesterday. The Don't Waste Your Life book with the group as well as a work related type book called "No More Mondays" by Dan Miller, who is a Christian author. He also wrote "48 Days to the Work You Love," which will probably be the next book I read. Anyhow, I've just read the 1st chapter and they had three quotes I'd like to share. Whenever you have quotes you would like to share, please share them on the blog. It would be great to read them.

"Failure is the opportunity to begin again more intelligently." - Henry Ford

"You can't sail to new lands unless you're willing to lose sight of the shore." - no name

"The real act of discovery is not in finding new lands, but in seeing with new eyes." - Marcel Proust

Don't Waste Your Life

Sunday morning we started studying Don't Waste Your Life. This week, we're reading ch. 1. The cool thing is that wherever you are (and have internet), you have the book. It's online at the book's website in pdf format. www.dontwasteyourlife.com (really simple to remember).

As you read, post what you thought of ch. 1 if you want. We'll discuss it in Sunday School. HAVE A GREAT WEEK!

Update

Well, I haven't posted in a while. I've had a few rough days while I was visiting family over the holiday and now that I'm back in town. Certain Bible verses dealing with pressing on, and His presence being with me wherever I am to help me have been going through my head. Also, I've had my friends both at work and church that have been awesome - letting me talk about it, reminding me some things are not important as I make them out to be, reminding me God is with me and will get me through this, or just making me laugh. THANKS!

So, to you, the reader of this AWESOME Group's blog! The question in this post that I'd love for you to respond to is:

What Bible verses inspire you through hard times? Share! I know I'm not the only one that could use them right about now. Can't wait to see the responses pour in.