With Bated Breath

With bated breath
I wait
Heart pulsating erratically
Inside my chest

And with bated breath
I wait
For the call I have learned
To never expect

But with bated breath
I wait
For hope is something
That is not easily expired

So with bated breath
I will wait
In faith, trusting
That his word is good

Labeled in His Blood

Galatians 3:26-29, NIV Reader's Version
You are all children of God by believing in Christ Jesus. All of you who were baptized into Christ have put on Christ as if he were your clothes. There is no Jew or Greek. There is no slave or free person. There is no male or female. Because you belong to Christ Jesus, you are all one. You who belong to Christ are Abraham's seed. You will receive what God has promised

Tonight, as I was reading Galatians 3, these verses took on a new meaning to me. I suppose that I had just never thought about it before, so it had no meaning to me at all. But tonight, as I was reading, it hit me: It doesn't matter. It doesn't where you've come from. It doesn't matter what your background is. It doesn't matter how horrible of a sinner you are or how long you walked in the world. It doesn't matter if you're rich or poor. It doesn't matter if you're well-educated or have barely been to school. It doesn't matter if you come from a broken home or an orphanage or a loving family. It doesn't matter if you are man or woman. It doesn't matter if you're young or old. It doesn't matter if you've done drugs, drank, smoked, had pre-marital/ extra-marital sex, murdered people, had an abortion, gone through a divorce, etc. It doesn't matter.

The only thing that matters is JESUS CHRIST. And if we belong to Him, then that is ALL that matters. His blood has covered ALL of our sins. His blood takes our dirty past and washes us clean with a new life. When we come to Jesus, we are all the same. We're just sinners in need of a Saviour. When we accept Jesus we are no longer branded with labels according to our sins, but we are covered in His blood and it labels us not as a sinner, but as God's son or daughter.

And I don't know about you, but I think that's pretty amazing.

Can I help you?

This is a common occurrence when I'm sitting in my chair on the computer. Apparently, she's starved for affection.

The Socialite (LOL)

I have done things with people (other than work) for 3 days in a row. In case you don't know, this is a huge deal for me.

Thursday night: movie with David
Friday evening: dinner with a girl from school
This afternoon: hiking/ rappelling/ climbing with the Frocks and Ryan and Courtnie

I'm gonna be sore tomorrow.

Even though...

The other day, I read Isaiah 45 and this verse really stood out to me:
4 Cyrus, I am sending for you by name.
I am doing it for the good of the family of Jacob.
They are my servants.
I am doing it for Israel.
They are my chosen people.
You do not know anything about me.
But I am giving you a title of honor.

I don't know, there was just something that spoke to me -- that even though Cyrus didn't know God, God had a plan for him and gave him a title of honor and apparently used him to accomplish His purpose. At the time, I didn't know what to say about it. I just thought it was really neat. God might be using me even though I sometimes feel like i don't know anything about Him.

Then tonight, I read Romans 8

26 In the same way, the Holy Spirit helps us when we are weak. We don't know what we should pray for. But the Spirit himself prays for us. He prays with groans too deep for words. 27 God, who looks into our hearts, knows the mind of the Spirit. And the Spirit prays for God's people just as God wants him to pray. 28 We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him. He appointed them to be saved in keeping with his purpose.

29 God planned that those he had chosen would become like his Son. In that way, Christ will be the first and most honored among many brothers. 30 And those God has planned for, he has also appointed to be saved. Those he has appointed, he has made right with himself. To those he has made right with himself, he has given his glory.

31 What should we say then? Since God is on our side, who can be against us?


The two passages seem related to me. God, who at times I do not know at all, has a plan for me. Because I do not know Him at times and can't think of what to say to Him in prayer, the Holy Spirit speaks to God on my behalf. God works out all things to the good of those who love Him. He has planned for me to become like Jesus because he chose me. God is on my side -- even when I'm not on His.

How much more then, should I desire to be on His?

a long day

I worked until almost 9:30 tonight. I got there at 1:30, which isn't too bad, except that my day didn't begin at 1:30, it began before that... so a late night makes it feel like a long day. I could never be a nurse. Ever.

Ever.

Ever. Just had to add those last few ever's to make sure we're clear on that.

I realized though, I have a lot to be thankful for. Last night I was talking to a guy who is serving in Iraq right now. And while I wanted to get home from work because I was missing precious facebook time, he is missing precious time with his little girl. My job might FEEL like the worst job ever some days, but there are worse things. It kind of helped to put things in perspective for me.

As much as it put things in perspective -- this is still my life and the one I have to live. And just because he's in Iraq doesn't mean that I can't go to bed because I'm exhausted. And I am. exhausted, that is. Well, and going to bed.

When "I don't know" is all I've got

why, we just don't know... why

i don't know
what you have for me

a wedding dress,
a handsome prince,
happily ever after

i don't know
what you have for me

a picket fence,
a tree swing,
a cobblestone path

i don't know
what you have for me

a pigtailed princess,
a little cowboy,
eskimo kisses

i don't know
what you have for me

lessons in patience
cultivating trust
experiencing love

i don't know
what you have for me

but i know
a lonely heart
and hopelessness

(c) Amber Hill