He is Risen!

I cannot tell why He, the Joy of Heaven,
Should give Himself to suffer for my sin,
Why Holy God should love me in my shamefulness,
Why He should die to draw my soul to Him.
But this I know: that Christ the Lord is risen,
And praise His name, He's risen now in me!
Because He lives, I'll rise to life eternal!
He took my guilty heart, and I'm forever free!

The Spirit of Youth

Sonnet 98
~William Shakespeare~

From you have I been absent in the spring,
When proud-pied April, dressed in all his trim,
Hath put a spirit of youth in everything,
That heavy Saturn laughed and leaped with him,
Yet nor the lays of birds, nor the sweet smell
Of different flowers in odor and in hue,
Could make me any summer's story tell,
Or from their proud lap pluck them where they grew.
Nor did I wonder at the lily's white,
Nor praise the deep vermilion in the rose;
They were but sweet, but figures of delight,
Drawn after you, you pattern of all those.
Yet seemed it winter still, and, you away,
As with your shadow I with these did play.

I have decided I need to move….

This week I have come to a big decision. I need to move! Why, you may ask? What could possible entice me to move away from my beautiful Brooklyn?

Well to be honest I'm scared. Now you're thinking what could possible scare me enough to make me move, is there some creepy predator on the loose? No, that's not it, though last Thursday the police we're definitely out about the neighborhood looking for something….. or someone.

No, predators don't scare me. Mice don't even scare me anymore no matter how gross they may be crawling about on the subway tracks….

Can we say eww. But no, mice/rats will not make me move.

Perhaps it's the copious amount of plumbing problems we've had, the kind that made us have to call Roto-Rooter this week.

No, that's not it either. Gross but not scary.

The thing that's made me decide I need to move is quite small really, but oh so creepy!

Water bugs!

Seriously, I used to think nothing was creepier than a giant black water bug crawling around on your floor. But now I know better. There is one thing creepier. And that's a giant black water bug crawling on your finger!!! Just yesterday I went to put on my sneakers and as a sat down and picked up the shoe to put it on my foot…… there was a water bug on the middle finger of my right hand crawling frantically upward!!!

Luckily for me, and for those of you grossed out just reading this, I came out victorious. For as a gave out a small little girlish shriek and flung the nasty creature onto the floor, I managed to knock over the old street sign I have sitting in my room, effectively squashing that sick little (or not so little) bug!

Now, my weapon of choice against these gross bugs happens to be a can of Raid because then I don't have to worry about seeing bug guts and so forth, but I was none to sorry to see this particular buggy squashed to oblivion. Perhaps I am insensitive and cruel; I mean, after all they are God's creatures just as I am. But personally, the second they step foot, or creepy crawly leg thing as the case may be, into my house they better be prepared to run for the hills (or at least the plumbing) 'cause I'm coming after them! Either they're moving or I'm moving! I refuse to cohabitate!

I'm Not Alright

If weakness is a wound
That no one wants to speak of
Then “cool” is just how far we have to fall

I am not immune
I only want to be loved
But I feel safe behind the firewall

Can I lose my need to impress?
If you want the truth, I need to confess

I’m not all right
I’m broken inside
And all I go through
It leads me to you

Burn away the pride
Bring me to my weakness
Until everything I hide behind is gone

And when I’m open wide
With nothing left to cling to
Only you are there to lead me on

Honestly, I’m not that strong

And I move closer to you

I’m not all right…that’s why I need you

by Sanctus Real

Before The LORD

David danced before the LORD with all his might . . . then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, "How glorious was the king of Israel today, uncovering himself today in the eyes of the maids of his servants, as one of the base fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!" So David said to Michal, "It was before the LORD, who chose me instead of your father and all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the LORD, over Israel. Therefore I will play music before the LORD. And I will be even more undignified than this, and will be humble in my own sight. But as for the maidservants of whom you have spoken, by them I will be held in honor."

May I encourage you to do all that you do "before the LORD." For it is only when our actions are done before the Lord and not before man, that our life can be truly pleasing to God. Mankind is full of pride, and often our pride hinders our actions, but sometimes it is our pride that causes our actions. So many times Christians make a spectacle of themselves in worship because of their prideful desire for people to see how "good" they are. David's dancing arose not from a desire for people to see him, but from a heart so overwhelmed by the joy and power of Almighty God that he could not keep from dancing. So, yes, be willing to become undignified, not for the attention it draws for yourself, but for the glory of God.

If you're still not sure about this whole rejoicing before the Lord thing, flip open your Bible and read Zephaniah 3:17, if God can rejoice over us can't we rejoice before him?

Go dance before the Lord
. . . who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

More Lists.....

Things that I did not miss about Brooklyn-

1.. Rudeness & Foul Language.
2. People Staring And Waving At You When They Don't Know You.
3. The MTA



Things that did not make Spring Break Amazing -

1. Unfinished Homework
2. Twice As Much Laundry Since I Was Away Over Laundry Day.
3. Being Away From Home For 8 Days And Therefore Completely Messing Up My Routine.
4. Missing James More Than I Did Before The Break.

I Know by Seventh Day Slumber

Wonder what can be so bad 
That it makes you want to die 
I wonder what could be so tragic 
Makes you want to take your life 
You have your Savior on the cross 
While you sit on the throne 
Put yourself up on that cross 
Put your Savior on the throne 

And I know it's hard to take what's happening 
And I know life is tough sometimes 
And I know it seems like there's no hope for you 
And I know your life is worth more than you can see 

It's hard to see beyond your pain 
When you feel so dead inside 
It's hard to see what you've been given 
It's hard to find the hope in life 

And I know it's hard to take what's happening 
And I know life is tough sometimes 
And I know it seems like there's no hope for you 
And I know your life is worth more than you can see 

And I say look at Jesus' hands 
Those scars are there for you 
You know He understands
What you're going through