A to Z Bible Verse Challenge Week #19

This week for the Truth from A to Z challenge over at The Happy Wonderer we have letter S.

 

The word that came to mind for letter S is SING/SONG.

Sing to the Lord, all the earth; proclaim his salvation day after day. I Chronicles 16:23

Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him. Psalm 33:1

Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Psalm 100:2

There are many instances of singing throughout the Bible.  I've always loved singing, and I have found that it can uplift my mood or change my attitude when I sing.  I sometimes will sing in the van as I'm driving home after I drop Titus off at school in the mornings.  I have found it is a nice way to start my day. 

Do you like to sing?  What types of songs do you sing?

Have a day of blessings! 

 Bethany

Book: Slow Down

Are you familiar with the song called "Slow Down" by Nichole Nordeman? If not, I highly recommend that you click over and listen to it!  I loved it when I first heard it and used it in the birthday videos I made for our boys this year.

Today I have a book by Nichole Nordeman to share with you called Slow Down Embracing the Everyday Moments of Motherhood.

Book description:

The days are long, but the years are short.

No matter if it’s your child’s first step, first day of school, or first night tucked away in a new dorm room away from home, there comes a moment when you realize just how quickly the years are flying by. Christian music artist Nichole Nordeman’s profound lyrics in her viral hit “Slow Down” struck a chord with moms everywhere, and now this beautiful four-color book will inspire you to celebrate the everyday moments of motherhood.

Filled with thought-provoking writings from Nichole, as well as guest writings from friends including Shauna Niequist and Jen Hatmaker, practical tips, and journaling space for reflection, Slow Down will be a poignant gift for any mom, as well as a treasured keepsake.

Take a few moments to reflect and celebrate the privilege of being a parent and getting to watch your little ones grow—and Slow Down.

My thoughts:This book will resonate with any Mom I believe because we all soon come to realize that time passes quickly as we are raising our children.  I really enjoyed reading this book and the reminder as a Mom to slow down and to accept our children as they are.  The days pass and soon a new stage comes before we realize it....sometimes we are ready for that stage to be over and other stages we don't want to let go of.  But either way we need to enjoy the moments we have with our children, not trying to change them or worry over things that don't really matter.

The book has 14 chapters on a variety of wisdom and insight for mothers using stories about her children. Then it follows up with a few questions about that topic for you to consider.  There are also short little inserts from other Moms too. The pictures of children are beautiful as well and add to the beauty of the book.

This book will encourage you as a Mom!  I highly recommend it to you.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers <http://booklookbloggers.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Have a day of blessings!
  Bethany

Monday Music!

I found the name of the song I mentioned in Thankful Thursday. I wanted to share it today.

Happy May! 💐🌼

Lately I have not listened to the radio because I usually listen to my audio books from the library. Last week when I was in my Mom's car I heard this song and had to email the radio station to ask the title. It's called "Count Them All." I hope it encourages all of you, whatever you are facing this week. I know some of you are going through some really difficult challenges. Whatever kind of week you are facing, know that God loves you. Take a minute to think about your blessings and to "Count Them All" today.



Have a day of blessings!
  Bethany

Election Reflections

This morning I was pondering the election results, feeling disappointed in the outcome.  I was doing some things around the house and thought I'd listen to Pandora.  Guess what song came on first thing? 

My hope is built on nothing less
than Jesus' blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
but wholly lean on Jesus' name.

Here are the lyrics.

What a great reminder!  MY hope is not in any government official, leader, or country.  MY hope is in Jesus! 

If you do not have this wonderful hope, you can! 

Have a day of blessings!

Reminder to love

On Sunday evenings at our church we've been having a series of lessons on the three words faith, hope, and love.  The last lesson was last night and it focused on I Corinthians 13. 

You have probably read this countless times as well as heard it read at weddings or seen it printed on artwork.  It is a very popular passage.  I appreciated the reminder I had about love last night from this passage and wanted to share it with you today.  We started with the last verse of I Corinthians 12. 

As Christians we need to remember that anything we do that is not done in love will amount to nothing.  It may look good to others on the outside, but if it is not done in love then it does not matter.  As humans we take pride in our accomplishments, knowledge, and generosity.  But if we do not have love then none of these amount to anything.  Something that stuck out to me last night was the part about faith....we can have faith that moves mountains but that is nothing if we do not have love.  This shows me just how BIG of a think love really is!  Love really is the "most excellent way."     

And now I will show you the most excellent way.

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ² If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. ³ If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. ⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
 ⁸ Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. ⁹ For we know in part and we prophesy in part, ¹⁰ but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. ¹¹ When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. ¹² For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
¹³ And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.  I Corinthians 12:31--13:13

 I hear this song on the radio all the time and thought it was appropriate to share with this today. I love the ending.   

Have a day of blessings!

Remembering...

This is the date of my first due date.  We will always remember that time of pregnancy, even though it was so short.  We trust that one day we will see that baby again too.   

We have a tradition to get ice cream as a way to remember that baby.  Tonight when we sat down with our ice cream I thought the song on the radio sounded familiar.  It was "If Heaven Wasn't So Far Away."  Then a couple songs later was "You're Gonna Miss This."  It made me smile to hear these two songs.  I thought both were appropriate to think about as we remember one baby we never got to meet and think of Caleb's upcoming birthday and another year passing so quickly. 

Have a day of blessings!

Song: "Not Guilty"

Over the weekend I heard this song called "Not Guilty" on my iPod. As I listened I thought this is really the message of Easter and the Resurrection. I hope you enjoy listening to it today.

Whatever you are going through today, remember that God loves you and gave His Son for you.  It is something hard to understand but such a wonderful gift. 


Have a day of blessings!

Song: Arms That Hold the Universe

This is a song I heard yesterday on the radio. It is very encouraging. I hope it will bless you today as you listen to the words. It is a great reminder that God is with you, He cares, and is holding you.

 


Also, a reminder about the giveaway I'm having.  You can read about it on this post. 
Have a day of blessings!

Song: "Already There"

I have another song by "Casting Crowns" for you today called "Already There."  I loved the lyrics the first time I heard them and could relate to so much of what is said in this song from our move last year.  I like the line of imagining looking back on life someday and seeing how all the pieces fit together. 

We have some "unknowns" right now.  It is comforting to know God already knows the answers.   

Have a day of blessings!

Song: "Courageous"

Today the movie "Courageous" releases on DVD.  We went to Lifeway and purchased a "pre buy" ticket and will pick up our copy this week sometime.  My husband and I saw it at the theater before Thanksgiving.  What a great movie!  Have you seen it?  If not you really should rent it or buy it.  It has a great message with so many lessons in it.  We are in a war here and need to be courageous. 

I hope you enjoy this Casting Crowns song called "Courageous."  When we saw them in concert in December, this was the first song they sang. 

Have a day of blessings!

Song: "Hold On"

I heard this song last week when I had Pandora playing and knew I wanted to share it for my song this week.  It is called "Hold On" by 33 Miles.  I hope it will encourage you today and remind you to keep holding on and not give up, whatever you are going through right now. 
Have a day of blessings!

Song: "The Well"

I used to share more songs on my blog and I was thinking I wanted to do that again this year.  I hope the songs I share will bless your day as you listen to the lyrics. 

For today's song I'd like to share one from Casting Crowns' new album.  It is called "The Well." 


I think this is a great song to use at the start of the new year.  If you are weary and ready for a fresh start, go to the well and be refreshed and satisfied.  I thought of this song Sunday morning in church when the preacher was talking about what we needed to leave behind in 2011 as we begin 2012. 

What do you need to leave behind? 

Have a day of blessings!

Song: My Beloved

This song came on as I was listening to Pandora this morning.  I hope it encourages you today.  You are beautiful and so very loved by our Heavenly Father.



Have a day of blessings!

A year ago...

We were excited to sign the papers to close on our new house on October 11, 2010.  We knew a couple of the rooms needed to be repainted....we did not want bright blue or purple bedrooms!  Plus there were some other things we wanted to do before officially  moving in.  We had it all planned out to sign the papers and then be ready to move in by the end of the month. 
Well if you followed my blog last year you know that nothing went as we had planned!  On October 7, 2010, we got the unexpected news from our Realtor that we were not going to be able to sign the papers on Monday.  The hold-up was caused because the TX Attorney General put a hold on the sale of foreclosures in the state.  I didn't understand all the legal jargon associated with this...it basically meant though that our plans were on hold because the house we were buying was a foreclosure property and the banks had to verify they were handling the paperwork correctly.  We did not have any idea when we'd be able to continue so we were in a waiting game.

My husband was starting his training for his new position.  We were renting a duplex and had assumed we'd be out by the end of October.  The days went on and on, and it was a very frustrating time.  I remember waiting to hear something, anything from our Realtor each day, hoping he'd have some sort of good news or date for us.  We even got a lawyer involved to try to help us through the process of figuring out our options.  We went to look at other houses as well because it just didn't seem this one was going to work.

It was quite the roller coaster for us all.  We didn't know what was going to happen from day to day really.  It was just waiting and praying, trying to see what God would have us do next.  Being the planner that I am I did not like not knowing what was coming. I did not like that all the plans I had made regarding the house and where we would live and not wanting to be separated from my husband and getting my son into a new school were not working out like I thought they should from my perspective. I wasn't angry during this time, I just didn't like not knowing.    

So today I remember how this time last year our plans changed suddenly and without warning.  I remember how God used this time to teach us some valuable lessons about Himself and His plan and timing during the period of unknowns and waiting.     

I heard this song on the radio this week, and I was immediately taken back to that time.  Because on October 7 and October 8 and 9 and 10 and on and on when I didn't know what was going to happen, I still held on to my faith that God had a plan for us.  He had things to teach us and used the time to bring us closer to Him and closer to each other.  We couldn't see the whole picture like He could.
 
Here is the song for you to hear.  It has such great lyrics. 


Looking back a year later, it is still crazy to me how it all worked out.  I think I am still processing it all that we are actually here!  The timing of everything fit together just beautifully.  He knew that all along, even though I could only see what was happening in the day to day moment.  Aren't you thankful that He has a bigger perspective than us? 

Have a day of blessings!

Song: "These Days" by Mandisa

I have enjoyed many of the songs on Mandisa's new CD called "What If We Were Real."  I just love this upbeat song and the lyrics that's called "These Days." 

I told my husband he needed to listen to it Monday morning.  He found out Sunday evening that his secretary had broken his leg and is unsure how long he'll be out.  They were already shorthanded in the office because of another worker breaking her leg in April.  Lately it seems it has been one thing on top of another for him and his work. 

I think this song has a great message and a reminder that we all have days when things just don't seem to be going well.  In the midst of those times though we need to stop and try to learn what God is trying to teach us. 

Hope you enjoy this song today!


Have a day of blessings!
 

Song: Day After Day

There are so many heartaches we face in life, so many trials and times when things just don't make sense. I'd like to encourage you with this song today called "Day After Day" by Kristian Stanfill. Here are the lyrics. I love this line: "Day after day our God is reigning He's never shaken"

It doesn't take much to shake up our personal worlds. However, we serve a God who isn't shaken by what happens. He knows what is happening in your life and He cares about those details. When you feel like everything is falling apart, one thing hasn't changed and that is that He is still reigning on His throne. He loves you and cares for you right where you are today. He is trustworthy. Put your hope in Him.

Have a day of blessings!

Song: "Blessings"

I saw a link for this song on a friend's blog. The lyrics are wonderful, and the story behind it is very touching as well. I hope you'll take some time to listen to it today.

May it encourage you.

Click here to listen to the song "Blessings" by Laura Story.

Have a day of blessings!

Song: I Refuse

This song has been on the radio a lot lately and I wanted to share it with you today. I love this song's message.



Is it easier for you to just sit around and ignore what's going on around you? Or maybe make excuses why you don't step up and help? Excuses like someone else can do that, that job's beneath me, I don't have time, we don't have extra money right now....

We all have choices to make on a daily basis on doing something or not. I think this song is a great reminder to be willing to do something instead of just talking about it. Many times I think we know in our hearts we should act, yet we hesitate for whatever reason. We need to do what we are called to do....whatever that may be. You aren't going to reach the same people I can reach in my world. Wherever we are though, we need to act and not wait for someone else to do it.

"I don't want to live like I don't care." What about you?

Have a day of blessings!

Sanctity of Human Life Sunday

Have a day of blessings!

Song: Bring the Rain

My Mom shared a video with me and I wanted to post it to share here today. It is called "Bring the Rain" by Mercy Me. I've heard it before and really appreciate the lyrics.

Here it is for you to listen to it:




I remember back in the summer one of my Facebook friends had posted the lyrics to the song on her wall. I'd heard the song before but I guess hadn't really paid attention to the words. Some of the lyrics really jumped out at me:

Can circumstances possibly
Change who I forever am in You

Whatever is going on in my life doesn't change what God has given me....salvation and hope.

Bring me anything that brings You glory
And I know there'll be days
When this life brings me pain
But if that's what it takes to praise You
Jesus, bring the rain

This summer when we weren't sure what was going to happen with our house or finding a new one or my husband's job, we prayed that whatever happened God would get the glory. There were days I wondered how in the world the situation would end up. I know God had a plan all along. Those times of waiting and not knowing brought us closer to Him and each other.

God can use hard times in our lives to bring us closer to Him and teach us lessons. Sometimes we want so badly to be out of the storm when God just wants us to hold onto Him and let Him teach us and use us in the midst of that pain.

Have a day of blessings!