juxtaposition in a week...

i have been pretty surprised by all the hoopla of the royal wedding...it seemed like no matter where you turned...magazines...tv shows...twitter...fashion posts...all were a buzz about this big day...and of course...it was a big day...but not enough to warrant for me to get up at some ungodly hour to watch a wedding...yes...even i have my limits...or maybe it was just that sleep rated higher in my book...it struck me as odd when i read that the u.s. seemed more intrigued by the royal wedding then the brits...

when i woke up this morning...i checked out a few pics of the bride...and just as i suspected...she looked absolutely beautiful...

along with this beautiful day for the couple...it has been a week of devastation in other parts of the world...even in our own lovely u.s...friends of mine have been tornado watching...hearing warnings...and heeding the call...and some have family in alabama...where it hit hard...

during these times...it is interesting to see good and bad all around us...that is the circle of life...my friend adena said it best...

It is strange to contemplate the juxtaposition of the havoc wreaked by the weather on the MidWest and Southern regions of our country with the pomp beauty and happiness of the Royal nuptials. While many people claim not to care a whit (now there's a good Old English word, yes?) about the Royal wedding, for me, there's something very touching about all the tradition. And when it gets right down to it, it's still a ceremony between two people who are committing themselves to one another. Let's offer them our prayers for a long and happy life, while at the same time we offer our prayers for all those people who have been affected by the destruction of the storms in our country. Happiness and sadness co-exist at all times and we offer up our prayers in all circumstances.

david wilkerson...

...our loss is heaven's gain...

when i first heard the news yesterday of the car crash that killed david wilkerson...memories flooded over me of the countless times his book & daily devotionals touched my life...

he was a true man of God...

one of my earliest memories was reading his book "the cross and the switchblade" i would read that book over and over and over...my favorite line was..."you could cut me up into a thousand pieces and lay them in the street...and every piece will still love you (nicky cruz) - david wilkerson

that book/movie had such an impact on my life...and as i got older i learned more about teen challenge...which he founded...in recent years...his daily devotional and blog was one i often would read...

here is a portion of his post from yesterday...written the day he walked into the arms of Jesus...

"To those going through the valley and shadow of death, hear this word: Weeping will last through some dark, awful nights, and in that darkness you will soon hear the Father whisper, "I am with you,'" Wilkerson wrote. "Beloved, God has never failed to act but in goodness and love. When all means fail-his love prevails. Hold fast to your faith. Stand fast in his Word. There is no other hope in this world."

he always encouraged...always...if you would like to read the full post...here it is..."when all means fail"

continue to pray for his wife, gwen...who was also in the car...and is currently in the hospital...

i can hear the Father saying..."welcome home son...you've done good!"

lesson from my cat...

i was watching one of my cats today...it was obvious that he was not really liking what was in the food bowl today...he sat in front of the bowl for about 15 minutes...just staring into it...like as if somehow..the contents of it would change...he wasn't meowing to get my attention...he just sat...still...staring...but not eating...

now what do i know? i am assuming all this...but it was a great lesson anyway...it was as if he had two choices...leave without eating...which would probably include walking after me...meowing till i somehow gave him something he really wanted...or eventually eat what was there...which is what he finally did...

but it got me to thinking...how many times do we just sit...wanting something to change...but we do nothing...we don't ask for it...or for help to get there...and we don't change anything that we have been doing...to hopefully change the circumstance...and yet...we still sit and wonder why everything is the same...why our life is at a standstill...why we are at where we are at...

don't get me wrong...i know that bad things happen...and sometimes...circumstances are out of our control...but as much as is humanly possible...we are ultimately responsible for our lives...and where we find ourselves...or don't find ourselves...is a reflection of how much we are doing...or not doing...

so...if you are not liking your current situation...what can you do to change it? or what attitude adjustments do you need to make to deal with your current circumstance...i think that sometimes...we miss the lesson or blessing in our circumstance...because we are too busy wishing for something else...

resurrection story...

ok...if you are a part of the twitter world...you will most likely find this absolutely fascinating...i know i did...when i saw it first played in church on easter sunday...

this is when social media talent is used for good...

how great thou art...

saw the announcement for a nite of music that was to be aired last week...didn't pay much attention to it...because it was country singers...and although i love love love music...country music...well...it just doesn't do it for me...forgot all about the announcement...and then fast forward...to a week later...flipping channels...and get to this awards nite or whatever it was...right as this song is starting...

this song is my all time favorite hymn of all time...i have never gotten through singing it...hearing it...without it making me cry...and there i was...captivated once again...as carrie underwood sang it effortlessly...beautifully...didn't watch the rest of the show...but this song was worth stopping over...may it bless you as it did me...

truly...how great thou art...my Father...my God...my all...

He is risen...

...He is risen indeed!

although there are bunnies & candy & easter eggs all around us...may we take some time to ponder upon the most awesome gift anyone could ever receive...God send His son to earth...to die for our sins...and on the third day...He arose...

thank you God for this incredible gift...because of You...i am free...

may You feel His love this easter season in a special way...

two wishes...

if you could have two wishes granted for your life...what would they be? world peace? no...against the rules...feed the hungry? nope...again...they have to be about YOU...and not material possessions...eliminate money from the equation...if you could grant any two wishes for yourself...what would they be? think about it...ponder it...

the concept that in order to live the life you have imagined...you must be able to dream it first...many of us are scared to even dream...scared to let our minds wander into the ultimate fantasy of what could be...and if you can’t even dream it...there is no way you can live it...i have found that as soon as i begin to day dream about all the things in life that I want...my negative self begins to sneak in and tell me why it won’t work...fear creeps in...and starts to shout louder than your dreams...telling you all the reasons they can’t happen...

that’s why you have to dream louder...

so...what are your top two wishes that you are dreaming about?