Tag: Christianity

What Wondrous Love

I’ve been having a difficult time this year focusing on the meaning behind the Easter season. Whenever I go out to the store, there are various displays of candy and toys and other paraphernalia that people are racing to throw into their carts. Now I’m not saying that these things are bad necessarily, but sometimes it’s hard to look past all of that to Jesus and what He did for us.

And what did he do for us? Because of His great love for us, He allowed Himself to be beaten and mocked and nailed to a cross. He went through this agony for us – for you and for me – because we needed His forgiveness for our sins. And because of His resurrection three days later, we can live in freedom and abundance.

What wondrous love is this! It’s a love that we do not deserve. It’s a love that is pure and unselfish and kind. It’s a love that wants the best for each one of us…and we can receive God’s best by choosing to walk with Him!

So what has been filling your mind and life this holiday season? Are you getting caught up in things that don’t matter much in the long run? Or are you clinging to Christ and to His wondrous love for us? ❤

What Wondrous Love Is This
American Folk Hymn

What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this
That caused the Lord of bliss
To bear the dreadful curse for my soul, for my soul,
To bear the dreadful curse for my soul!

When I was sinking down, sinking down, sinking down,
When I was sinking down, sinking down,
When I was sinking down
Beneath God’s righteous frown,
Christ laid aside His crown for my soul for my soul,
Christ laid aside His crown for my soul.

To God and to the Lamb I will sing, I will sing;
To God and to the Lamb I will sing;
To God and to the Lamb,
Who is the great I AM,
While millions join the theme, I will sing, I will sing,
While millions join the theme, I will sing.

And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on;
And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on.
And when from death I’m free
I’ll sing His love for me,
And through eternity I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on,
And through eternity I’ll sing on.

*We’re playing the above song on handbells at church tomorrow. Prayerfully we’ll do okay! 😀 Happy Easter to each of you…I hope you have a nice time with your family and friends or however you choose to spend the holiday. Let’s just remember the One Who is behind it all.

Photo Credit: Lukas Budimaier

Thankful Thursday (episode 3)

So I did a little better this week with remembering to record the things that I’m thankful for. 🙂 That’s a blessing in and of itself! The reminders from the app (the Five Minute Journal) helped a little…but it always seems like when I receive a reminder, I’m busy at that moment and can’t record my thoughts. So right now – before I forget, I’m going to change the times of my reminders so that hopefully they will come when I’m free to write in the app.

The nice thing about the app is that it has positive quotes for each day that pop up when you open the app, and it also has the ability to add a photo to each entry. The quotes are good because they give me a little boost for my day, and I like adding photos to my entries because it helps me be able to look back and remember each day more fully.

So here are some of the things I am grateful for from this past week!

  1. God got me through the work week
  2. A car that gets me where I need to go
  3. The sensation of sliding under the cool bed-sheets at night
  4. I got a drink from Starbucks for 50 cents
  5. Being able to sleep in (even if I did sleep too late)
  6. Sparkling apple cider with dinner
  7. A nice time at Barnes and Noble (coffee, sweets, and books…with my Hubby)
  8. Strength for work, even though I didn’t sleep well the night before
  9. Comfort food (we had a sausage, cheese, and rigatoni bake for dinner)
  10. A nice time talking with friends after handbell practice
  11. That we have a yard for our dog (Daisy) to run around in
  12. A dishwasher – I have less dishes to wash by hand
  13. That my memory may be getting a little better
  14. For the cool breeze against my skin when I took Daisy for a walk
  15. That there was enough work available for me to complete my full shift
  16. That I was able to read a book and munch on popcorn in the evening
  17. Free Wawa coffee!

I hope you’ve enjoyed this episode of Thankful Thursday. ❤ Please feel free to share in the comments some of the things that YOU are grateful for from this past week! 😀

Photo Credit: Toa Heftiba

When Things Come Unravelled

What causes me to unravel?

That’s a great question! And a question that I have never really asked myself before. So now is as good a time as ever! 🙂 Here are some things that induce a melt-down…or a mini-meltdown.

  1. Situations where I’m among a large crowd of people (okay, so even a semi-large crowd is difficult for me). This causes me a lot of anxiety.
  2. When I’ve lost something and have looked everywhere I can think of for it, but still can’t find it.
  3. Incorrect grammar. Okay, so maybe it doesn’t cause me to unravel, as I know I use incorrect grammar myself sometimes. But it bugs me. 😉
  4. Not getting enough sleep. It’s so hard to face the day when you tossed and turned the night before.
  5. Not “matching.” If I’m wearing black pants, I need to wear black shoes and carry a black purse to match.
  6. Something not being finished. Whether it be a thought, a blog post I’m writing, a conversation, a task I was working on…it bothers me to not have things completed.
  7. Hot and humid weather. Ugh! I’m a mild weather kind of girl – I like the Spring and the Fall. But when it’s hot and muggy and sweat is rolling down my back? Yeah, I’m done.
  8. When someone I love is hurting. This is a big one. I can’t stand it when a family member or friend is experiencing a really difficult time. Especially when I can’t do much to help!
  9. Decisions. Big or small, I struggle with them all.
  10. When I do something that I shouldn’t have done…like sleep all morning. I tend to beat myself up and it spirals downward.

So those are some of the things that cause me to unravel. What causes YOU to unravel? And what (or who) helps to bring you back to sanity?

I’m grateful for a God and for family and friends who point me back in the right direction. ❤