La, la, la, la, la......

Recently I sang a solo at my church. I did "Feel the Nails" by Ray Boltz. It's a gorgeous song and the words are profound. Afterwards people came up and told me what a good job I had done etc... It's always weird for me when this happens. I don't know exactly how to say this, but, I don't feel like I did anything. Yes, I sang technically, but singing is different than other talents because a lot of it is what you're born with. I never asked God for a good voice. For some reason He saw fit to bless me with one. I have tried to use it best I can. This is why I don't know what to say when people praise me. I want to tell them that it's not me...it's God.

I'm Just Passing Through

I'm having one of those days where I wish I could already be in heaven. Don't get me wrong or anything. I just feel like saying: "God, can't you come back now?" I don't know about you, but, I must say I hate living in this world. As the old song goes"This world is not my home". I yearn for heaven, a place with no more sin and pain. I yearn for family and friends who are already there. But most of all, I yearn to be with God. He is so powerful and all-knowing, it boggles my mind.
The one good thing is...
I CAN have a relationship with Him here and now. In fact God wants to have a personal relationship with me. It's why He sent Christ to die. Everytime I feel down, I remind myself of this:
God loved me so much that He gave His only SON to die a horrible death so that I could go to heaven.
It's so incredible and awesome!
Think about it for a minute...
Imagine you have a son...
You love your son very much
He is special because he is your ONLY son
Then imagine giving him up to be born a man, knowing that to do so he would die on a cross like a common thief
He would die that way after doing nothing wrong...EVER
Not only that but he would die for the ones who killed him and all those who had done wrong
Can you imagine wanting to die to save the lives of those who were killing and inflicting pain upon you?
I can't even comprehend it.
The verse below, you most likely know. It's simple and to the point but so PROFOUND.
John 3:16-
"For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."

If only...

I wanted to continue writing about contentment. So many times we look back and think "If only I had done this...or If only I had said that..." It all goes back to being content. When we think about the if onlys we wish we could do over a situation and aren't happy with our past. Hind sight is 20/20 as they say. It's so easy to be angry and frustrated over the past. Maybe someone wronged you or you were hurt. You have a different "if only". "You think: "If only I had stood up for myself or been stronger then it wouldn't have happened". Part of being content is realizing you need to let go of the past. You can't let the past control you instead you need to give it up to God. God is the controller of time and He knows all that has happened and all that ever will happen. If you have done something you regret I urge you to confess it to God. He's always there for you. The Bible says:
"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9)
"He will again have compassion on us, and will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea." (Micah 7:19)

Matthew West; a contemporary Christian artist has a song called History. The words are profound.
Listen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AB6frYh4uBA

Here's the words:
Its been a bad day, you've been looking back
And all you can see is everything you wish you could take back
All your mistakes, a world of regrets
All of those moments you would rather forget
I know it's hard to believe
Let me refresh your memory

Chorus:
Yesterday is history
And history is miles away
So leave it all behind you
Let it always remind you of the day
The day that love made history

You know you can't stay right where you fell
The hardest part is forgiving yourself
But let's take a walk into today
And don't let your past get in the way

Would you believe that you are history
In the making, in the making
Every choice that you are making
Every step that you are taking
Every chain that you are breaking
History is in the making
Every word that you are saying
Every prayer that you are praying
Every chain that you are breaking
History is in the making
History is in the making
History is in the making

Here's another song by Audio Adrenaline:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kencSLXLxU

Words:
The mistakes I've made
That caused pain
I could have done without
All my selfish thought
All my pride
The things I hide
You have forgot about
They're all behind you
They'll never find you
They're on the ocean floor
Your sins are forgotten
They're on the bottom
Of the ocean floor
My misdeeds
All my greed
All the things that haunt me now
They're not a pretty sight to see
But they're wiped away
By a mighty, mighty wave
A mighty, mighty wave
Your sins are erased
And they are no more
They're out on the ocean floor
Take them away
To return no more
Take them away
To the ocean floor


Give your past up to God.

Have you hugged your Mom today?

Mother's Day; a time for memories to come up and new ones to be made. A day we take aside and thank mothers, grandmothers, and aunts for all that they do. I have been extremely blessed with a big family with wonderful women in it. I love Mother's Day in that I can show my Mom how much I appreciate her as well as my Grandmothers. This year it's a little bittersweet though as it always is for those who have lost those they love. All of my great grandmothers have passed, one just last year. I loved them all dearly but I really only knew two well. My Gram and my Nana were women who have helped make me the person I am today.
My Gram was one of the sweetest person I knew. She was always gentle and never spoke harshly. She showed me how to love unconditionally and to hold each day precious.
My Nana was a cultured woman. She had lived in New York City and worked at the United Nations. She was the fun one and always made me laugh. She showed me to never take myself too seriously and that laughing is good for the soul.
I don't know what I'd do without my Mother. She is someone who works very hard even though she is sick. I am so grateful for her as I am my grandmothers.
I want to remind you to show YOUR appreciation for your mothers, grandmothers, and aunts not just on Mother's Day but everyday. Don't wait, you never know what will happen. A life can be gone in just a moment but encouragement lasts a lifetime.

Be content

Philippians 4:11b: For I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.

For a long time I had a problem with the verse. I felt maybe it wasn't applicable to me; no one else was going through the very hard stuff I was. I thought maybe when I have more money or nicer things, THEN I'll be content. But I realize now that I was so wrong. Paul says"in whatever state I am" that means rich or poor, sick or healthy, we are to be content. God never promised us life would be easy once were saved but He DID promise He will ALWAYS be with us.

When I survey the wondrous cross...

Last night as I was practicing my song for church (When I survey) all of a sudden I felt the need to sing another song, "The Via Dolorosa". As I was singing this song I started paying more attention to the words and then it hit me. Jesus Christ knew before He even came down upon this earth exactly what was going to happen. He KNEW he would be betrayed, beaten, and killed but yet He STILL came to save wretched sinners like you and I. So as I sat there and sang, tears streamed down my face not only for what Christ had done but how. If you have not heard the song before the song is about Jesus walking down the "road of suffering" to be put death upon the cross. I wanted to write down some of the lyrics:
Down the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem that day
The soldiers tried to clear the narrow street
But the crowd pressed in to see
The Man condemned to die on Calvary

He was bleeding from a beating, there were stripes upon His back
And He wore a crown of thorns upon His head
And He bore with every step
The scorn of those who cried out for His death

Down the Via Dolorosa called the way of suffering
Like a lamb came the Messiah, Christ the King,
But He chose to walk that road out of
His love for you and me.
Down the Via Dolorosa, all the way to Calvary.



Can you even imagine doing something like that? But it didn't end there did it?

Greetings

Hi everyone!
Welcome to my blog. This is basically going to be the written words of whatever pops in my head. It WILL be controversial, it WILL NOT be politically correct, and it MAY even be a bit random.
Enjoy,
Gigi