A New Vlog and a New Blog

As much as I have loved this blog I am going to change to a different one. 

Frankly, the main reason is because I was trying to fix someone an email so they could have a facebook.  Unbeknownst to me at the time- I changed blog ownership to their email.  I have no idea how I did it and there is NO WAY to change it back.  I kept their email and made them a new one but- now my blog is under an email that has their name in it.  I don't like that.

Recently I started a Vlog- and decided to start a new blog to go with the Vlog.  All of this is free.  I would love it if I had time to really get a good vlog and blog going but- so I haven't done that.  

So here is the link to our new Vlog:

A Quiet Life

So here is the link to our new Blog:
A Quiet Life

Celebration of Resurrection Week!

And so with the sun coming up bright and strong, my favorite holy time of the years begins.

I survive Christmas- barely : ) each year. I'm just not a Christmas person. But I am a Christ-person.

The time of year we celebrate our Lord and Savior's gift of Himself, He Who is Eternal Life, the Prince of Life.

If Jesus, God Himself, hadn't been crucified, dead, buried and RESURRECTED- we would still be in our sins, separated from God and have no life and no hope. Jesus, through His blood- ushered in the New Covenant of Grace. We would not be children of God. We would not have a new Father (John 1:12, 14:6).

But He did so much more for us through the Cross. For years all I knew about was Jesus "paid for my sins" and "brought forgiveness for my sins" through the Cross. To which I am eternally grateful. But He began to reveal to me- the multi-purposes of His life, ministry, crucifixion, death, burial, resurrection and ascension.

If I just believed in Him, said a prayer- I would be forgiven from sin and saved from hell.

But oh thank You, God- there's so much more!

According to Isaiah 53:4-6:
Jesus bore OUR griefs,
He carried OUR sorrows,
He was wounded, pierced and crushed THROUGH for OUR transgressions and iniquities,
His severe discipline BROUGHT US peace.

Jesus, beloved Man of Sorrow- King of Glory- acquainted Himself with OUR Grief- humbled Himself- to the point of death-

For me. For you. For all of mankind.

Mankind is the one who chose independence of God. Independence of God is the very essence of sin.

We went astray-
"We all like sheep have gone astray, each one has turned to his own way;"

and yet God-
"and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all."
-Laid on Jesus, the Anointed Messiah, ALL the iniquity of ALL of mankind upon Him.

Let us begin this holy week remembering Who Jesus is and what He has done for us, to us, in us and through us!

Focus

I've had a motto the last couple of years.

"Wherever you are, be all there."

Friend, if you are on a LONG LONG journey in your life and you can't see the end of the tunnel- well, still, BE ALL THERE.

In other words, don't give up and don't give in. Just keep walking forward. Keep walking forward even if it's dark and you can't see.

For me, as a believer, this is the time of trusting. Trusting "this" is a part of God's eternal purpose and I am following Him, who is the Light that shines in the darkness.

AND even thought I can't see, there is God, who sees me.

El Roi- the God who sees me.

Can I stumble? You bet. When my focus moves away and looks at the situation I am in or when I look for an end in sight- then my focus moves away from Jesus.

"Eyes on Me, daughter. Eyes on Me. You can't miss Me- I go before you and I surround you. Don't look at the situation, eyes on Me. I see you and you see Me."

Simplicity

Simplicity. To me, simplicity is peaceful.

That's just how God created me. If my life is simple then I am not inner chaos. If I AM in inner chaos I am not good for anyone.

I am willing to pay the price for simplicity. I am willing to give up a lot of "worldly" things just to have peace inside. To be able to enjoy life- simply.

I am willing to the the hard things, yes even if they are tedious, that count long-term. I thank God for Nick, who supports simplicity, enjoys simplicity.

Dave Ramsey says, "Live today like no one else so later you can live like no one else.

"THIS is where God has me, us. THIS.

"Wherever you are, be all there." So, Lord, I want to be here. Here, in the everyday of remodeling and mortgage-paying off. I know in the long run this will bear fruit. In the long run- the house will be done and the mortgage paid off. Oh Jesus, please help us to run this race well.