Slow Fade

I first heard this song when Nathan & I went to see Fireproof with some friends. I was convicted then, & every time I've heard it since then...I tend to just go along with my life, not really giving much thought to what I'm allowing into my mind & heart. This song is a good reminder to me that my eyes, my feet, my ears & my lips all belong to my Father, not to me, & I need to be careful with what He has given me to use for a time.

Be careful little eyes what you see
It's the second glance that ties your hands as darkness pulls the strings
Be careful little feet where you go
For it's the little feet behind you that are sure to follow

It's a slow fade when you give yourself away
It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day
It's a slow fade

Be careful little ears what you hear
When flattery leads to compromise, the end is always near
Be careful little lips what you say
For empty words and promises lead broken hearts astray

It's a slow fade when you give yourself away
It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day

The journey from your mind to your hands
Is shorter than you're thinking
Be careful if you think you stand
You just might be sinking

It's a slow fade when you give yourself away
It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day
Daddies never crumble in a day
Families never crumble in a day

Oh be careful little eyes what see
Oh be careful little eyes what you see
For the Father up above is looking down in love
Oh be careful little eyes what you see

Casting Crowns

Hope

Today, the day after Christmas, we went to a funeral. Ever since my brother died - almost 7 years ago (actually, exactly 2 months from today will be the 7th anniversary of the day we buried Shawn) - funerals have been especially hard for me, so I hate going to them, but unfortunately, I have had to attend 3 since then. Today, I have to admit, I was filled with dread as we walked into our church. Even though it was a different church from where we had my brother's service, my stomach was in knots & I literally had to force myself not to relive that day, or I would have been in tears before the service even started. Plus, of course, I wanted to focus on the reason we were there. To remember and honor a very sweet lady, a member of our church and the mother of a friend of Nathan's. The service was beautiful, as I expected it would be. There were tributes from friends & family, a Christ-centered message, and beautiful music.

As I listened to the music and the message preached by Pastor Conley, I was filled with gratefulness, because I know that I have Hope. As I cried while thinking of the children that sweet lady left behind, I was also rebuked, because while they no longer have a parent left in this world, they know without a doubt that their parents have been reunited in the presence of our Savior, and their beloved mother is no longer suffering, but instead she is dancing with Jesus!

I have peace in my heart, because I have Hope.

A Baby Changes Everything

Teenage girl, much too young
Unprepared for what's to come
A baby changes everything

Not a ring on her hand
All her dreams and all her plans
A baby changes everything
A baby changes everything

The man she loves she's never touched
How will she keep his trust?
A baby changes everything
A baby changes everything

And she cries, ooh, she cries
Ooh, oh

She has to leave, go far away
Heaven knows she can't stay
A baby changes everything

She can feel it's coming soon
There's no place, there's no room
A baby changes everything
A baby changes everything

And she cries, and she cries
Oh, she cries

Shepherds all gather 'round
(Shepherds all they gather 'round)
Up above the star shines down
(Star shines down)
A baby changes everything

Choir of angels sing
Glory to the newborn King
A baby changes everything
A baby changes everything

Everything, everything, everything
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah

My whole life has turned around

I was lost, but now I'm found
A baby changes everything, yeah
A baby changes everything

Faith Hill

Christmas Like a Child

I want to feel Christmas, how it used to be
With all of its wonder falling on me
This season has felt so empty, oh for quite a while
I want to feel Christmas like a child

I want to see snowflakes fall to the ground
My brothers and sisters all gathered around
Singing "Away In A Manager" as we sit by the fire
I want to feel Christmas like a child

It's been so long now, I can't say
Just when I lost my way
But I'm going back to how it was
When this day meant everything
And we spent our time remembering
The baby Child born for us

It's all about Jesus, asleep in the straw
This infant, this King, this Savior for all
So I don't need bells to be ringing
'Cause I'll join with angels singing
Gloria
And I can feel Christmas like a child

I want to feel Christmas like a child

Third Day

The Birth Of Christ And The Birth of America Are Linked

By Chuck Baldwin
December 23, 2008

As we approach the celebration of Christ's birth, I am reminded of the words of John Quincy Adams. On July 4, 1837, he spoke these words:

"Why is it that, next to the birthday of the Savior of the world, your most joyous and most venerated festival returns on this day? ... Is it not that, in the chain of human events, the birthday of the nation is indissolubly linked with the birthday of the Savior? That it forms a leading event in the progress of the Gospel dispensation? Is it not that the Declaration of Independence first organized the social compact on the foundation of the Redeemer's mission upon earth. That it laid the cornerstone of human government upon the first precepts of Christianity, and gave to the world the first irrevocable pledge of the fulfillment of the prophecies announced directly from Heaven at the birth of the Savior and predicted by the greatest of the Hebrew prophets six hundred years before?"

Adams was exactly right: America's birth is directly linked to the birth of our Savior. In fact, the United States of America is the only nation established by Christian people, upon Biblical principles, and dedicated to the purpose of religious liberty. This truth is easily observed within America's earliest history.

America's forebears first established a written covenant with God as early as November 11, 1620, when they penned The Mayflower Compact. It states inpart:"In the name of God, Amen. ... Having undertaken, for the Glory of God, and Advancement of the Christian Faith, and the Honour of our King and Country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the northern parts of Virginia; do by these presents, solemnly and mutually in the Presence of God and one of another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil Body Politick, for our better Ordering and Preservation, and Furtherance of the Ends aforesaid; And by Virtue hereof to enact, constitute, and frame, such just and equal Laws, Ordinances, Acts, Constitutions and Offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the General good of the Colony; unto which we promise all due submission and obedience."The sentiments and statements of America's founders make it clear that this nation has enjoyed a love and appreciation for the rights and freedoms recognized in Natural Law that is unique in the annals of human history. No other people have such a heritage.One thing America's founders could not envision was--after they had paid so terrible a price to purchase our liberties--that the time would come when their posterity would be denied the basic freedoms to publicly express their reverence for God. Never could they have imagined that the day would come when citizens of the sovereign states (each with a state constitution protecting religious liberty) would be denied their right to pray in school, or place Nativity scenes on public property, or hang copies of the Ten Commandments on courthouse walls.

I am also confident that America's founders would be completely repulsed by the way the United States has jumped headlong into corporatism, socialism, and globalism. Democrats and Republicans alike have created a central government so large that it would be unrecognizable by any Founding Father. In addition, both Big Business and Big Religion have sold our great country down the proverbial river, as surely as there is a sun in the sky. Truly, our Founding Fathers must be rolling over in their graves.

Therefore, at this Christmas season, let us remember well the founding principles of these United States of America. Furthermore, let us renew with vigor the fight for freedom before our liberties and our heritage are gone altogether.

Merry Christmas!

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