"And again He began to teach by the sea. And a great multitude was gathered to Him, so He got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole multitude was on the land facing the sea. Then He taught them many things by parables, and said to them in His teaching;
"Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds of the air came and devoured it. Some fell on stony ground, where it did not have much earth; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth. But when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away.
"And some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no crop. But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred."
And He said to them, 'He who has ears to hear, let him hear!' But when He was alone, those around Him with the twelve asked Him about the parable. And He said to them, 'To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables, so that 'Seeing they may see and not perceive, And hearing they may hear and not understand; Lest they should turn, And their sins be forgiven them.'
"And He said to them, 'Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? The sower sows the word. And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown, When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the words that was sown in their hearts. These likewise are the ones sown on the stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word's sake, immediately they stumble.
"Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thiryfold, some sixty, and some a hundred."
Just wanted to make a quick shout out and say Happy Valentines Day to all of you. There are many things that have happened to us in the past year and there has been alot of growing as well. I pray that you take some time today show someone how much you care for them. Whether family, friends, or loved ones.
Most of all but to give thanks to God for providing you with life and for the greatest love ever shown to mankind. Jesus gave up his very own life to save us all from death eternally.
If that's not love then I don't know what is. To think that you can feel loved immensely by someone and when I think about it, its like wow and God loves me even more than that?! Incredible. It truly is amazing to know that the God of the universe does really care that much about every one of us. So lets take some time in thanking him for what he's done for and in your life.
You know what else you can do? Tell God that you LOVE HIM!! I'm sure he loves hearing it just as much as we do ^_^ and that's all he wants, to be close to us.
God bless to you all and have a very blessed and Happy Valentines Day!!
Love,
*amaris*
"Jesus said to him, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it; 'You, shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments hang all the Law of the Prophets."
Something so simple that God can do. To LOVE US. Something so simple and nothing complicated he just loves us. So what can we do but return his love and with all our hearts and with all our soul and our minds. Anything and everything we do to show love to our Savior.
Yes this may be early for Valentines Day but I felt like sharing this. Lets love each other and our God.
Soo, yeah I'm back haha. Some of you may already know that I took a break from being online, not just ditty but like everything, email, yim youtube, xanga lol everything!! o_O
First off lemme say that I wanted to take some time to just refocus. I realized that I hadn't been spending enough time with God and I was just still sorta pushing him away, granted I had gotten alot better about my relationship with him (and some of you may know that from a previous blog I wrote so I won't go into the messy details)
So yes I wanted to take some time to just talk to God and let him get inside my head. I was able to get back into my music!!! which I'm so excited about. I already posted the video here (videopile) so that you all can view it if you wish (the descprition there is ha well) Now for those of you that will just watch it here I put a despcription on it to explain what its about but I'll go into it here now lol.
Okies so try and ignore all the "um's" in the video >.< I tend to ramble and then don't say much except like the same thing over and over again *rolls eyes* so yeah I can only watch it so many times before I'm annoyed with how it turned out (sorry but I just tend to be a bit picky with most of my work lol) Anywhoo, besides all that (more rambling I see I just did oy I'm hopeless) you can watch it and that's what I did all friday pretty much I think I got close to having my fingers bleed =P
After having finished that song I was very happy and motivated and just totally stoked that I got another melody down.
(thursday wasn't much cause I was like =O osh I can't get online so what do I do? lol so I ended up cleaning up the house, bathroom my bedroom downstairs etc...so yeah cleaning day nothing much to report there =P)
Saturday spent more time in devotions played with my sibs and also played TETRIS!!! oh I sooo rock at the game MUAHAHA!! however I did mess up quite a bit which is totally unlike me, I suppose its true that yet once again I had someone on the brain lol.
Sunday spent time just listening to a bunch of cd's and singing along to: Bethany dillon, Joy williams. I seemed to have been in a mood to get more with those soft and hip hopish melodic tunes which I absolutely LOVE to sing along with ^_^ I missed that. So that provided some relief and I didn't feel like I was missing out on a lot being distracted with that and dancing haha =P Also on Sunday morning I was up before anyone (7am) so made myself some breakfast [refried beans and scrambled egg tortillas haha which I'm planning on having for lunch today :->] and what did I do after that?! I...watched.....TINKERBELL!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *dances* oh yeah totally loooove that movie. Yet this time it was different watching it seeing as how the last time I saw it I got to watch it with someone special so it all had a different feel but was totally awesome!!
My cousin came over that afternoon with his new wife (he's 23 and will have been married 1 year come this august I believe so congrats to them) it was great to see him since he had been away (he was the one that graduated from boot camp he is now a corporal in the marine corps very proud of him) he had been in Okinawa (told us how much of it has changed since my family has been there alot of the bases are being closed etc..alot is changing there) and how he did on the boat and his job taking car of the birds (planes) so yeah we ate talked and it was good. Then I went to sleep cause I was tired [long day obviously eh? lol not really just felt long cause I knew that come Monday (TODAY!!) I was gonna get to see all you lovely and awesome and sweet people!! ^_^
So well enough on all my jibber jabbering hope you all are doing well and I look forward to talking with you all VERY SOON!! I missed you guys sooooo much like you wouldn't believe!!! some of you may be able to believe others not but that's not the point the point is:
I MISSED YOU AND LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *BIG HUGS!!*
welp adios mis amigos and God bless you all dearly!!
"For you will light my lamp; The Lord my God will enlighten my darkness. For by you I can run against a troop, By my God I can leap over a wall." Psalm 18:28-29
With God we can do anything and overcome anything.
I had a moment last night that I don't know what came over me but I just felt fear. It wasn't doubt but was scared. I know some of the girls know what I'm talking about and I love you Sarah and Ashlee and Hannah for helping me talk out some things.
After talking through everything later on that night I was reassured knowing that everything is going to work out ok and I don't have to be afraid that I'm going to lose someone. That we are doing everything together and on the same page which definately makes me feel a whole lot better.
I had to shut out the other voices in my head that were trying to make me doubt what I already knew to be true. I think I just need a moment of being told again to confirm its all good and God has control of it.
Allowing God to be our light to shine in the midst of darkness will give us the visibility we need to overcome the tasks and speed bumps set before us. We can move under or over any bridge or climb any wall. We may not be able to on our own strength but having friends who are willing to pray for you and talk about things and having them encourage you in the Lord is really all you need.
If God is for us, who can be against us?
Okies so obviously I'm not writing a devo for today lol. (I was looking for a verse Sarah sent me that I thought would be great to write on but I can't remember it at the moment but when I do I'll be sure to post about it)
So anywhoo decided I'd just randomly write about what's kinda been going on with me, although I'm not sure there's much to tell I know maybe some of the girls know that something new is up =P but I won't go into details about that lol. ^_^
Umm..so aside from that *giggles* had a good weekend, ate alot of food that I actually said eew and I watched Peter Pan (darn you ash for stealing my man!!) but I still love you my garden fairy hehe
Right now I'm sorta just keeping myself awake cause I was falling asleep on my homework assignment, which now I think I'll get back to but before I do I just wanna say:
I Love You & I LOVE YOU!!
that's for all the people I know pretty well on here 
"Be angry, and do not sin. Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still. (Selah)." Psalm 4:4
Its ok to be angry at things or even parents or friends etc..but we have to be careful with our intentions in the process. We can be upset but not sin. What does this mean? Basically your thoughts of what you would say or do in the process of being of angry, not to sin against God when you are.
We need to be still. Taking things with a grain of salt and grace is a hard process to learn but it does help to keep your cool sometimes. And something that can help is what the verse says above, to just be still. Meditate on God and his promises. Talk to him.
Well I pray that all of your are blessed this Monday morning, for some of you it means going back to school after such a wondeful Christmas and New Years break...aww I know you don't/didn't wanna go back but tis life, and believe me I'm right there with yahs. I have to get busy with my homework as well. However before I do that I'm going downstairs to make some hot cocoa because apparently I'm still freezing from walking the dogs this morning and that was like well over an hour ago o_O lol
Take care and God bless you all~ ♥
Its crazy to think that another year has come and gone. I'm not sure where I should start. Not a whole lot has changed and that may be due to the fact that in June of last year (weird saying that now) When my birthday came I wasn't all thrilled about it as most people may have thought. I really in all honesty wasn't looking forward to it at all. I knew that turning 21 was going to carry a lot of new responsibilities including voting for our new president, and although I'm not pleased with how the voting turned out at least I can say I did my part and will now have to show our new president elect respect. We may not know what the New Year of 2009 will hold for America but God does and I'm just going to have to trust he knows what he's doing.
So going back to what I was saying from about a week before my 21st birthday last summer I started to walk away from God, I was missing days of my bible reading and then before I knew it I just didn't have anymore interest I stopped talking to God, and I didn't touch my bible in months. The only time I read the bible was if my dad wasn't home to read my baby brother the bible before bed and then when he would go to sleep the book was shut and never opened again. I knew God was there and I knew he was real but I wasn't into what he was about anymore. I got aggravated seeing or just hearing my dad come down the stairs all on a spiritual high and yelling throughout the house (and no I'm not exaggerating about the yelling) "HALLELUJAH!! THANK YOU JESUS!!! OH LORD YOU ARE SO GOOD!!" It really did annoy the heck out of me.
I was upset with God. I had seen how the Lord answered all my dad's prayers, about wanting a good job that he loved after he retired from the Marine Corps and how he wanted a house to raise his family. God brought us here to Illinois and yes I hated being here. But I mean come on, who wants to leave a place where you lived like 10 minutes away from the beach and could see the sunsets and sunrises everyday, being able to go to the beach whenever you wanted with friends or just alone, great weather all year round and no real extended family problems that we had to deal with, we were too far away to go and visit all the time and same vice versa. I had no worries (well I did still have my school problems) but other than that I was doing just fine, had a job was working hard at my job and enjoyed it.
The time was approaching and eventually it was time to attend my dad's retirement ceremony. The Colonel acknowledged my dad and our family and it was sad for me because being the daughter of a Marine was all I've ever known. The thought of becoming a civilian was a scary thought and needless to say I didn't like it. My dad had left California a few times to Chicago for a job interview because they kept calling him back and the Lord open doors. The last time he came home from one of those interviews he said, I got the job and were moving to Illinois....o_O <--that was my reaction and thus began my fight to keep myself composed and try to be ok with it but it just wasn't working. The last day of work was sad I was going to miss all my kids.
The drive up here was fun I mean we stopped at different places but it began to become apparent when certain eaterys were no more and the terrain was different as well as the atmosphere and when we finally hit chicago well my spirit just sank it was crazy and people were rude. By the time we parked in front of my Grandmother's apartment I broke down in tears which started a ripple effect because my siblings saw me crying and they did the same. (Aaron wasn't with us obviously since we had dropped him off in Florida on the way up) My Grandmother wanted to know what was wrong with all of us (she asked my mom) and I just sat on her couch and pretty much just crashed. It was very very trying the first few months of living here because we didn't have a house, we slept with my Grandmother for a few weeks then my Aunt let us rent her apartment. I'm grateful we had someplace to stay however it wasn't fantabulous 26th street is crazy *shudders* but God was still good.
He eventually blessed us with the house we are living in now and it was good to finally have a room I could call my own. However things still weren't the same as they were. I knew it and felt it. This was it, this is where God brought us and from the looks of it where we are going to stay. Lots of time was spent with extended family members since they hadn't seen us in years and it was exhausting and annoying for me most times. I walked away from the Lord for a long while and its only recently that I'm pulling myself back together and reading the bible more. I'm still struggling with school a bit but I know that everything happens for a reason. If I had been successful in everything that came my way I know for a fact that I wouldn't have met any of you wonderful people that I now have in my life. :) and I'm truly thankful for all of you.
This Christmas was different than all the ones I've had in the past and so was this New Year and I'm praying that this will be my moment to fly and let God take me where he will, and that my dreams will be realized and set in motion. I have found a new motivation and because of it its made me want to work harder in life because it'll give me something to look forward to, my future is bright in my mind. It will be a process to get there but I look forward to it immensly. People can do that to you though lol.
Well considering this has gotten long enough and I'm not sure anyone will really want to take the time to read all this gobbleygook =P
So as you enter this New Year I hope that all that you want to accomplish all you want to succeed in, the special people that you want to be with and your families, that you will do so and find the strength you need.
God bless you in 2009~
Transferring the Title
Then a thought came to me. I said to myself, "I have been trying to keep this heart of mine clean and available for Christ but it is hard work. I start on one room and no sooner have I cleaned it then I discover another room is dirty. I begin on the second room and the first one is already dusty again. I'm getting tired of trying to maintain a clean heart and an obedient life. I just am not up to it!" Suddenly I asked, "Lord, is there a possibility you would be willing to manage the whole house and operate it for me just as you did that closet? Could I give to you the responsibility of keeping my heart what it ought to be and myself doing what I ought to be doing?
I could see his face light up as he replied, "I'd love to! This is exactly what I cam to do. You can't live out the Christian life in your own strength. That is impossible. Let me do it for you and through you. That's the only way it will really work! But," he added slowly, "I am not the owner of this house. Remember, I'm here as your guest. I have no authority to take charge since the property is not mine." In a flash it all became clear. Excitedly I exclaimed, "Lord, you have been my guest, and I have been trying to play host. From now on you are going to be the owner and master of the house. I'm going to be the servant!"
Running as fast as I could to the strongbox, I took out the title deed to the house describing its assests and liabilities, its condition, location and situation. Then rushing back to him, I eagerly signed it over giving title to him alone for time and eternity. Dropping to my knees, I presented it to him: "Here it is, all that I am and have forever. Now you run the house. Just le me stay with you as houseboy and friend."
He took my life that day and I can give you my word, there is no better way to live the Christian life. He knows how to keep it and use it. A deep peace settled down on my soul that has remained. I am his and he is mine forever!
May Christ settle down and be at home as Lord of your heart also.
-Robert Boyd Munger
The Hall Closet
There's one more matter of crucial consequence I would like to share with you. One day I found him waiting for me at the front door. An arresting look was in his eye. As I entered, he said to me, "There's a peculiar odor in the house. Something must be dead around here. It's upstairs. I think it is in the hall closet." As soon as he said this I knew what he was talking about. Indeed there was a small closet up there on the hall landing, just a few feet square. In that closet behind lock and key I had one or two little personal things I did not want anybody to know about. Certainly I did not want Christ to see them. They were dead and rotting things leftover from the old life --not wicked, but not right and good to have in a Christian life. Yet I loved them. I wanted them so much for myself I was really afraid to admit they were there. Reluctantly I went up the stairs with him and as we mounted, the odor became stronger and stronger. He pointed at the door and said, "It's in there! Some dead thing!" It made me angry! That's the only way I can put it. I had given him access to the study, the dining room, the living room, the workroom, the rec room, the bedroom and now he was asking me about a little two-by-four closet.
I said to myself, "This is too much! I am not going to give him the key." "Well," he responded, reading my thoughts, "if you think I am going to stay up here on the second floor with this smell, you are mistaken, I will take my bed out on the back porch or somewhere else. I'm certainly not going to stay around that." And I saw him start down the stairs.
When you have come to know and love Jesus Christ, one of the worst things that can happen is to sense him withdrawing his face and fellowship. I had to give in. "I'll give you the key," I said sadly, "but you'll have to open the closet and clean it out. I haven't the strength to do it." "I know," he said. "I know you haven't. Just give me the key. Just authorize me to handle that closet and I will." So, with trembling fingers, I passed the key over to him. He took it from my hand, walked over to the door, opened it, entered it, took out the putrefying stuff that was rotting there and threw it all away. Then he cleansed the closet, painted it and fixed it up all in a moment's time. Immediately a fresh, fragrant breeze swept through the house. The whole atmosphere changed. What release and victory to have that dead thing out of my life! No matter what the sin or what the pain there might be in my past, Jesus is ready to forgive, to heal and to make whole.
