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Thursday, October 18, 2012

Heavens waiting

Show a little faith, there's magic in the night....



Wednesday, May 2, 2012

On a prayer, in a song...

I'm so thankful that on a prayer, in a song - I hear my Grandmother's voice, 
When I am the most homesick, lost & wandering - in my ear, a whisper <3
Oh, how I love this song - I choreographed one of my FAvOrItE pieces EVER to this song after 9/11 ----- thinking of you DWG girls & family :)

There’s a ship out on the ocean,
At the mercy of the sea.
It’s been tossed about,
Lost and broken,
Wandering aimlessly.
And God somehow you know,
That ship is me.

Cause there’s a lighthouse,
In a harbor,
Shining faithfully.
Pouring its light out,
Across the water.
For this sinking soul to see,
That someone out there still believes in me.


On a prayer,
In a song,
I hear your voice,
And it keeps me hanging on.
Oh, raining down, against the wind.
I’m reaching out,
‘Till we reach the circle’s end.
When you come back to me again.


There’s a moment,
There we all come to.
In our own time and in our own space.
Where all that we’ve done,
We can undo,
If our hearts’ in the right place.

And again I see,
My yesterday’s in front of me,
Unfolding like a mystery.
You’re changing all that is and used to be.

On a prayer,
In a song,
I hear your voice,
And it keeps me hanging on.
Oh, raining down, against the wind.
I’m reaching out,
‘Till we reach the circle’s end.
When you come back to me again.

When you come back to me again.

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Born Free



"Born Free"

Fast, on a rough road riding
High, through the mountains climbing
twisting, turning further from my home.
Young, like a new moon rising
Fierce, through the rain and lightning
Wandering out into this great unknown.
And I don't want no one to cry.
But, tell 'em if I don't survive

I was born free!

I was born free
I was born free, born free.

Free, like a river raging
Strong as the wind I’m facing.
Chasing dreams and racing father time.
Deep like the grandest canyon,
Wild like an untamed stallion.
If you can’t see my heart you must be blind.

You can knock me down and watch me bleed
But you can’t keep no chains on me.

I was born free!
I was born free
I was born free, born free.

And I'm not good at long goodbyes
But look down deep into my eyes
I was born free.


Calm, facing danger
Lost, like an unknown stranger

Grateful for my time with no regrets

Close to my destination
Tired, frail and aching
Waiting patiently for the sun to set

And when it's done, believe that I
will yell it from that mountain high

I was born free

I was born free
I was born free, born free

I will bow to the shining sea
And celebrate God's grace on thee


Saturday, April 7, 2012

"Do this in remembrance of Me"

While many believe the Passover to be a Jewish feast, it is a feast of the LORD, 
and  it has much to teach us all. 
Jesus was a Jew, but He came for EVERYBODY. 


http://www.jewishideas.org/angel-shabbat/passover-symbols-symbols-our-lives
Passover Symbols--Symbols for our Lives
(Thoughts for Shabbat Aharei Moth, the eve of Passover 5768)
by Rabbi Marc D. Angel
In preparing a speech for the recent wedding of Denise Cohen and Sasha Toperich, I pondered the meaning of the Passover symbols for our lives. The Haggada explains the historical background of these symbols; but I wondered if other important ideas were also hidden within them.  Here are the thoughts that came to my mind.
MATZAH:
Matzah is a basic, no-frills item.  It is flour and water, without leavening. It stands for our basic selves, unpretentious, not inflated with vanity or pride. Matzah reminds us that we need to remember who we are; that we need not (and should not) participate in the rat race of one upmanship; that we cannot let our own internal happiness be dependent on how others judge us. Matzah is what it is, without apology, without need to impress others, without worrying if other foods are fancier or more elegant.
Because of its sheer simplicity and honesty, Matzah symbolizes freedom.  When we really know who we are, we gain a fine sense of our own freedom.  We can be strong unto ourselves; we can rise above the fray; we can stop playing games of who has more, who has better, who has control.  When we are free within, we have the confidence to live our own lives, not the counterfeit lives that others would impose on us.
PESSAH:
The Pessah offering in the ancient Temples in Jerusalem was to be eaten in groups of family and friends; the paschal lamb was not to be prepared for only one person.  If Matzah symbolizes the inner strength of the individual, the Pessah offering reminds us that we are part of a family, part of a larger community. For us to grow as meaningful human beings, we need to see beyond our individual selves. We remember our family origins--our parents and grandparents, our earlier generations. We link ourselves to those traditions and see ourselves as part of a grand dramatic unfolding of family history. We recognize that we are also links in that chain of family tradition, with responsibilities to family and friends--and to generations yet unborn.
MAROR:
The Maror, bitter herbs, remind us that the world includes many people whose lives are filled with suffering, pain and bitterness. As we are grateful to the Almighty for the blessings He has showered upon us, we cannot forget the bitter tears that are shed by hungry children, by helpless parents, by lonely and frail elderly people. We cannot forget the immeasurable pain inflicted by wars, by terrorism, by cruelty, by disease, by poverty...
As we sit around the seder table, the Matzah reminds us of our basic individuality; the shankbone (symbolizing the Pessah offering) reminds us of our link to family and friends; the Maror reminds us that our happiness and fulfillment also depend on our concern for those who are less fortunate, those whose lives are embittered.
The Maror also reminds us that no one gets through life without experiencing times of sadness and pain. At those times, we need family and friends to come to our aid, to comfort us; and when others are grieving, they need us to console them and help them.
 Matzah, Pessah and Maror, then, have ongoing messages for how we can lead better, happier and more meaningful lives. Together, they contribute to our inner freedom, our family continuity, our commitment to make this a better world.
I wish you a happy and meaningful Passover festival. Mo'adim leSimha, Hagim uZmanim leSason.



Wednesday, April 4, 2012

He came just for you.

I've heard it said that a man would swim the ocean
Just to be with the one he loves
How may times has he broken that promise
It can never be done
I've never swam the deepest ocean
But I walked upon the raging sea
I know that you don't understand
the fullness of My love
How I died upon the cross for your sins
And I know that you don't realize
how much that I gave you
But I promise, I would do it all again.
Just to be with you, I've done everything
There's no price I did not pay
Just to be with you, I gave everything
Yes, I gave my life away.
Love Song by Third Day


Monday, April 2, 2012

In the wilderness?

I have to admit that while I live in one of the top vacation destinations in the US - I have an ever present longing to go "home". Its not so much the shores of Lake Ontario that beckon me to return, but the longing for my community of friends and family that reside there. Oh to be "where everybody knows your name", and more than that know WHO YOU ARE - without explanation.
In the last two decades I have gone from being an ultra feminist with a taste for atheism to being a home-schooling Messiah believing MaMa - whose main objective is to understand God's will for me and to act on it ("THY will be done", easy to say--tricky to actually want;).
In my life in that small town, I was blessed with and surrounded by people who, while they didn't always understand my choices or direction (eccentric & weird were terms thrown about at times), I could count on "my people" to always stand beside me, and sometimes even join me for the ride. But now, I make my way in uncharted territory, feeling as if I have to not only defend my faith but explain myself & my bizarre choices at every turn, and most of the time nobody really has the ears to hear, if you know what I mean.
So, as the Grace household starts to prepare for Passover, I am reminded of two fundamental principles of Judaism: FREEDOM & COMPASSION FOR THE OUTSIDER. I am grateful that I have the freedom to worship how I want and have the authority to teach my children the same. I am also grateful that we are told "one law shall be for the native-born and for the stranger who dwells among you", I am beyond thankful to be an adopted child of God. JOHN 1:12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.
Today, I make a pledge, that when the "homesickness" creeps in- I will remind myself that I AM NOT ALONE, and that apparently God has placed me on this rock to do HIS WILL & spread the good news! Feeling sad & lonely? Get to work! There are people out there who are truly sad & lonely - who need a message of hope, if we are sitting around feeling sorry for ourselves- then who is going to lift them up?!
Matthew 26:27-28 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is my blood of the[a] covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins







Thursday, February 23, 2012

A book like no other

This book contains the mind of God, 
the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners and the happiness of believers. 
Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding, 
its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable. 
Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, and practice it to be holy. 
It contains light to direct you, food to support you, and comfort to cheer you.
 It is the travelers map, the pilgrims staff, the pilots compass, 
the soldiers sword, and the Christians charter. 
Here paradise is restored, Heaven opened, and the gates of hell disclosed. 
Christ is its grand object, our good is its design, and the glory of God its end. 
It should fill the memory, rule the heart, and guide the feet. 
Read it slowly, frequently, and prayerfully.
 It is given you in life and will be opened in the judgement and will be remembered forever.
 It involves the highest responsibility, will reward the greatest labour, 
and will condemn all who trifle with its sacred contents.

Anonymous


Thursday, February 9, 2012

The Strong Silent Type

Sometimes in relationships, we find it is those same characteristics we fall in love with people FOR, that can become those things which we find ourselves MOST irritated by down the road aways. My husband of almost17 years, is no Chatty Cathy...not so much with the talky talky. While-initially this was very attractive to me - more room for me to run my mouth! - after awhile I found myself badgering him because he never talked to me, and actually becoming angry at him for behaving like himself  - I mean, how dare he?
Anyway, its taken awhile but I have actually learned to be grateful for my spouses careful consideration of words and direct manner of dialect, have come to admire it really.
My advice to those who have had enough---with whatever their spouse is making them crazy about--- find YOUR peace in it. If my husband would always talk to me on demand, hang on my every word, listen to all my stories- I would never write, I would have no need - I could just spill my guts to him and be done with it all. Instead I have to go through this process, which I gotta admit, I really enjoy. So, I am thankful and truly- still a sucker for the strong, silent type!

Monday, January 23, 2012

Trending challenge....#30thingsaboutme

1. i spent part of my life as an agnostic soft-boiled atheist and now am a certifiable Jesus freak, although opposed to most mainstream religion.

2. 16 years ago i married my high school sweetheart nathaniel, whose name means "gift from God", while i have doubted the truth in that at times (LOL;), i know and believe he truly is my gift from my creator.

3. I believe greed & the desire for materialistic things are leading to the demise of our society.

4. As a child I dreamed of owning my own dance studio and producing lavish theatrical performances. Even though I gave him no credit at the time, God fufilled this dream for me & I spent nearly ten glorious years having an awesome time living the reality show"Dance Moms" BUT- I wasnt like Abbey Lee Miller (I dont think;). I am eternally grateful for the opportunites I had to share my love of the stage with so many truly wonderful students.

5. I long to be "off the grid", hate filing taxes, and reporting to the government anything about my life & whereabouts.

6. I have  homeschooled both of my boys for the last decade, except for the two years my oldest spent w/ the throngs of other children having their minds warped by the public school system (he did love it;). They now both continue to be  unschoolers opposed to societies dictates and into questioning reality as well as authority.

7. Watching my Grandmother descend into the misery of Alzheimers has been the hardest thing I have ever had to endure.

8. I love to take naps & eat. Gluttony & sloth are my favorite sins.

9. While I was a bleeding heart liberal feminist who marched on Washington more than once - my family likes to remind me(and think its funny) that I am now a conservative (ouch) and no longer a supporter of the "feminist agenda". I still get my news from Amy Goodman/Democracy Now - thats gotta count for something. 

10. God has blessed me with lifelong friends that are such wonderful counterbalances to who I am. Philippians 1:3

11. I love Mexican food, my husband loves mexican women.

12. I'll tell you I'm an orphan, after you meet my family.(Name that tune! My chosen theme song;)

13. I am proud & grateful that my sons have lived in the same home for 17 years with parents who are not divorced.

14. I have made grave errors & choices in my life, God made my name Grace for a reason.

15. Both my son Benjamin and I are aspiring authors, he is writing a horror novel about an ex preist who exorcises demons & chases vampires, I am working on my Grandmothers biography/a book about her faith (&mine).

16. I hate to leave my house & am a little agoraphobic. I have no problem standing on a stage & talking or dancing in front of thousands or managing a room of 90, but sometimes the idea of the grocery store is just too much. I am a paradox.

17. I believe we are living during the most important time in the history of the world.

18. I struggle most with unforgiveness.

19. I love watching television;History Channel, OWN,TBN, TCT, CNN, MSNBC, LINK, UCTV, FREESPEECH TV...the list goes on & on.

20. I am registered Libertarian; please defend my borders - deliver my mail & butt the heck out of my life, thanks.

21. When my sons were born i suffered from a condition known as pre-eclampsia. Nick was deprived of oxygen at birth, had an apgar score of 1 and according to doctors was'nt supposed to make it through his first night. On the third day of his life we were told by a very prominant neonatologist that he was a miracle of God. For my second child,I was induced due to blood pressure / blindness & organ failure and delivered a miraculously healthy Benjamin at 27 weeks, he weighed in at 2lbs 12 oz- he is now 15years old -approaching 6 feet rapidly and just tipped the scales at 200#. He is as he is named "the son of my right hand".

22. I intend to travel and live out west at somepoint, to get closer to my Dad & retrace my Grandmother's steps across this country.

23. I have always loved libraries.

24. I enjoy wearing red shoes. 


25. I dance  & sing loudly in my kitchen almost every day.


26. I love the book "Forbidden mysteries of Enoch:fallen angels and the origins of evil".


27. I have Rh negative blood & that makes me part of the weirdo 15% of the population, but I've got great green eyes!


28. This past summer I moved to an island, gave up everything I knew and struck out into uncharted territory (to mainly serve lobster). I've been  looking at a fabulous view every day since. 


29. When I'm camping in the Adirondacks, I read trashy romance novels.

30. I believe all you need is love

Friday, January 20, 2012

I thank my God every time I remember you -Phil. 1:3

"Are there people in your life that you are thankful for? We don’t think about this enough. I think that is always my biggest lesson when I am separated from family and friends, is how much we take them for granted...." - Keith Andrews
http://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/thankful-for-friends-keith-andrews-sermon-on-friendship-general-127566.asp?page=2
Dear Reader, I encourage you to check out the whole sermon - but here is the first part...
-j
Thankfulness for Friends
Sermon by CH(CPT) Keith J. Andrews
All scripture marked ESV: The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.


Philemon 4 reads;

4 I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers, (Phm 4)

In the Army we know too well what friendship truly means.

It is said that when all is said and done, we at the Soldier level don’t fight for any political cause we fight for our buddies to the left and the right.

So when we think of our friends, when we pray for them do we thank God for them?

We see in this passage that Paul is writing to his friend Philemon.

Philemon was an owner of a slave named Onesimus. He is referenced beginning in verse 10. Philemon and Onesimus became believers of Christ under Paul’s preaching. 

Philemon was converted first, then Paul runs into Onesimus in prison and this letter is a letter to reconcile the two together.

We see in these first verses of the letter that Paul was close to Philemon. They have mutual friends as seen in verse 23 and he looks forward to see him Philemon again as seen in verse 22. They are friend. Paul even uses the words brothers throughout the letter.

So on one hand, we have the friendship between Philemon and Paul.

On the other hand, we have the friendship of Onesimus and Paul. Paul is willing to go to bat for this escaped slave and thief. So, Paul writes to his friend Philemon to begin the process of reconciliation.

In this letter and in this passage specifically, Paul expresses his gratitude for Philemon.

This morning, I want us to look at our prayer life under the microscope of thanksgiving. And ask the question to you; are you bringing your friends before God and thanking God for them?

Is this a pattern in your life? Or are you so focused on yourself, that you don’t have time to thank God for your friends. You will pray for them when they are sick—but you don’t take the time to thank God for them.

This reminds me of a sentence form Mathew.

Matthew 5:46

46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? (Mt 5:46, ESV)

Even the unbelievers pray for their friends when they are sick. But, we are to be different. We are not to take the friends we have for granted. We are to thank the Lord for them.

So first of all I want you to ask the question;

1. Are you thankful for the people that God has placed in your path?

This is a hard pinpoint question that only you can answer. Are you even thankful for those friends that you have.

This week I scrolled through some websites that listed what people were thankful for:

Katherine, age 9 says “ I am thankful for my mom, friends, teacher because they help me. If you ask why well here how it goes my mom helps me do my homework. Next, my friends help me when I am hurt. Last, my teacher helps me learn about things. That’s what I am thankful for. “

Christopher, age 12 says;
“I am thankful for my wonderful family!
that even includes you who reads this cause you will have a wonderful family that you love one day and in a way we are
close to each other. “...
http://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/thankful-for-friends-keith-andrews-sermon-on-friendship-general-127566.asp?page=2

Thursday, January 19, 2012

If its a crutch, give me two.

Is Christianity Just a Crutch?

In Mere Apologetics, Alister McGrath points out that "one of the most familiar criticisms of Christianity is that it offers consolation to life's losers."(1) Believers are often caricatured as being somewhat weak and naïve—the kind of people who need their faith as a "crutch" just to get them through life. In new atheist literature, this depiction is often contrasted with the image of a hardier intellectual atheist who has no need for such infantile, yet comforting, nonsense. This type of portrayal may resonate with some, but does it really make sense?(2)

Firstly, it is helpful to define what we mean by a "crutch." In a medical setting, the word obviously means an implement used by people for support when they are injured. The analogy implies, therefore, that those who need one are somehow deficient or wounded. In a sense, it is fairly obvious that the most vulnerable might need support, but as the agnostic John Humphrys points out, "Don't we all? Some use booze rather than the Bible."(3) As this suggests, it is not so much a question of whether you have one, but it is more of a question of what your particular crutch is. This is an important point to make, as people rely on all kinds of things for their comfort or self-esteem, ranging from material possessions, money, food, and aesthetics to cigarettes, drugs, alcohol, and sex. Rather than being viewed as signs of weakness, many of these are even considered to be relatively normal in society, provided they don't turn into the more destructive behavior associated with strong addiction. Nevertheless, many of these only offer a short-term release from the struggles of life and they sometimes only cover up deeper problems that a person might be suffering from. To suggest, therefore, that atheists are somehow stronger than believers is to deny the darker side of humanity, which is only too apparent if we look at the world around us. As McGrath explains:

"[I]f you have a broken leg, you need a crutch. If you're ill you need medicine. That's just the way things are. The Christian understanding of human nature is that we are damaged, wounded and disabled by sin. That's just the way things are."(4)

Moreover, Augustine of Hippo compared the church to a hospital, because it is full of wounded and ill people in the process of being healed.(5) As is the case with any illness, this treatment cannot begin, however, until someone has admitted they are sick or need help. There is plenty of evidence to suggest that religious belief does have an advantageous effect on both mental and physical health. Andrew Sims, former President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, writes that a "huge volume of research" confirms this, making it "one of the best-kept secrets in psychiatry and medicine generally."(6) In a culture that often seems to exalt health, well-being, and happiness above other things, this would seem to render religious belief very appealing both to the weak andthe strong in society.

Many believers testify to the transformative effect that becoming a Christian has had on their lives and this can include being delivered from some of the crutches they had previously relied upon. Yet, the idea that coming to faith is somehow either liberating or empowering is, of course, anathema to many people. Christopher Hitchens, for example, speaks of the totalitarian nature of Christianity that keeps its followers in a state of constant subservience.(7) G. K. Chesterton saw it differently, however, as he suggested that the "dignity of man" and the "smallness of man" was held in perfect tension, allowing people to have a strong sense of self-worth without becoming big-headed.(8)

Yet God clearly offers much more than this. In 1 Corinthians 12:9 it says, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." The idea of strength flowing from human powerlessness may seem counter-intuitive in today's risk-averse culture, but as Simon Guillebaud points out, "Paradoxically, our waving the white flag of submission to God's right over our lives is the key that unlocks the gate to many future victories in his name."(9) Nevertheless, as C. S. Lewis observed, people will still choose to cling on to their crutches, even though something much better is being offered to them:

"We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased."(10)

It can be helpful, therefore, to reflect on what we really rely upon in our own lives and what impact this has upon us. As the blogger and former atheist, Daniel Rodgers, reminds us, we do not want to miss out on the fullness of life that God offers all of us, whether we think we need it or not:

"The truth of the matter is that Jesus never offered a crutch, only a cross; it wasn't a call to be a better person with high self-esteem or a plan to help us scrape through our existence. It was a call to acknowledge that the forgiveness we all seek is to be found in him by following him onto the cross... It's because Christianity is true that it has something to offer every person in every circumstance, regardless of their background or intellectual capabilities."(11)

Simon Wenham is research coordinator for Ravi Zacharias International Ministries in Europe.

http://ls.egen.net/MessageView.aspx?sid=168024349&cid=167774605&textonly=0%20
(1) A. McGrath, Mere Apologetics (Grand Rapids, 2012), 167. 
(2) Article adapted from Simon Wenham's "Is Christianity Just a Crutch?” Pulse, Issue 10 (Spring 2012), 14-16.  
(3) J. Humphrys, In God We Doubt (London, 2007), in J. C. Lennox, Gunning for God (Oxford, 2011), 24.
(4) McGrath, Mere Apologetics, 170.
(5) Idem.
(6) A. Sims, Is Faith Delusion? (London, 2009), in Lennox, Gunning, 77-78.
(7) C. Hitchens, God is Not Great (London, 2007), 232-234.
(8) G. K. Chesterton, Orthodoxy (Chicago, 2009), 143.
(9) S. Guillebaud, For What It's Worth (Oxford, 1999), 171.
(10) C. S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory and Other Addresses (Grand Rapids, 1949), 1-2.
(11) D. Rodger, "Is Christianity a Psychological Crutch?" (from www.bethinking.org).

Sunday, January 15, 2012

John 3:16

John 3:16 Breakdown...
December 30, 2010 • By Channel

For God so loved - That's the greatest degree.
The World- That's the greatest company.
That He gave -  That's the greatest act.
His only begotten Son - That's the greatest gift.
That whoever - That's the greatest opportunity.
Believes - That's the greatest simplicity.
In Him - That's the greatest attraction.
Shall not perish - That's the greatest promise.
But - That's the greatest difference.
Have - That's the greatest certainty.
Eternal Life - That's the greatest possession.


Sunday, January 1, 2012

NY DAY SET LIST

Cooking in the kitchen here at Littleton House to start the NY Year... the following are some selections from the soundtrack...gotta admit, this year feels pretty different already - at least the music feels like home:)

rat pack

sting: every breath u take, dont stand
boys are back in town
American band
Fortunate son, have u ever seen the rain
Stand by me,