There Is Power in the Blood

There Is Power in the Blood

Lewis E. Jones

Would you be free From your burden of sin?

There's pow'r in the blood, Pow'r in the blood;

Would you o'er evil a victory win?There's wonderful pow'r in the blood.

There is pow'r, pow'r, Wonder working pow'r

In the blood of the Lamb;

There is pow'r, pow'r, Wonder working pow'r,

In the precious blood of the Lamb.

Would you be free, From your passion and pride?

There's pow'r in the blood, Pow'r in the blood;

Come for a cleansing To Calvary's tide;

There's wonderful pow'r in the blood.

There is pow'r, pow'r, Wonder working pow'r,
In the blood of the Lamb;
There is pow'r, pow'r, Wonder working pow'r,
In the precious blood of the Lamb.

Would you be whiter, Much whiter than snow?
There's pow'r in the blood, Pow'r in the blood;
Sin stains are lost In its life giving flow;
There's wonderful pow'r in the blood.

There is pow'r, pow'r, Wonder working pow'r,
In the blood of the Lamb;
There is pow'r, pow'r, Wonder working pow'r,
In the precious blood of the Lamb.

Would you do service For Jesus your King:
There's pow'r in the blood, Pow'r in the blood;
Would you live daily, His praises to sing?
There's wonderful pow'r in the blood.

There is pow'r, pow'r, Wonder working pow'r,
In the blood of the Lamb;
There is pow'r, pow'r, Wonder working pow'r,
In the precious blood of the Lamb.

Lewis E. Jones graduated from Moody Bible Institute. He spent his time with the YMCA and on the side wrote hymns. This hymn was written at a camp meeting in Maryland in 1899. He also composed the tune. This is his most popular hymn.

*Hymn history taken from Then Sings My Soul by Robert J. Morgan

God is Love

I Will Rise

Did You Know...

Since it is a rainy, rainy, rainy day outside I thought I would take this time to blog...

DID YOU KNOW?

Peel a banana from the bottom and you won't have to pick the little 'stringy things' off it.

Take your bananas apart when you get home from the store. If you leave them connected at the stem, they ripen faster.

Store your opened chunks of cheese in aluminum foil. It will stay fresh much longer and not mold!

Peppers with 3 bumps on the bottom are sweeter and better for eating.

Peppers with 4 bumps on the bottom are firmer and better for cooking.

Add a teaspoon of water when frying ground beef. It will help pull the grease away from the meat while cooking.

To really make scrambled eggs or omelets rich add a couple of spoonfuls of sour cream, cream cheese, or heavy cream; then beat them.

Add garlic immediately to a recipe if you want a light taste of garlic and at the end of the recipe if your want a stronger taste of garlic.

Reheat Pizza: heat leftover pizza in a nonstick skillet on top of the stove; set heat to med-low and heat till warm. This keeps the crust crispy. No soggy micro pizza. I saw this on the food channel.

Easy Deviled Eggs: put cooked egg yolks in a zip lock bag. Seal; mash till they are all broken up. Add remainder of ingredients, reseal, keep mashing it up mixing thoroughly, cut the tip of the baggy; squeeze mixture into egg. Just throw bag away when done - easy clean up.

Reheating refrigerated bread: to warm biscuits, pancakes, or muffins that were refrigerated, place them in a microwave next to a cup of water. The increased moisture will keep the food moist and help it reheat faster.

Newspaper weeds away: start putting torn newspaper in your plants, work the nutrients in your soil. Wet newspapers, put layers around the plants, overlapping as you go; cover with mulch and forget about weeds. Weeds will get through some gardening plastic; they will not get through wet newspapers.

Broken Glass: use a wet cotton ball or Q-tip to pick up the small shards of glass you can't see easily.

Flexible vacuum: to get something out of a heat register or under the fridge add an empty paper towel roll or empty gift wrap roll to your vacuum. It can be bent or flattened to get in narrow openings.

Reducing Static Cling: pin a small safety pin to the seam of your slip and you will not have a clingy skirt or dress. Same thing works with slacks that cling when wearing panty hose. Place pin in seam of slacks and static is gone.

Measuring Cups: Before you pour sticky substances into a measuring cup, fill with hot water. Dump out the hot water, but don't dry cup. Next, add your ingredient (peanut butter, honey, etc.) and watch how easily it comes right out.

Foggy Windshield: Hate foggy windshields? Buy a chalkboard eraser and keep it in the glove box of your car. When the windows fog, rub with the eraser! Works better than a cloth!

Reopening envelope: If you seal an envelope and then realize you forgot to include something inside, just place your sealed envelope in the freezer for an hour or two. Viola! It unseals easily.

Conditioner: Use your hair conditioner to shave your legs. It's cheaper than shaving cream and leaves your legs really smooth. It's also a great way to use up the conditioner you bought but didn't like when you tried it in your hair.

Goodbye Fruit Flies: to get rid of pesky fruit flies, take a small glass, fill it 1/2 with Apple Cider Vinegar and 2 drops of dish washing liquid; mix well. You will find those flies drawn to the cup and gone forever!

Get Rid of Ants: Put small piles of cornmeal where you see ants. They eat it, take it 'home,' can't digest it so it kills them. It may take a week or so, especially if it rains, but it works and you don't have the worry about pets or small children being harmed!

I Pledge Allegiance to the Flag...

"Sing to Jesus"

Blessed Be Your Name

Please pray for a dear friend of our family. Without going into detail, she is really sad, upset, and disappointed today. Thank you!

"God gives and takes away..."

The Marshmallow Test

Only You by David Crowder Band

Our time here is short..Our Purpose is simple..We need to just step outside ourselves to see it.

Rock of Ages

Rock of Ages
Augustus M. Toplady

Rock of Ages, cleft for me, Let me hide myself in Thee.
Let the water and the blood, From Thy wounded side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure, Save from wrath and make me pure.

Could my tears forever flow? Could my zeal no languor know?
These for sin could not atone; Thou must save, and Thou alone.
In my hand no price I bring; Simply to thy cross I cling.

While I draw this fleeting breath, When my eyes shall close in death,
When I rise to worlds unknown, And behold Thee on Thy throne,
Rock of Ages cleft for me, Let me hide myself in Thee.

Augustus Montague Toplady was born on November 4th, 1740. He was very much so spoiled by his mother after his father died in a war. He was never liked by anyone, including his relatives. However, Augustus was very interested in the Lord and began preaching to anyone who would listen at age twelve. He started writing hymns at age 14 and became a Christian at age 16 after attending a service in a barn. At 22 he was ordained and he died at the age of 38. His best known hymn, "Rock of Ages", has outlived him by many centuries.

*Hymn history taken from Then Sings My Soul by Robert J. Morgan

"Give Me Jesus"

This is one of my favorite songs and has been since I heard it for the first time several years ago. It is a beautiful song and the video below is such a great tribute to Ruth Bell Graham who was a remarkable lady.

I encourage you to live each day with a HEAVENLY perspective!!!

The Government Can!

"Heaven is the Face" by Steven Curtis Chapman

Baby Britton

Britton came to visit this week. We love our visits from Britton!! He is growing and is so sweet! He had lots of fun being spoiled by all of us :) We found a Tigger outfit for him to maybe wear on Halloween if his mom chooses. However, we could not wait until Halloween to see how cute he looked in the costume so we put it on him!! He was a good sport about it, not sure what he thought about it...

There are a couple of pictures of Maggie also. She was 14 weeks old this week. She does really well when we have babies in the house. She loves to watch them and figure out the noises they are making. While Britton was napping and I was holding him, Maggie had her paw on Britton's foot watching him. She was too sweet! I wish I had gotten a picture of that but I did not want to put Britton down and miss out on cuddling him!!

Thanks Beverly for letting Britton come visit. We have a great time with him and are looking forward to watching him grow up.

The Kelsie Story

A touching story

I Want What She Has

I'd like to share my devotion from today with you because I think we all have times when we look at what other families are doing and wish we could do the same. This is a good reminder for me, and maybe for you too.

September 17, 2009

I Want What She Has

Lysa TerKeurst

"A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones."

Proverbs14:30 (NIV)

Devotion:

Chances are, if you're like me, you've struggled with comparison and envy.

My house looks great until a friend redecorates. Her clever color combination and crafty restoration abilities have created rooms that look as though they've stepped straight from a magazine. Suddenly my home feels outdated and plain.

My kids seem great until I'm around someone else's who excel in areas my kids struggle in. I see her kids quietly reading books that are well advanced for their age and loving every minute of it. I compare that to mine who would rather have their right arm cut off than to read books that are barely grade level all the while asking me when they can go do something else more exciting. Suddenly I judge myself for not making reading more of a priority when they were younger and feel like a sub-par mom.

Suddenly all that I'm blessed with pales in the face of comparison. I'm blinded from seeing what I do have in the face of what I don't have. My heart is drawn into a place of ungratefulness and assumption. As I assume everything is great for those that possess what I don't, I become less and less thankful for what's mine.

And here's the real kicker... things for the person I'm comparing myself to are almost never what they seem. If there's one thing that living 40 years has taught me, it's that everybody has not-so-great sides to their lives. Whenever I get an idyllic view of someone else's life, I will often say out loud, "I am not equipped to handle what they have, both good and bad."

God has taught me a lot about how to nip a comparison in the bud so it doesn't develop into full blown envy and jealously.

The statement, "I am not equipped to handle what they have, both good and bad," has been one of the greatest realizations God has given me. Every situation has both good and bad. When I want someone else's good, I must realize that I'm also asking for the bad that comes along with it. It's always a package deal. And usually if I'll just give something enough time to unfold I can often be found thanking God that I didn't get someone else's package.

One of the first times I came to understand this truth was in middle school when I met a beautiful girl at the Children's Theater in my town. We were both budding child actors cast in a Christmas play. During rehearsals I can remember seeing her long dancers legs move in ways my stubby limbs never could. Her legs were muscular and lean and graceful. Mine couldn't be described with any of those adjectives.

One day there was an unusual pain in her left leg. And then a doctor's appointment turned into a battery of tests that turned into a hospital stay that turned into a diagnosis. Cancer. A surgery to remove a tumor turned into an amputation turned into a complete life change. Her world became filled with words no child should ever have to know: chemotherapy, prosthetics, hair loss, and walking canes.

As a young girl I was stunned by the whole thing. Especially because I clearly remember night after night after watching her glide across stage, I would ask God for legs exactly like hers.

... not equipped to handle what they have, both good and bad.

I don't want to paint the picture that every good thing someone else has will end with a tragedy. That's not the case. Sometimes others' good things are simply fantastic. But they are fantastic for them - not me.

...not equipped to handle what they have, both good and bad.

Dear Lord, thank You for only entrusting me with what I have and who I am. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:

Visit Lysa's blog for a give-away you don't want to miss! You could win four copies of Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl to share with your friends.

Today's devotional is taken from Lysa's new book just released: Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl. If you enjoyed this devotion, you will want to order the book!

What Happens When Women Say Yes to God by Lysa TerKeurst

Application Steps:

What I must remember is to consciously make the choice to redirect my thinking when I find myself comparing and wanting.

Think of something you've wanted that someone else has. Have you been lured into thinking, "If only I had _______ like that person, my life would be great!"

Now, practice redirecting those thoughts by instead saying:

I am not equipped for their good.

I am not equipped for their bad.

I am not equipped to be them in any way.

I am, however, perfectly equipped to be me.

Reflections:

When I compare myself to others and start wanting what others have, it quite simply wears me out. I start feeling weary from wanting and burdened by trying to figure out how to have more, be more, and do more.

In light of all we've been talking about, isn't it interesting what Jesus instructs worn out people to do? Look at the power verse below.

Power Verses:

Matthew 11:28-30 finds Jesus instructing us, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (NIV)

© 2009 by Lysa TerKeurst. All rights reserved.

Proverbs 31 Ministries

a little confession...

I have to say that I have had the the busiest and saddest 1 1/2 months I can remember. Everything has felt really strange. I've been out of my normal schedule for several weeks. I've been angrier than I have ever been. I had knots in my stomach for most of the 1 1/2 months both from anger and from the sadness of disappointment. I don't like feeling this way. I normally am a happy person. Seeing the ugly side of people has changed the tone of my life.

I was reading another blog and the lady was having the same feelings that I was having but for different reasons. She said this " I've said over and over again that the truth will be revealed and that we have to rest on God's promise that he will 'bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts" (from 1 Cor. 4:5)'. Yet I've allowed myself to dwell on the offenses, playing events over again in my head. I must let it go and dwell on what is important...two happy, beautiful, healthy daughters, a wonderful husband, and just life in general. The girls had their feelings hurt also in all of this, but they have forgotten and moved on. I need to learn and practice this lesson from them :)

That's really what it's all about.

Who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. The LORD works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed.
(Psalm 103:4-6)

Jesus Paid It All

Jesus Paid It All
Elvina M. Hall

I hear the Savior say, "Thy strength indeed is small;
Child of weakness watch and pray, Find in Me thine all in all."
Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow.

Lord, now indeed I find, Thy power and Thine alone;
Can change the leper's spots And melt the heart of stone.
Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow.

For nothing good have I, Where by Thy grace to claim;
I'll wash my garments white, In the blood of Calvary's Lamb.
Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow.

And when before the throne, I stand in Him complete;
"Jesus died my soul to save," My lips shall still repeat.
Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow.

This beloved hymn was written by Elvina Hall while her mind was wandering during her pastor's lengthy prayer. She scribbled similar words on the front flap of her hymnal. She gave her poem to the church organist, John T. Grape, and he composed the music for "Jesus Paid It All". Although the versions have changed throughout the years, the message is the same.*Hymn history taken from Then Sings My Soul by Robert J. Morgan.

Labor Day

On Labor Day we went to Jody's aunt and uncle's house for a cookout, swimming, and fun!! We also had 2 birthday girls at the party! Aubrey's birthday had been the day before and Katherine's birthday had been on Thursday of the week before. Jody's aunt made them a birthday cake. She did a fabulous job on the cake. It was so cute and girly...just like Katherine and Aubrey!! We had a great time spending time with family.

Boomsday 2009

Here are some pictures while we were waiting for Boomsday to start in downtown Knoxville. We did not take any pictures of the fireworks during Boomsday but they were awesome. I think this was the best year ever!

Aubrey's birthday

Sunday, September 6 was Aubrey's actual birthday!!

For her birthday, Aubrey wanted to go to church, eat lunch, and then play indoor putt putt in Pigeon Forge. So that is is what we did (along with a few other things...like Boomsday!). It was a fun day! I can't believe my baby is 10 years old...time has gone so fast...

Here are a few pictures of the day.

Aubrey and Friends Celebrating Birthday

Friday night Aubrey invited friends over to the house to celebrate her birthday. We had a great time. The girls played, laughed, and had a fun time hanging out with each other. We also took the girls bowling and there was lots of fun there also!! Aubrey had a great time with her friends!!

Here are a few pictures from the party!!

Maggie

Here are some pictures of Maggie after she had a first grooming. She did great for the groomer and you can now see her eyes!!

It is Well

A Wonderful Thing

This was part of my devotion reading today:

A Wonderful Thing

Being a mother is a wonderful thing,
My bedside alarm, it never need ring,
I'm awakened each day with bright cheerful faces,
And soon 'round the table they've all taken places.

Our meal is seasoned with plenty of chatter,
The fruit and the muffins fly from the platter,
There are stories to share and a Bible verse too,
We reverently pray - it's not always a zoo!

The day is so full of a number of things;
First chores, then schoolwork, then song practicings,
Cooking and cleaning and book-reading too,
A mom of wee children has plenty to do!

I've heard busy times end as quick as they start,
So, I'll treasure these days, store them up in my heart,
Small children grow up- the time goes so fast,
The business of mothering soon will be past.

Be cheerful and thankful each day that you've got,
Grater joy anywhere, there surely is not!
As you work through your duties may God hear you sing
'Cause being a mother is a wonderful thing!

by Lora Nola

Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus

'Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus

Louisa M. R. Stead

'Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,

Just to take Him at His word;

Just to rest up on His promise;

Just to know "Thus saith the Lord.

"Jesus, Jesus how I trust Him!

How I've proved Him o'er and o'er!

Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!

O for grace to trust Him more!

O how sweet to trust in Jesus,

Just to trust His cleansing blood;

Just in simple faith to plunge me,

Neath the healing, cleansing flood!

Jesus, Jesus how I trust Him!

How I've proved Him o'er and o'er!

Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!

O for grace to trust Him more!

Yes, 'tis sweet to trust in Jesus,

Just from sin and self to cease;

Just from Jesus simply taking

Life and rest and joy and peace.

Jesus, Jesus how I trust Him!

How I've proved Him o'er and o'er!

Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!

O for grace to trust Him more!

I'm so glad I learned to trust Thee,

Precious Jesus, Savior friend;

And I know that Thou art with me,

Wilt be with me to the end.

esus, Jesus how I trust Him!

How I've proved Him o'er and o'er!

Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!

O for grace to trust Him more!

Louisa M. R. Stead was born in 1850, became a Christian at age 9 and felt the call to missions when she was a teenager. She married but her husband was tragically taken in a drowning accident. She soon took her 4 yr. old daughter to South Africa where she wrote this hymn. She was a missionary in South Africa for fifteen years. She died in 1917 but her daughter married a missionary and continued to work for many years in Zimbabwe.
*Hymn history from Then Sings My Soul by Robert J. Morgan.

My Sweet Aubrey - Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday to You,
Happy Birthday to You,
Happy Birthday to Aubrey,
Happy Birthday to You!!!



I wanted to share with you a glimpse of who Aubrey is...
She was born on Monday, September 6, 1999. She was born 8 weeks early and was a fighter from the beginning.
She is beautiful and has been since the day she was born. She is fun and lively, yet enjoys her quiet time alone. When she was younger she could sit in her room and look through books and play with her toys for hours all by herself.
Yet Aubrey loves people, and when she loves you, she loves you with everything in her. She loves very deeply. She would rather have only a few people around her that she knows really well than be in a room with a lot of people. If you give her your time and attention, she becomes deeply attached. She loves security. She loves family.
Yet Aubrey is very, let's say, spunky. She has always had comprehension far beyond her years. And she can reply with comments that you would never expect from someone her age. She is feisty. Pick on her sister when she doesn't want you to, and she will retaliate. Make fun of her and she will have a pretty good comeback. She will tell you like she feels it. You usually don't have to guess what she is thinking.
Yet again, she may be feisty, but she is also really soft. She loves to be held. She gives the best hugs. She loves to cuddle. She loves touch. She loves soft blankets and stuffed animals. Anything to do with touch. She loves pink, purple, and her latest favorite color is yellow. She loves being a girl. She likes to dress up and go places. She likes to have short hair. She loves riding her bike. She loves to eat fruit. She loves chips. She would rather eat chips than dessert.
She gets concerned with what other people think. She loves to chew gum. She loves to help her daddy. She likes to eat shrimp. She loves to draw. She loves to swim.
She loves going to Disney World. Her dream vacation is to go to Hawaii.
She absolutely loves dogs and is so happy to have Maggie living with us now. She loves to wear skirts. She loves to watch TV and listen to music. She likes to snack. She likes to have her picture taken and to pose for the pictures.
She is complex.
She is wonderful.
She is a gift.

This is the Bible verse I claim for Aubrey:
Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you" declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

This song is the first song that starts playing when you turn on our blog, unless you have yours muted!! Today I was listening to the song and just got emotional. I really like this song but it took on a whole new meaning today when I listened to it and thought of my "baby" who is turning 10 years old today and growing way too fast. I don't want to take one precious moment for granted.


Happy Birthday my sweet Aubrey!
You are very loved!!

I Am A Friend of God

If you have been reading our blog very much or if you know us personally, you know WE LOVE MUSIC!!

This is one of our favorites... How exciting it is to say that I am a friend of God and that He calls me friend!!

His Appointed Time

A friend sent this to me today. It is a devotion from Joel and Victoria Osteen. This was really speaking right to me, and I thought of many of my friends (in both the real and the blog worlds), who could probably use this encouragement, as well.

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE"For the vision is yet for an appointed time…though it tarry, wait for it"(Habakkuk 2:3 KJV)

TODAY'S WORD from Joel and Victoria

God has an appointed time to fulfill the visions, dreams, and desires in your heart. Just because it has taken a long time or because you've tried and failed, doesn't mean it's not going to happen. Don't give up on those dreams! Don't be complacent about pursuing what God has placed in your heart. Our God is a faithful God. No matter how long it's been, no matter how impossible things looks, if you'll stay in faith, your appointed time is coming.Remember, every dream that's in your heart, every promise that has taken root, God put it in there. And not only that, but He has every intention of bringing it to pass. Hold on to that vision today by declaring, "My time is coming. God is working behind the scenes on my behalf. I will fulfill my destiny!" As you continue to hold on to that vision and speak life over your dreams, you'll see them begin to take shape. You'll see your faith grow, you'll see your hope strengthen, and you'll see yourself step into the destiny God has prepared for you!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY"Father in heaven, I receive Your truth today. I receive Your promises today. I ask that You ignite my heart with Your holy fire so that I can pursue Your perfect plan for my life. Make my thoughts and words agreeable to Your will. In Jesus' Name. Amen."

When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder

When the Roll Is Called Up Yonder

James M. Black

When the trumpet of the Lord shall sound,and time shall be no more,

And the morning breaks eternal bright and fair,

When the saints on earth shall gather over on the other shore,

And the roll is called up yonder I'll be there.

On that bright and cloudless morning

when the dead in Christ shall rise,

And the glory of His resurrection share;

When the chosen ones shall gather to their home beyond the skies,

And the roll is called up yonder I'll be there.

Let us labor for the Master from the dawn 'til

setting sun,

Let us talk of all His wondrous love and care;

And when all of life is overand our work on earth is done,

And the roll is called up yonder I'll be there.

This old hymn was written in 1893 by James M. Black. One day while calling roll for his youth meeting, one name did not answer. It was the daughter of an alcoholic. He said to himself, "O God, when my own name is called up yonder, may I be there to respond!" That night he sat at his piano and wrote this hymn.
*Hymn history taken from Then Sings My Soul by Robert J. Morgan.