Totally Quotable Tuesday

I've come across a lot of really great quotes lately, so I thought I'd share...

"Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God." -Corrie ten Boom

"You get the best effort from others not by lighting a fire beneath them, but my building a fire within." -Bob Nelson

"If the source of your life is not God, you're living on inadequte resources." -Dr. David McKinley

"Man finds it hard to get what he wants because he does not want the best; God finds it hard to give because He would give the best, and man will not take it." -George MacDonald

"Don't be afraid to smile and to love music that makes you feel good." -Zac Hanson

"If God answers your prayer, He is increasing your faith. If He delays, He is increasing your patience. If He doesn't answer [the way you desire], He has something better for you." -unknown

Dangerous Dodgeball

Dodgeball.... that game that I always dreaded playing in PE because A. I'm not terribly aggressive; B. I have terrible aim; C. I'm not a little girl so I'm a fairly easy target; D. I hate getting hit - especially with the kick balls that leave a massive sting; and E. It always brings out my competitive side, and I hate losing.

I helped out at a high school dodgeball tournament at church tonight, and I learned a few new lessons about this ridiculous game.

#1. I am SO glad that the dodgeball games played in PE when I was in middle and high school were not nearly as intense or aggressive as the tournament I witnessed tonight. I was a little nervous even standing on the sidelines because these kids were so intense and competitive.

#2. Pads should be worn. Full body pads - like football players wear. Facemasks and cups included. I witnessed several balls to the face and a couple of groin injuries. Spectators should wear pads (and cups) as well - especially half-time speakers who open their speeches with a story about hitting someone accidentally...

#3. Shoes should ALWAYS been worn when playing dodgeball (or any sport, really), even when it is being played inside on a fairly soft floor. There is too much sprinting, quick stops, jumping, and other "shoed" feet out there for anyone to not be wearing shoes. It could result in a deep laceration and potentially broken toe... and lots of blood on the floor to clean up.

#4. Vevezulas are not just for South African soccer games

#5. Girls playing dodgeball, especially on co-ed teams, can be just as, if not more, intense than the guys they are playing with and/or against.

#6. I'm really glad I wasn't playing in the tournament. I would not have lasted one game, and certainly not a set or an entire match. Oh to have the energy of a teenager. It hasn't been that long since I was a teenager, and I'm pretty sure I never had the energy that most of those kids had out there tonight...

It was definitely a crazy night. We had a great turn out and much fun was had...despite a couple of injuries. We even had 3 students dedicate their lives to Christ in a new way tonight. What a cool outreach opportunity it was!

What I'm Loving Wednesday

So I'm still very new to this whole blogging thing, but I'm going to try something new. Today, I'm going to link up with my beloved second cousin-in-law, Lauren over at On A Lighter Note for "What I'm Loving Wednesday." However, I'm going to focus on the books that I've read (or re-read) this year and have absolutely loved...

I hope, if you haven't read any or all of these books, that you'll give them a try. Each one of these books challenged me in an incredible way to strive to a new and better understanding of who God is, how He works and moves in my life, and how I can better serve Him.

Wow

 

 Bobby went to my high school - we were never friends; in fact, I don't believe I ever actually met him. This is such an incredible video - It gave me chills and brought me to tears. Thank you, Jose, for being obedient to the Lord's voice. Zimmerman family, my prayers are with you through this tragic, yet blessed time (blessed for the fact that Bobby's life was changed by the Lord and he is now living eternally with Jesus). I am so thankful that I'll get to be friends with Bobby in Heaven one day!

The One You Need

Father.

I am fortunate to have one of the best dads in the world. Don't get me wrong - my dad is full of mistakes and he is far from perfect, but he is still a wonderful dad who has always treated me like a princess. In fact, even at the age of 23, he still calls me his princess. Anyone who knows my family knows that I have a very special bond with my dad. Let it be known that my mom is an incredible and strong woman - she's absolutely one of my best friends. But there is just something about my dad....I'm definitely a daddy's girl. The most important thing about my dad is that he has always pointed me to the Father. Abba Father - Daddy God. I'm so thankful to have parents that raised me in the church. They made it known to me at a very early age that I have a Savior who loves me. A King who created me to be exactly who I am. I will be eternally grateful for the guidance my parents have given me and the example of leadership that my dad has provided me.

My daddy and me at my UGA graduation - May 2010

Shane & Shane just put out a new song that reminds me of my dad so much. It's called "The One You Need." It's about a father's prayer that his daughter will come to the understanding that Jesus is the One she needs in her life. I'm not sure my dad has heard this song yet, but I know this has always been his prayer for me.

A Little More on Love

Yes, I realize 2 out of my first 4 posts are about love, but this one will be a bit different from the first. Instead of discussing how we are to love one another, this time it's about how we are to love Love - how we are called to love the Father. The creator of love. Love defined.

One particular passage has stood out to me a lot lately. This past weekend, I was reading Genesis 22 in my own personal Bible study and it also happened to be the topic in the high school Sunday school at my church (I am now co-leading a 12th grade girls group). But before I dig into Genesis 22, let's start with what God tells us is the first and greatest commandment.

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment." Matthew 22: 37-38. These words are straight from the mouth of Jesus (they're typed in red in my Bible  :) ).

One thing that I think is often overlooked is the fact that Jesus was actually quoting this from the Old Testament. He is echoing Deuteronomy 6:5 which says, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength."

Another way to look at both of these verses is to say, "Love the Lord your God with EVERYTHING you have." (Thanks Grant Janik for pointing that out to me!).

Love Him with EVERYTHING - don't hold anything back from Him. He deserves all of our thoughts, all of our souls, all of our strength, all of our hearts. Everything.

Abraham was a great example of this - so let's get back to Genesis 22. But even before I get into the specifics of chapter 22, I'll give you a little background. Abraham (once called Abram before God began to use him in a mighty way) was married to Sarah, who was barren. Abraham and Sarah prayed and pleaded with God for a child for many, many years. They were so desperate to be parents that they even agreed Abraham should sleep with Hagar, a servant woman, in order that Hagar would give Abraham a child. This wasn't what God meant when he told Abraham he would be the father of a great nation. God kept his promise to Sarah and Abraham (that Abraham would be the father of a great nation aka Israel) and Sarah gave birth to Isaac. Keep in mind this was when Sarah was around 90 years old and Abraham around 100 years old. Needless to say, Isaac was their miracle child and they knew he was a gift from God. Therefore, Isaac was cherished.

Enter Genesis 22. God called Abraham to do something that seemed completely insane. God called out to Abraham and told him to sacrifice Isaac. Not to just send him out to make mistakes on his own or anything like that, but to physically build an alter, slaughter his son, and burn him as an offering to God. Keep in mind this was before the time of Jesus when Jesus was sacrificed on the cross to bare the burden of our sins. Sacrifices were an act of worship and a symbol of giving up something of value (typically a lamb) to represent repentance of sins.

Now, I'm not a parent yet, but I can't even imagine the agony Abraham must have felt when God told him to sacrifice his son - his beloved son Isaac. But because of his love and trust in God, Abraham didn't even hesitate. "God said, take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about. Early the next morning, Abraham got up and saddled his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about." (verses 2-3). Continuing on, it took them 3 days to get to Moriah. 3 days to think about what was coming. 3 days that Abraham, I'm sure, spent questioning why God would have him do such a thing. And yet he didn't delay. Abraham didn't hesitate to obey what God commanded him to do, even though it meant killing his own son (does this story remind you of anything? Maybe the way God sacrificed his own Son, His only son Jesus...?).

Now that is obedience. That is incredible love for God! I can't begin to imagine the agony Abraham must have felt, but he didn't let that stop him from obeying God. And this is what God calls us all to do - to lay down our lives, pick up our crosses and follow God. Obey God. Do what He commands us to do, which is to love Him.

For those that don't already know, God was simply testing Abraham. Just as Abraham was lifting the knife to slay his son, God called out to him and told him not to lay a hand on the boy. Instead, God provided a ram for the sacrifice. God simply wanted Abraham to prove his love and obedience.

What would you do if God commanded you to do something so difficult in order to prove your love and obedience to Him?

It's a Musical Monday

As I mentioned in my first post The Musings of Melody, I am completely obsessed with music. I listen to just about any kind of music out there (with the exception of death metal and gangster rap...I try to avoid anything with leud messages or excessive profanity). As previously stated, Hanson is by far my favorite band of all time (yes - the three brothers who sang MMMBop....they are indeed still alive and still touring and releasing albums). And my favorite genre of music is what most would consider pop rock...but more along the lines of rock. I have also been known to love some boy bands and Disney artists (most notably NSYNC, the Jonas Brothers and Demi Lovato).

However, tonight was all about Bryan Adams. Yes, "Summer of '69," "(Everything I do) I do it for You," "Heaven" Bryan Adams. He played a show in my humble hometown of Augusta, Georgia and it was completely awesome. It's rare that you find any musician or group that can perform live and sound even somewhat as good as on the record. Bryan Adams sounds just as good if not better live than on his albums. He completely blew me away! And he's funny, too!

So please, take a moment to enjoy some of his most wonderful songs and be jealous that you didn't also share in my awesome evening with Bryan...

Love...For Real

Back in December, I was facing a trial that I never thought I would have to face. I was in a relationship - engaged to be married actually. To some degree, I thought everything about this relationship was good - it was right and of God. And to a different degree, I knew in the back of my mind and deep in my heart that there was something missing from the relationship, but I didn't want to admit it. The plans had already been made, the dress bought, the date set, etc. I could not imagine canceling on this wedding. I was being incredibly stubborn, but also did not want to back out on my commitment. In all actuality, I really loved this guy as much as I knew how. I wanted to be with him. I thought it was God's plan for me to be with him. My then-fiancee had slightly different feelings. In December, he confessed to me that he was not ready to be married - he wasn't even ready to be engaged, and he simply was not sure I was the one for him. He said he needed time to get his relationship right with the Lord and to figure things out. So of course, I had a lot to figure out as well. Obviously, this relationship came to an end. Thankfully, God pulled me into Himself and I sought the Lord for strength in this dilemma. As you may guess, I sought solice in 1 Corinthians 13 - the "Love chapter" of the Bible. I had read this passage hundreds of times in my life, but never did it hit me the way it did on December 12, 2010. I even wrote it all out (just forewarning you that this could be very lengthy):

1 Corinthians 13: 4-8a (broken down, piece by piece)
"Love is patient. Love is kind. Love does not envy. Love does not boast. Love is not proud. Love is not rude. Love is not self-seeking. Love is not easily angered. Love keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil. Love rejoices with the truth. Love always protects. Love always trusts. Love always hopes. Love always perseveres. Love never fails."

I have always loved this passage because, like many girls, i have looked forward to having a romantic love like this since a very young age. However, it is only now (ie. December), as I frantically struggle to hold on to this relationship, that I have come to a more full understanding of this passage on love.
God = Love. It says so several times throughout the Bible (specifically 1 John 4:8)
Jesus = God. This is also confirmed by the scriptures (specifically John 1:1-2).
Therefore, this passage is a perfect description of the character of Jesus Christ, who is God the Son. This is perfect love because Jesus Christ is perfect.
This passage is also descriptive of the way Christ loves the church. And since marriage is meant to be a picture of Christ's love for the church (see Ephesians 5), this passage is descriptive of the way we ought to love one another - especially in intimate relationships.

Love is patient. How often do we lose patience with one another? Especially with those we claim to love most. This first sentence hits me hard as I struggle to wait patiently for this decision from my [then] fiancee, as to whether or not we move forward with our engagement or not. Let's face it - I struggle with patience. Period. However, if I truly love [this man], I must be patient and wait while he seeks counsel and tries to figure everything out.

Love is kind. This one is hard for me as well because I did not grow up experiencing a very kind form of love. I grew up with sarcasm. i grew up not really sharing feelings or discussing emotions. I saw very few outward expressions of love in my own family. I was caught between what I saw in my family and the unrealistic fantasies of movies. It is only through Biblical teaching on relationships that I have come to learn anyting about showing love through kindness.

Love does not envy. This one is currently extremely difficult for me as I see so many of my friends as happy as could possibly be in their seasons of engagement. Everything seems so perfect for all of them while things haven't been quite so easy and perfect for me. I'll admit that I have been envious of their love, happiness, and the elation that both members of each party share.

Love does not boast and is not proud. I am one of the most prideful people I have ever known. I can't even begin to tell you how proud and boastful I became as soon as I got back to Augusta with my sparkly diamond engagement ring. While I feel like some of it was justified in that I was so excited to get to marry (who I thought was) my best friend, who is a wonderful guy from a great family, I can't deny that much of it was sinful pride; that "Hey! I'm getting married! I have a 1+ carat diamond on my hand, and my life is great" attitude.

Love is not rude. How often do we take out our frustrations and anger on our spouses or significant others? They are the closest ones to us and thus end up becoming the brunt of our stress and ill feelings. Sure, this is normal, but that doesn't make it right. If stress or frustrations come up between partners, these conflicts should be handled with gentleness and kindness.

Love is not self-seeking. Now this is the kicker. Love is supposed to be selfless - sacrificial even. God sacrificed His own Son out of love for us (John 3:16, Romans 5:8). So why is it so hard for us to put some of our own needs second to those of our partners? Love is not just some mushy-gushy feeling - it is a choice. It is the choice to put ourselves and our own needs and wants below those of our partners - to give of ourselves in order to better love and meet the needs of our partners.

Love is not easily angered. Because our partners are the closest to us, they are often the brunt of our feelings- whether those feelings are good, bad, or even ugly. However, because this person is so close, we should never react in anger. Anger is an ugly feeling that brings out the worst in us. Sure, it is  bound to come out every now and then, but we must harness that anger and work through it so as not to lash out and cause damage to the relationship. Think about it - each and every one of us sins against the Lord every day, but does He lash out in anger? No - instead, He sacrificed His Son on the cross so that we could have salvation and forgiveness.

Love keeps no record of wrongs. How often do we get into deep conversations with our loved ones (of the not-so-pleasant sort) and start bringing up past frustrations or events in order to play the blame game? What about forgive and forget? God could surely put each o fus in our place if He started pulling out all of our past wrongs every time we get frustrated...

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. The truth - now there's a concept! Is it still the trusth if details have been left out? That's an argument that has gotten plenty of people in trouble before. But in relationships, the whole truth is vital to the stability of the relationship and the couple's ability to communicate. it is extremely hurtful if part of the truth is left out and found out later - much more hurtful than if the whole truth were made known to begin with.

Love always protects. Physically and emotionally. As partners in a relationship, we are supposed to love each other, which includes being sensitive to one anothers' feelings. Christ gave His life for us in order to protect us from the eternal death that we truly deserve. As Christians, we are to protect each other from falling deeper into sin. We ought to protect each other from temptations.

Love always trusts. I'll admit that I am the nosiest person in the world. I am such an information seeker. I like to be in the know. This so often gets me in trouble because it leads me to be less trusting. However, this goes back to rejoicing with the truth. Where there is evil, anger, and bitterness, there is no trust. But love brings about trust - the peace in knowing that your partner will not forsake you, just as God promises through the Holy Spirit.

Love always hopes. Where there is love, there is a future. God's love is eternal. God promises us a hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11). Love hopes because it is kind and those who experience love want the best for each other. When love is genuine and Christ-like, there is hope for tomorrow, hope for the future, and hope for the best. Love lookes forward - and that is hope.

Love always perseveres. For better or for worse. For richer or for poorer. In sickness and in health. I believe these traditional wedding vows come from this part of the passage. Perseverance means never giving up - sticking it out and working through every situation no matter how tough it seems to be. God doesn't give up on us. Instead, He gives us undeserved grace. Sometimes, this is necessary in our human relationships. Love doesn't just stop or go away because something goes wrong. Love isn't easy. It takes a lot of work. But love - true, genuine, Godly love - perseveres through it all.

Love never fails. Never. No matter what. Even when we commit the worst of sins (which God sees all sins as equal anyway), God still loves us. His love never fails. So why do we so often let our human relationships fail?

We, as humans, are completely incapable of loving like this on our own. It is only when we are fully reliant on God to love through us that we can show this genuine, Christ-like love to others. This love is so much more than feelings or emotions. It is a decision. It is a sacrifice. It is the greatest thing anyone can do, give, or receive. My human self so often gets in the way of God - I put so many things, ideas, and emotions in the way instead of simply allowing God to love others through me. I am but a vessel for God to use. God - please use me. Please love through me because I am incapable of loving this way without You. I can't do this on my own. I need You - now more than ever - to show me how to love like You love.

The Musings of Melody

I suppose this first blog post will simply be used as a welcoming... a quick introduction of myself and what this blog is all about. I cannot imagine that too many people will be terribly interested in what I have to say. However, I have been interested in starting a blog for at least 8 months now - after a series of trials and tribulations occurred. I have been blown away by the power of the Holy Spirit and the way He has moved in my heart and in my life over the past 2 years. He continues to move in a mighty way, and I'd like to at least write out what I have experienced by His power. 

I want to glorify the Father through my writing - or my musings as the title suggests. However, I am still on a long journey of spiritual maturation, and let's be real: while I would love to say that God and serving Him and bringing glory to His name is the only thing on my agenda, I am still human. I still pay attention (often too much attention) to pop culture, and I have a real job in the real world. 

So basically, this is a place for me to open up. To be real. To be frank. To share my opinions. To share what God is doing in my life and what He is teaching me. To share some of my favorite things, songs, bands, videos, sports, etc. with anyone who may possibly be interested. 

So here is a little bit about me: Melody.

My dear friend Caitlin and me (I'm the one on the left)

• I was born in North Carolina and have lived in Georgia for almost my whole life (with the exception of the first 14 months). With that said, I love the Carolina Tar Heels because it is the team I was raised on. I also LOVE the Georgia Bulldogs. I am a Georgia Bulldog - I have the diploma to prove it.
• Speaking of diplomas, I have a degree in Child and Family Development with an Emphasis in Child Life from the College of Family and Consumer Sciences at the University of Georgia.
• I accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior at the age of 6. While I did not have a complete understanding of Christianity and the Bible at the time (in fact, I still don't and probably never will have a "complete and comprehensive" understanding of it all), I knew I needed Jesus to forgive my sins and live in my heart. He still does to this day. I serve a God who is loving and just - I want you to know Him and serve Him too, so I hope this blog will be able to shed a little more light on who He is for those of you who have not made the decision to put your trust in Him just yet.
• I love to dance. It is a passion of mine. While I never really pursued dancing at great length (at least not beyond my 4 years on my high school's dance team), I absolutely love the thrill and joy of expressing myself through movement - or simply having fun with my friends.
• I am a bit obsessed (okay - crazy obsessed) with music. I have a music encyclopedia in my head. I am often made fun of for the music I listen to, but that's okay because it is what I love (for example, Hanson is, always has been, and always will be my favorite band of all time).
• I come from a HUGE family (my dad is one of 9 children and my mom is one of 4. I have 2 brothers, and 30+ cousins).
• I may or may not spend way too much time on the computer...
• I am a Child Life Specialist (hence the degree with the emphasis in Child Life) in a Pediatric Emergency Department and Intensive Care Unit. I know that very few people have ever even heard of Child Life, but I assure you that I will discuss my job at length at some point in this blogging adventure.

**Also, I feel it is necessary to give credit where credit is due. I didn't come up with the title "All of My Musings" on my own - it is the title of a song my friend Patrick and his band Believe I May wrote.