LOVE IS....

LOVE is patient, love is kind, it is not jealous, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not selfish, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. LOVE does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. LOVE never fails. 1Cor.13:6-8



Regardless of how hard one strives to love unconditionally, it is impossible. LOVE IS GOD, and God is the ONLY ONE capable of loving perfectly. He lives in us, and by His Spirit that fills us with His power and grace, we are called to love one another as perfectly as humanly possible. Unfortunately, we all fall short in one way or another, both knowingly and unknowingly, at times. And so we are to choose forgiveness. Both asking for it from someone we've wronged, and offering it to those who hurt us, no matter how deeply or how often. No matter the offense.



I think of the mercies He's shown me and how He makes Himself known to me. He is worthy of all He asks of me, and MORE. He knows my heart;, why it hurts, and He knows that I have hurt others; and still He loves and forgives me. I am humbled when I can look past my circumstances and see HIM...His handing reaching out for mine, waiting to draw me closer to Him, in childlike faithfulness.



He holds each tear I've cried in His hands, and He knows what each one has been shed for. There has never been a greater LOVE, and there will NEVER be a greater ONE than His Son. There should never be a greater reason for wanting to reach out and love as when I trust in Him, even when the pain seems unbearable...because it's not about me...it's about HIM!



Heavenly Father, You never let go, help me to be a light for You, even when the way, at times, seems so dark and I don't understand. Enable me to offer the same grace and forgiveness as You show me. Amen.

Color Change

Went to South Haven on a long awaited road trip with my friend Jan. We visited a really cute shop that's walls were the same color of yellow as my siding. They had the trim painted in the "watermelon" colors and it was so bright and cheery, just knew I needed to make a trip to Menards!!

I'm Still Yours

This coming Sunday, Aug. 8, I am being baptized! Words cannot express what this means to me personally. It has been said that the sacrament of BAPTISM is like a wedding ring - an outward symbol of the committment to Christ you have in your heart. Ironically, when listening to the radio this morning, I was reminded that our salvation and desire to follow Him doesn't come from our own desire to follow Christ; but from being born of HIM! His Holy Spirit living in me is the reason I have surrendered my life to Him! He has called me, EVEN me! I heard His still, small voice and answered...thank You, Jesus, for your unfailing, unconditional love for me.

I don't believe in coincidences, but as my friend Lisa calls them, "God-incidences". I would like to share with you the significance of this day.

The church that I have recently been worshipping at, Central Wesleyan, holds adult baptism services just once every summer. It is a full immersion baptism, in the pond behind the church. Before I knew of the date, I had already made the decision to be baptized, so this God-incidence, for me, is mindboggling. August 8 was my and Steve's wedding anniversary. Not only that, our former pastor, Kevin Harney, both of Corinth and Central, who had moved to CA last January, will be visiting and preaching at our church this day!

While my heart breaks that our marriage ended in divorce, a marriage that blessed us with the loves of my life, Ashley and Tyler, I am in awe that Jesus has chosen this date to signify the redeeming and healing work that He has done in my life. I now choose Him, and only Him, to spend eternity with.

There is a song, by Kutless, whose lyrics speak of the testimony that I will give the day of my baptism. I would like to share them with you. Thank you, Lord Jesus, for your sacrifice on my behalf. I pray my life will be a living testimony of Your great love for me. Amen.

I'M STILL YOURS

If You washed away my vanity
If you took away my words
If all my world was swept away
Would You be enough for me?
Would my beating heart still sing?

If I lost it all
Would my hands stay lifted
To the God who gives and takes away
If You take it all
This life You've given
Still my heart will sing to You

When my life is not what I expected
The plans I made have failed
When there's nothing left to steal me away
Will You be enough for me?
Will my broken heart still sing?

Chorus

Even if You take it all away
You'll never let me go
You take it all away
But I still know
That I'm Yours
That I'm Still Yours
I'm Still Yours

Lucy’s Blog Pt. 5 – How to Love and be Loved

Lucy’s Blog Pt. 5 – How to Love and be Loved

BEACH > THIS WAY!!

Just a few more finishing touches and, mostly decorative, and the project will be finished! But it's definitely time to be put to use!! It was a lot of fun and I hope to have lots of beach bums coming to visit!! The BEACH sign was made by my neighbor Katie! She just graduated from Holland High and this was a project from her art class that she offered to give to me! It's just perfect!

A Little Piece of Ludington

I've finally discovered my hidden treasure! When Tyler, the name of the "sandman", delivered my "beach", he informed me that the sand was from a dune that he owns up in Ludington!! I was so geeked!! I have so many amazing memories from there when I was growing up; and now I have a little tangible piece in my own backyard that will be a reminder everytime I look out the window!! Now comes the "fun" part of filling in where the sod once was!!

I was able to get a little bit shoveled before I left for work tonight, and then worked on it again when I got home, by "security light"!! It's a slower process than I expected but it will definitely be worth it!!
So please stop by, everyone, anytime, and spend a little time in Ludington!! lol I have lots of landscaping/decorating ideas yet that I want to add, like an old wood dock for sunbathing, beach grass to line the fence with, and some other surprises that you'll just have to stop by to see!!! I should have the sand all in place by Sunday, hopefully!!! I'm so glad the weather is cooperating!! What a blessing indeed!! Have a Happy 4th!! Thank you to all who serve and protect our freedom, and a special thank you to the ones I am so privileged to know; Carolynn Czepiga, Scott Johnson, John Wilson, and Karl Palmberg; the friends I met from AZ that went to Ghana with us!! God Bless you all!

Just Beachy!!

There's been a little bit of a delay in the Beach construction project! I had a house full of guests this past week; my dad came up from SC, and Tyler, Kelly and Michael were all here! It was nice having a full house again...it sure is quiet now though! (Except for the fire crackers going off non-stop!)

As I continued digging up the sod, I discovered yet another treasure! This time, not a bottle, but a silver spoon! I'm thinking, just one step closer to that hidden treasure that's waiting for me!!

This excavating by hand is definitely hard work but well worth the muscles that I'm developing in my arms and abs!! I even beat Ashley at arm wrestling! There are pics to prove it, but, well, I'm a nice mom and I wouldn't want to embarrass her too badly!!! Boosted my ego a little, I must admit though! lol

The day before yesterday, when I saw the forecast for the 4th of July I just had to get this project moving!! What a great way to spend the weekend---at my very own backyard beach!! So I called the number I had from Craig's List for the beach sand and scheduled a delivery date! That'll get me motivated!!! It was to be delivered the next day! Time to get moving!!