Spreading the Wealth

Love this...

Yearn

In earlier posts, I have written how much music speaks to me. Recently, I had the privilege of attending a Shane and Shane concert at church. It was amazing! Not just because they are talented musicians, but because their music is full of scripture and their concerts always have a message. This particular concert was called "Thanks Giving". They talked and sang about how we are called to live a live of praise -- regardless of life's events. So, I had to include this song on the blog and I'll explain.

I started listening to this song, looked up the lyrics and found the scripture references at the end. The first one is Acts 17: 24-28. Whew! What a verse.

"The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And He is not served by human hands, as if He needed anything, because He Himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. From one man He made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us. For in Him we live and move and have our being."

Oh, isn't this such a great word?

If you know me, then you know that I am a planner. I'm not really a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants kind of gal. This is hard to admit, but I'm not. I live by plans and goals. (But trust me, God is working this out in my life! Don't you know God shakes His head at me a little each time I plan something new..."when will she learn?") So, when life throws me a "curve-ball", I'm always surprised. Recently, I have found myself in such a place -- overwhelmed by life's circumstances, rather than seeking Him -- the Omnipotent (All Powerful) God of the universe!

This is why I love this song. What a great prayer! "In this place in time (not when my circumstances are different), that I might seek and find my God...Lord, I want to yearn for you; I want to burn with passion over You and ONLY You!" He designed these very circumstances in life that I might seek Him -- right now! "In his heart a man plans His course, but the Lord determines his steps." Proverbs 16:9 He gives life and breath and everything else. Nothing comes to me without touching His hands first!

Yearn -- Shane Barnard and Shane Everett
holy design
this place in time
that i might seek and find my God
my God


Lord i want to yearn for You
i want to burn with passion
over You and only You
Lord i want to yearn


Your joy is mine
yet why am i fine
with all my singing and bringing grain
in light of Him


oh You give life and breath
through Him You give all things
in Him we live and move
that's why i sing

Acts 17:25-28, Hebrews 12:28-29

Take me out to the ball game...

'Tis the season for ballparks and stadiums! Curtis is playing on his company's softball team this year. It's truly something to see! The team is comprised of mainly Georgia Tech grads from his office -- ranging in age from early 20s to 50-somethings. One of his co-workers quoted it best, "This is better than anything you can find on TV!"

The first game, his team was down by six half-way through the first inning -- eventually loosing the game 14-2. Actually, the game was called at the end of the fifth inning because they were loosing so bad. This week, they lost 18-0 -- at the end of the fourth inning. Oh well...as long as they're having fun! (I'm certainly entertained!) Feel free to come watch...admission is $.25! Ha!

Lilly...just waiting for an invitation to play ball! It was torture for her to just watch...and wear the that collar!!

For Labor Day, we went to the opening UGA game against Georgia Southern. Curtis' family has the best seats around the 45-yard line. Thankfully, we got some different tickets closer to the end-zone this weekend. We were in the shade the whole game! Curtis was a good sport.

House Divided

Can you believe it? Fall is "officially" here today with the start of college football! After working in sports, especially with college football, I really love this time of year. I love everything this season has to bring! The colors. The cool crisp air...and of course, college football. Curtis and I love to go to games and watch on TV.


But, college football is special for Curtis and me. If you look up rivalry or house divided, it would say "see Curtis & Sarah Jefferson". The picture above is from the grooms cake at our wedding -- and it tells you everything you need to know. Curtis is a Tech grad and pulls for Georgia Tech -- even though they rarely show up for a game (I can make these jabs since I'm the one writing this entry) and his entire family graduated from UGA. His grandmother actually banned him from her kitchen when she found out he was going there. I knew I liked her! However, I've grown up pulling for two teams University of Memphis and the University of Georgia. I didn't graduate from there, but I did finish up my last year of school there. So, this makes for an exciting, yet unique marriage!


We are not the average "House Divided" marriage. We have nothing that says house divided. Curtis says UGA - GT house divided tags should really say "This UGA fan supported by the GT income!" I know, isn't he terrible!? Regardless, he pulls for Tech. I pull for Georgia. This means, if I hang my UGA flag outside -- we must hang an equally sized, equally viewable Tech flag. For everything UGA, there must be something Tech! For example, his work gave us a fantastic grill when we married. They also included a horrible Georgia Tech grill cover. So, my concrete Uga sits next to it. It's fun! Pray for our children. At least I'll have nine months while they're in my belly to brain wash them into going to UGA! :)



Anyway, the point of this post is wish everyone a happy beginning to college football! May the best team win!

Extreme Makeover *Our Home* Edition

Home remodeling is not for the faint-of-heart -- it's for the tight-of-wallet. Seriously! We have saved so much money simply learning how to do stuff ourselves. Believe it or not, Curtis and I have been learning/working on remodeling our house for the last two years. I can't believe it's been that long. We haven't done anything drastic like knock down walls, but the work has been constant. We've really only worked on the inside, with the plan to finish that before we launched into the outside. I've litterally painted every wall in our house but three rooms -- even the stairwell (scary)! But I love it. Soon I'll post a load of before and afters. They're something to see.

Ever since we bought it, I've been dying to paint the house. But, first things first. You have to live inside and the outside could wait. But, I absolutely love painted brick homes! There are everywhere near church and I simply adore them. I always envisioned our house with painted brick, but I wasn't sure I could convince Curtis to take the plunge. Well, he loved the idea and we painted the house! Before you look at the pictures, remember -- the yard is next! :)

*Before*

*After* Yay!

Some of you might be wondering, "Their house is so clean now...why didn't they have their porch pressure washed?" Well, there's a funny story behind that. Apparently, the guy asked me if I wanted them to. I thought he asked if I wanted it painted. So, Curtis came home and said (probably not in the nicest tone) "Why didn't you pressure wash the porch??" The poor man replied, "Well, your wife said not to." Ha! Might help if I spoke Spanglish.

This was my Grammy's furniture. What a difference paint makes!

Laundry Room Heaven

Every year for mom's birthday and Christmas, dad and I plot together about what he should get her. This has become a great memory, I hope Curtis will take on if we have a little girl. Anyway, this birthday was no different. Dad bought her a "custom" laundry room from The Container Store (basically just the shelves). Since I love home improvement and organizing, I volunteered for the install. Mom found out about our little plan the night before she headed out of town with dad for two weeks. So, she had no time to pick colors, decide what she wanted where -- nothing. All she had to do was go on a vacation and come home to a remodeled laundry room. I'm so proud of how it turned out. Here are the pics.

Trusting

8/1 Streams in the Desert

Offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life. Romans 6:13

One night I went to hear a sermon on consecration. Nothing special came to me from the message, but as the preacher knelt to pray, he said, "O Lord, You know we can trust the Man who died for us." That was the message. As I rose from my knees and walked down the street to catch the train, I deeply pondered all the consecration would mean to my life. I was afraid as I considered the personal cost, and suddenly, above the noise of the street traffic, came this message, "You can trust the Man who died for you." I boarded the train, and as I traveled toward home, I thought of the changes, sacrifices and disappointments that consecration might mean in my life -- and I was still afraid.

Upon arriving home, I went straight to my room, fell on my knees, and saw my life pass before my eyes. I was a Christian, an officer in the church, and a Sunday school superintendent, but I had never yielded my life to God with a definite act of my will. Yet as I thought of my own "precious" plans that might be thwarted, my beloved hopes to be surrendered and my chosen profession that I might have to abandon -- I was afraid.

I completely failed to see that better things God had for me, so my soul was running from Him. And then for the last time, with a swift force of convicting power to my inmost heart, came that searching message, "My child, you can trust the Man who died for you. If you cannot trust Him, then whom can you trust?" Finally that settled it for me, for in a flash of light I realized that the Man who loved me enough to die for me could be absolutely trusted with the total concerns of the life He had saved.

Dear friend, you can trust the Man who died for you. You can trust Him to thwart each plan that should be stopped and to complete each on that results in His greatest glory and you highest good. You can trust Him to lead you down the path that is very best in the world for you. J.H.M.

Just as I am, Thy love unknown,
Has broken every barrier down,
Now to be Thine, yea, Thine ALONE,
O Lamb of God, I come!

Life is not wreckage to be saved out of the world but an investment to be used in the world.
-------

I write this today because it was such a word to me from the Lord this morning! I, too, am guilty of not yielding the plans of my life to God with a definite act of my will. What a tragedy. What a terrible way to live!

It is too easy to get caught up in the circumstances of life, grow weary and pitty yourself. I have even felt at times that God was holding out on me. But, God has so much more in store. That doesn't mean that I like some of my circumstances. In fact, He wants us to be honest about how we feel in prayer -- He knows it anyway. I think I forget just how BIG God really is. And praise Him that He is!!

Lord, help me to yeild my life to You with a definite act of my will -- so that I may see the better things You have in store for me!

"In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us." Romans 8:37

"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland." Isaiah 43:18-20