Author: Sandie D

I always have a hard time explaining who am I. I resort to the I am a mother to 2 beautiful adult daughters I have the most handsome grandsons and the loveliest grand-daughters. I'm married to an amazing man since 1980. The most important thing about me is that I am a Born Again Christian. The Lord has gotten me through so much in my life. So, I want to give Him the credit for all of my blessings. I'm also a blogger and I enjoy writing. blogs about my faith, family, and food.

Finding Joy

Published on March 14, 2014 by Sandie DLeave a comment

Funny what motivates me when I do my blog postings. Today it was a video of a girl and a street musician.

Looking around at the peoples faces and lives, its easy to see all the pain of the world that is on their shoulders and in their hearts. I do think we all have our own pains and struggles. But that shouldn’t be the reason to take our joy when we know the Lord. There have been many times I just want to hit something or throw my arms in the air and give up. Thankfully those are fleeting moments. If we really look around us, we can see joy.. Joy can come in many forms. And at times we may miss it if we only look at the pain and struggles.

Today while I was watching the video on wimp.com, I was reminded of this. It all starts with a cello player, I think he was that is standing on the sidewalk and a young girl puts her coin in her hat. He begins to play. What happens after that is nothing less than pure joy, happiness and love. Check out this video. It will bring joy to your heart and maybe tears to your eyes. I sure can read a lot into a a couple minute video, lol…

I know from my own personal experiences that it can be hard to find our Joy when we are going through difficult circumstance in our lives. And at the same time I know that the only choice I have to surrender it all to God and He will be there and things work out. There is no amount of money, possessions or other worldly things that will give me the kind of joy that God can give me. There is no comparison. Now I’m not saying that money isn’t important and that we don’t need things to survive. But I am saying these things can’t be what dictates what real joy is. They are all temporary things, while God is forever. This is a great verse to remember when we think about true joy that can only be because of God.

(Habakkuk 3:17-18). When we look to anything or anyone other than the Lord to satisfy us, we will not discover true joy. We may find a measure of happiness, pleasure in the moment, but not real and lasting joy.

Then I think about a young lady that is a cousin of mine. Her name is Page. I have never met her and just became acquainted with her because of my Uncle George passing away. This young lady has very much been affected by the passing of her grandfather. I didn’t know him very well, but because of her, I got to see the love and joy she had. I can also see the pain and struggles she is going through. But then at the same time, she is relying solely on God alone and not what the world says. Yes, she has her moments like we all do.

Pages real joy is in the Lord. And that is the kind of joy any one of us can have if we believe and accept Christ as our Savior. Her father, my first cousin is a pastor and it is awesome to read their messages and see the love and joy they have in the Lord.
It is heartbreaking to see all the pain people go through. And many times I do understand that they made the bed they are lying in. But they don’t have to stay there and wallow in it. Real joy and peace is something that God has provided for all of us. I’m not saying that life will be perfect and we will never be hurt or hurt others. Joy is essential in bearing life’s burdens. And we all have burdens, but we can choose how we respond to them. Are we going to respond in despair or in joy? For me, joy is something everyone needs and I depend on to have strength to live my life for Christ.

In Nehemiah 8:10 it says; Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

Jesus says, “…that My joy might remain in you….” It’s not joy that comes and goes. It is joy in the good times, the bad times, the nighttime, the daytime, the rainy day, and sunny day. We’re to rejoice in the Lord always. And Jesus didn’t say these words lightly. He was facing a dark time when He instructed us to have His joy.

I’m going to end this here since I have a way of going on and on and my blogs becoming a book almost, lol.

in John 16:33 Jesus says, “These things have I spoken unto you….”, so it only makes sense to see what He has just spoken. There, we will find a recipe for joy.

One of my favorite verses in the Bible is when Jesus said in Luke 10:20, “Rejoice that your name is written in heaven.” Now of course if your name isn’t there, that would be a good reason to despair and if you are reading this and breathing, you might want to know what you have to do in order to be assured of where you will be when your time on earth is done. Anyone is free to message or comment. And if I don’t have the answer, I will try to point you in the right direction. But I can say, the only real and honest answer is through Christ Alone. There is NO OTHER WAY.

This Girl is Nuts

Published on March 7, 2014March 7, 2014 by Sandie DLeave a comment

I’m not sure how many people watch the news. I try to keep up to date on some things. Lately there has been a story of a young girl named Rachel that is suing her parents to pay her tuition and living expenses. This girl is crazy.

Rachel is said to be and honors student and intelligent. Well! I’m not seeing this. I see her as a spoiled brat who thinks her parents owe her a living and education. Now granted I have no issue if parents want to help their kids go to college. If I had the money to do that, I would have loved to have been able to do that. My daughters knew we didn’t have the money and they were responsible enough to figure it out.

This girl claims that her parents kicked her out of their home because they didn’t want to pay for her private school tuition. When actually she left under her own will because she didn’t want to follow the rules of the house. She was also seeing a boy that was trouble and they told her they didn’t want her seeing him. She is 18 and she didn’t like the rules and she moved in with a friend. since she left home, she was kicked out of school for drinking and a couple other things that I can’t remember why. The judge said that he wished they would spend more time trying to reunite the family, then tear it apart. And I can’t agree more. This family she is staying with has taken on the responsibility and her side. They provided a lawyer for her. Check out the video of her court appearance… Love this Judge

My thought is that this girl is 18, left on her own accord and is a brat. When I left my home before I was 18, I never expected my parents to pay my way. My daughters never expected me to pay their way. If I needed help, they would help if they could. But I never expected it. When my daughters got married, or they left home to make their way in the world. They had to do it. I love my daughters and am very proud of them. They are Godly women.They have needed help off an on, but if they acted like this girl, there would be no way they would get my help. If they needed help, they knew they could ask, but the answer may be no.

I give her parents props for being responsible and not giving into Rachel’s brattiness and entitlement. We did pay for my daughter Jessica’s car. We got a cheapy one and she had to be responsible and pay for her stuff. She also had to take automotive to learn how to work on the car in case it broke down or blew a tire. And we had a contract she had to sign before getting it. She was happy to have the privilege in owning a car and having freedom. Jessica also wanted to be a teacher. She knew we had no money due to my medical problems. She found a way to go and is graduating this May with honors and she will have her Bachelors in Elementary Ed. She gained so much more by doing it herself than if I would hand things to her.

Beckiah and one of her children…My cute grand daughter Kora… She also has 3 boys

My daughter Beckiah was in resources in school and could have gone to any college in Utah for free. She took a different path and is an awesome mother to 4 of my grand kids. She was adopted but I have to say she is more like me that Jessica and I are. Beckiah has had a hard life and is a hard worker. If she wants something, she knows she has to make it happen. Things aren’t handed to her. And because she had to do what needed to be done, she has a lot of pride in knowing she did it. Nobody can give you that sense of accomplishment and success, only you can.

I have had more than my share of guilt over not being able to give my daughters everything they wanted or needed. My health has very much gotten into the way of being able to take part in things that I know I should have gone to. One example is with Beckiah. She was in choir at school and I had a difficult time getting to many of her programs. But then I got to a number of Jessica’s flute concerts. I think the reason why is that Jessica would constantly whine and give me a hard time if I didn’t go. Beckiah was silent and would say “it’s OK”. When in reality it wasn’t. I could never really plan a lot of things in advance since I didn’t and still don’t know what will happen or if I will be in the hospital.

For close to a year off and on when my daughters were in 11th and 12th grade, I was in the hospital. It was so bad that they had lunch at the hospital with me and they would go back to school. I felt an incredible amount of guilt over this. When Jessica got married, thankfully I had friends that helped put it together. I got out of the hospital days before it, and went back in 3 days later. I am so very grateful that my daughters don’t act like this girl suing her parents. I think I would be imprisoned because of all the things I couldn’t do for them.

I was in tears at one time around the time Jessica got married. I missed out on so much and I felt that I wasn’t the mother they both needed. Because a lot of times my friends would have to be there for them. My husband is a truck driver. Jessica and Beckiah warmed my heart though when they said it was because of their experiences and my health that they are the compassionate people they are today. I feel bad for Beckiah though because of my health. She lived in fear for a long time and I think she still does. I didn’t know how my being sick and the ambulances affected her till one day an ambulance was headed in our houses direction and Beckiah freaked out. When I’m in the hospital, she has a fear that I won’t come home or something.

I’m thankful that I have the daughters I do and that I don’t have a daughter that is entitled like this Rachael girl is. I think this girl took some lessons off of Lindsey Lohan or something. She needs a reality check and maybe a bit of Medea’s heavy hand.

My final thought is that if this girl expects to get a job, she may be shocked. She thinks she is smart, but this is the dumbest move ever. She is a joke and a spoiled brat.

What a Nuisance Cell Phones Can Be!!

Published on March 6, 2014 by Sandie D1 Comment

There was a time when you wanted to visit a friend and meet up. You had no cell phone, so you made sure you were there. If you were having a conversation with someone, you would look each other in the eyes and talk. A conversation was between 2 or more people. Cell phones are great, but it seems like they are more and more taking over our lives. We depend on them for everything. Our so called smart phones are making us dumb. For myself, I use to be able to remember telephone numbers and figure out things for myself. Now, if I needed to remember my daughters telephone numbers I would be lost and stressed out. I barely know my husbands number by heart. And that is a shame. Technology is taking over our brains.

There are many advantages with having cell phones and I love mine. Some of those are emergencies, business and whatever else. But I have found that I rely on it way too much. I realized this when I went to visit my parents in Arizona. They live in a black hole when it comes to cell and internet service. I was in denial that there could be a place that I couldn’t find out what was going on in the world and with each other. But what I found is that it was great not being attached to my phone. I didn’t worry about doing the things I normally never get a chance to do and just visit with family. My friend did have a cell that could be used in this black hole and I would check in each day. But it was rather nice to not have to worry about the phone ringing off the hook, missing a status update or a text message. They all knew they couldn’t reach me where I was, and surprisingly they survived and so did I. As soon as I entered an area where I could get some bars, my phone with off the hook and the real world was there again.

Not too long ago, there was a picture that has made it’s rounds on Facebook about texting in public and when you are with others. This is a pet peeve of mine big time. I don’t like having dinner with someone and every few seconds they check their status, message or whatever else it may be. I might as well have eaten by myself or not go out at all. I find it sad that when a cell phone rings, everyone is taking their phones out of pockets and purses on cue. And it is sad and frustrating that you have to text the person in front of you to get them to talk or acknowledge you are there.

When I worked at a local grocery store, we had customers come up to the register all the time with phone in hand while trying to unload their cart. I would ask them if there was anything else they needed. Or how many items were in a bag. I felt like I was talking to myself. Oh, and when they put their finger up as if they were saying “hold on, I’m talking”, I would be ticked. This one lady did that. She was arguing with her husband for sometime. We could all hear her throughout the store. And lucky me, I got to check her out. She kept arguing. I was pretty tired of it by then. I rang up her groceries and when I gave her the amount, she lifted her finger. OH, NO! She did not just do that was on my mind. So I suspended her order and took the receipt to the customer service booth. I told her when she is done fighting on the phone for us all to hear, she can get her groceries. She gave me a look that could kill. But, I’m pretty sure the 5 or 6 customers behind me were applauding.

I try to be observant of those around me. If someone calls me while driving, they can wait for me to call them back when I stop. I very much dislike it when I go out with friends or family and the phone comes out and I’m trying to carry on a conversation. My husband would do that while we were out. Since the posting on Facebook, I have noticed the past couple of times, he has left his phone in his pocket. There was a time people did live through the whole thing of phones attached to the ears.

Then you have family dinners. I find it disheartening that when families are out together, they are all on cell phones. Why go if you are chatting to others or preoccupied by the phone. Makes no sense to me. I have had some people get mad that I don’t answer my phone right away. And I don’t really care if they get mad. When I’m out in public or with someone, I don’t need to be married to my phone. I want to visit with them. And unless someone is hurt or the world is coming to an end, then I won’t answer. There was a time or two I had to take my phone out of my purse that is normally turned off or on silent. I took it out and turned it on to text the person I’m having dinner with. I would ask them if they realize they are out to dinner and the phone can be shut off. I wish there was cell phone free zones.

I think it is entirely rude to be in line and you aren’t ready. They are there to take your order, not listen to your conversation. They do have other people they need to wait on. And then you get those at the drive thru, theaters, church and driving. This is a hot topic for me. I won’t even go into the whole driving while texting and chatting. If people don’t know the dangers with that, then they have had their heads in the sand or on the phone for way too long.

Crabs and Spiders According to JJ

Published on March 4, 2014 by Sandie DLeave a comment

I get into some weird conversations when my 6 yr old Grandson JJ is over at my house. Here is one of many conversations.

We were looking at pictures of crabs on the internet. I made the comment that they are like spiders in the ocean. So I showed him pictures of spiders that have similar body types and legs. The conversation got out of hand to say the least.

Me: JJ, this is what a crab looks like before we eat them.
JJ: I love crab legs, can we go get some at Red Lobster. ( A kid after my own heart)
Me: Not right now, I have no money… But we can look at pictures ( funny look on his face)
JJ: Crabs look cool
Me: Yeah, they look like big spiders, but they swim in the ocean. And spiders are on land (Showing Tarantula Pics)
JJ: That’s AWESOME(Evil Chuckle as he says that)
Me: Why is that awesome JJ. Do you like spiders
JJ: NO!!! Do they taste like crab legs.
Me: I don’t know, I never tired and never want to
JJ: That would be SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Cool (Me picturing him chasing a spider with a fork)
Me: I don’t think you want to eat spiders because they might bite you on your lip if you did that.
JJ: Would I go to heaven if it bit me?
Me: I would make sure you didn’t die and you will have a swollen lip that is ugly, lol
JJ: That isn’t a nice spider
Me: JJ please don’t go eating spiders and only eat crab legs when you go to Red Lobster or parents give it to you, lol
JJ: OK! Then can I get a GI Joe at Target

I think I need to remember that JJ is impressionable and doesn’t have a big fear factor going on. Shoot, this kid eats the lollipops with worms and crickets. So I need to make sure he doesn’t have a fork in hand while chasing spiders around the room.

Are Spiders and Crabs Related?

I had to look this up and found it on webanwers.com. I’m not knowledgeable when it comes to matters like this. And spiders are NOT my favorite topic,,,

Crabs and spiders are distantly related. They are both invertebrates (animals that lack internal bony skeletons). They are both in the phylum Arthropoda (animals which have jointed legs, an external skeleton of chitin, and a segmented body).

Spiders are in the subphylum Chelicerata which includes the horseshoe crabs and sea spiders but not the true crabs. True crabs are in the subphylum Crustacea which also includes animals such as shrimp, lobsters, and barnacles.

Spiders are all terrestrial while the crabs are nearly all fully aquatic with a few terrestrial species which still are closely tied to the water. While the spiders and crabs share a common ancestor so they are related, they are not closely related. The two groups are about as closely related as mammals are to fish.

Observing The Birth and Resurrection of Christ

Published on March 3, 2014 by Sandie DLeave a comment

For those who have been around me for any length of time knows me well enough to know I do things differently. One of the things I have been doing and getting more and more excited to do is our Christmas at Easter. I didn’t realize how much I would like this until I started putting everything together.

We are going to be putting our Christmas tree up at the beginning of April. The actual name of the tree is called a Chrismon Tree. Most of the decorations are hand made and all of them are based on Jesus Christ. Each one means something different. The tree is special because it represents the life of Christ. All the ornaments has a special meaning that tells the story of the life of Christ. I included the meanings at the end of this post.

One of the things I have found by doing our Christmas at Easter is that it means so much more. The birth of Christ of course is extremely important. If Christ never came to us as a baby, we would have no hope. Christ came to save us from our sins. Jesus paid the price for my sins and everyone else’s.

As I make each of these ornaments, I see a story come alive. The story and life of Christ. Each of these ornaments are important in their own way. What I have found by celebrating Christmas in December is that the meaning is lost. Commercialism takes over and Christ gets put on the back burner. We hear all the time the “Reason for the Season is Jesus Christ”. I do wonder if anymore it is becoming a common saying and people don’t really understand why Jesus is the reason. I can’t say all people loose track of the true meaning. But society and the world has a way of making it about money and things. I guess as a Christian, I look at things in a Christian way.

Christmas is one of the biggest holidays for businesses. And it gets me because most of the world celebrates Christmas. But they aren’t celebrating the Birth of Christ. The reason I say that is because I have many friends that are of all faiths or no faiths at all. They put up Christmas Trees, wrap gifts and do all the things that come along with Christmas. But when you ask them why they celebrate since it is a day for Celebrating Christ, they say it is about family. Or they think it is a fun day and they love to give gifts and receive them. Many times children think it is all about Santa Clause. When Atheists share pictures from their day and all the gifts, I get sad. Because I know they don’t celebrate the reason reason we have this day.

Now as a Christian, the nice thing about the Christmas Season is the music. That and Easter is the only times that it seems acceptable to since songs about Christ without someone boycotting something. Even though that does happen in some areas and even here in America. Like I said earlier, I’m super excited to celebrate the Birth and the Resurrection of Christ in this way. I wish it was communion Sunday on Easter Sunday. We do that only for the first Sunday. But that would be awesome.

My husband for many years hated Christmas. And I couldn’t grasp the thought that he hated it so much. What I came to find out over the years is that he didn’t necessarily hate Christmas. He hated all the stuff that went along with it. The frenzy that ensued on Black Friday to save a buck. The careless drivers and people doing whatever they could do to get what they wanted and willing to pay any price to get the bigger and better gifts. It was a keeping up with the Jones mentality. Even Christians got into the act of bigger and better. Christ was lost.

When I started working at Lin’s Marketplace here in St. George, I began to feel the way Chuck did on some things. We started with putting merchandise out in October. Christmas music and decorations went up. It wasn’t because the store was super excited to celebrate the birth of Christ. It was because they wanted to sale sale sale. They wanted to entice the buyers. And each year it comes out earlier and earlier. It rather frustrates me now. It would be nice if they would wait till after Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is just another day anymore too. All the talk around the table is who has the best deals to get on Black Friday. Now when people describe a holiday about family, I think Thanksgiving is that day. But society, stores and the world has taken the focus off the family time together and enjoying the company of our loved ones and friends, that it is gone.

Since Chuck hated the Christmas season so much, I tried a number of times to do different things. But I have to say that I would fall into the thought of getting my kids everything they wanted, no matter the cost. Then it came time to pay the bills, and realized I was being stupid when it came to buying gifts and spending money.

But this year, I wanted to do something different. Many times Easter is kinda looked over unless you have young kids that love Easter baskets and such. And in reality the Birth and the Resurrection are the most important of all observances for Christians. I was playing around with the idea of merging the two for a couple of years and this year I decided to do it. And I am learning and enjoying this so much more. I don’t have to compete with others trying to run me over in the store. My daughters don’t have to decided where they are going to go for Christmas dinner and have to eat at the other families later on. Bills get paid and the focus is put on Christ. It’s a win win for all involved. And nobody is getting killed in order to save the almighty buck.

We are getting gifts for each person and exchanging them. It will be nothing overboard. We will be inviting friends to join us for dinner and I pray it will be an awesome day for all involved. And most importantly is that when everyone comes over after church on Sunday, they will be able to feel the presence of Christ in all things. From the tree, to the gift bags instead of Christmas Stockings filled with items to help them learn more about Christ. And there is candy, but the candy will also have verses and such on them. I’m super excited to be doing this and I’m thankful and blessed that my kids, husband and grand kids go along with my way of doing things.

On a personal level, I think doing this has been therapeutic for me. I spend so much time at home and having to be careful when it comes to not getting sick. So I try to find things to keep me busy and preoccupied with other things that don’t involve Dr’s, nurses and medicines. This project has done that. I think in the process of doing this, I have become closer to God and have learned so much.

Here are some examples;
Click here to go to a website that has the pictures of the decorations–

The Cross: Symbolizes the crucifixion of Christ
The Chalice: The cup symbolizing the sacrament of Eucharist or Communion; it also represents forgiveness and reconciliation with God.
The Crown: A King’s Crown is the symbol of royal power and authority. It symbolizes Jesus as King of the Jews, in fulfillment of prophetic expectation, as well as the exalted Christ as King of Kings.
Alpha and Omega: The Greek letters alpha (first) and omega (last) from Rev 1:8 and 22:13, symbolizing Jesus as the Christ who has come and will come again; it also symbolizes the continuity of God’s presence in human history
The Descending Dove: The dove is a symbol of the Holy Spirit, recalling the Holy Spirit’s descent on Jesus as a dove at his Baptism. The nimbus, three-pointed rays around its head, is a symbol of the Trinity.
Chi Rho: Two Greek letters which are the first letters in the Greek word for Christ.
Jerusalem Cross: The crusader’s cross. Worn by the crusaders going to Jerusalem, it symbolizes the Four Gospels or the spread of the Gospel to the four corners of the Earth. The five crosses can also represent the five wounds of Jesus.
HIS–Iota, Eta, Sigma: The three Greek letters are the first three in the Greek word for Jesus. We are reminded that Jesus died on the cross for us.
Lamb of God: Judaism believed the lamb was an offering. Christians think of Jesus as the lamb of god who was sacrificed to forgive our sins
The Butterfly: The butterfly symbolizes the transformation
The Lamp: Represents Jesus as the light of the path for Christian through the world.
The Star of David: The Star of David or the Creator’s Star. The six points represent six aspects of God: love, mercy, wisdom, majesty, power, and justice. In this form, the two triangles represent the Trinity.
The Furca/Upsilon Cross” From the Greek letter Y is also called The Thieves’ Cross from the two robbers who were crucified on each side of Jesus. From ancient times, the furca symbolized the choice between good and evil
The Heart” The Symbol of Love
The Manger” Christ was born in a manger
8 pointed Armenian Star: The eight pointed Armenian Star, the points symbolizing Christ; in the west, it is called the Bethlehem Star, symbolizing the world Jesus came to save; eight is the symbol of regeneration, often associated with baptism or resurrection.
The Clam: The seashell or scallop is a symbol for Christian baptism or the baptism of Jesus. It is also a symbol for pilgrimage and the spread of the Gospel to the world.
Pax: Peace in Latin representing hope for peace in this world
The Fish or IXTHUS: The Greek word for fish. This is an acrostic for the Greek words meaning Jesus Christ, God’s Son, Savior
The Earth: A symbol that reminds us we are all of this one world.
Natal Star Cross: Natal Star Cross: A natal cross, with a four-pointed Bethlehem Star representing the sign in the night sky announcing Jesus’ birth combined with a cross, symbolizing the salvation which the birth of this child brings.
5 Pointed Star: Medievel Christians believed the 5 points represented the five wounds of Christ and was believe to protect against evil.
Trefoil: Three circles interposed symbolize the unity of the Trinity, yet the separate Persons thereof.
Triumphant Church Cross: –The world (as seen by the latitude and longitude lines) with the cross on top, reminds us that Christ is triumphant over the challenges presented by living in the world.
The Peace Dove: A dove carrying an olive leaf is a symbol of peace.
Holy Bible: The inspired Word of God

Praise You in The Storm

Published on February 28, 2014 by Sandie D2 Comments

I absolutely love Casting Crowns. One of the songs they sing is “Praise You In The Storm”. They wrote this about a young girl named Erin Browning (10 yrs old) who was going through cancer. She praised God during her storm. Right around the time the band connected with Erin and her family was when she was found to have cancer. Erin died on November 1, 2004. According to Mark Hall, “Watching Erin’s mom walk through this really showed him the truth about his worship. Watching her walk through a real storm showed Mark Hall that his worship was extremely situational . Mark Hall began writing the song before Erin’s death and told her about it, but was not able to complete it before she died You can read more about her story and other songs on the Lifesong CD. The book is also called Life Stories (Amazon) and it is very touching. It took me a while to read it because I was in tears most of the way through it.

I wonder how many times we tell ourselves how we can’t do something. It’s easy to point out all the things I can’t do, but that isn’t going to make things better. Plus I think it would be unhealthy to do that. I want to be like Erin and her family. I want people to look at me and see Christ in me. At the same time, I think it is a good thing to show where we are weak and vulnerable. If we were strong all the time and could do it along, then there would be no need to rely on Christ alone. Even though I do find it easier to concentrate on the good things and those things I can do or choose not to do, because I don’t want to. If all we do is talk about the can’t do things, we are destined to be miserable and unhappy.

I have been through my share of storms in my life. Many that know me personally knows what I’m talking about. There are many Bible verses I could quote. In ” 2 Corinthians 4:16-18- “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

It’s easier said then done to be thankful if all we see is the things we can’t do. I’m pretty sure there are many in our lives that have no problem pointing out those things either. For myself, it is mostly my Dr’s or family that is a constant reminder of those things. For me, I’m not good at listening to all their advice. If I did, I would do nothing and be in bed all the time and that is NOT a good thing to do.If you listen to everyone who says you can’t, then you won’t do it or even try to do it. So you might as well just roll over and die.

I did have one Dr that told me to do what I wanted, just be sure to be smart about. Too many use their illnesses or circumstances as a way of dying while they are alive. And this is something that I choose not to do. I honestly believe that we all have things we are better at doing. We may not know how we are going to get through the storms, but I do know that God is the beacon in the storm. All I need to do is look at the light and trust in Him.

What does it mean to stand strong in the midst of a storm? It’s hard and may sometimes seem impossible to smile when we are going through the storms of life. I know for myself I have had those moments where I concentrated on the storms, not on the protection of Christ during those storms. Being strong as we face problems is something we can not manage on our own. God is my rock and in Him I receive strength and peace.
Isaiah 40:31: “Yet those who wait for the LORD Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary.“

Video to Praise You in The Storm (Erins Song)

Life Stories- Finding God’s Voice Book

Praise You in The Storm Lyrics

I was sure by now
God You would have reached down
And wiped our tears away
Stepped in and saved the day
But once again, I say “Amen”, and it’s still raining

As the thunder rolls
I barely hear Your whisper through the rain
“I’m with you”
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away

[Chorus:]
And I’ll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands
For You are who You are
No matter where I am
And every tear I’ve cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

I remember when
I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry to you
And you raised me up again
My strength is almost gone
How can I carry on
If I can’t find You

But as the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain
“I’m with you”
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away

[Chorus]

I lift my eyes unto the hills
Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord
The Maker of Heaven and Earth

Stronger by Mandisa

Published on February 27, 2014 by Sandie DLeave a comment

In recent posts I wrote about some of my favorite hymns. I want to move forward a couple generations. There are so many wonderful artists playing on the radio. One of my favorite Christian artists is Mandisa. She started off on American Idol, and got voted off because she stood by her faith. After she sung the song ‘Shackles”, she was gone. But not gone forever. She may have lost American Idol, but she is a winner in my eyes.

Mandisa has had many struggles. Most of them were her weight and finding the right person to share her life. She hasn’t had it easy by all means. I guess in so many ways, I can understand her struggles.

When she came out with the song “Stronger”, I was in tears. This song spoke to me at a time when I felt that God was very far away. I was angry and feeling like Job. It was one thing after another. There was family living with me that was driving me crazy and my life was out of control. And most of the out of control was my own fault because I didn’t trust God enough to handle all the things going on around me.

I had to get to a point where I gave it totally to Him. I knew I needed to get my sister Denise out of my house. My niece was living with us. She is my sister Denise’s daughter. And it was a full grown toxic relationship. And all their toxicity was pouring over into my life and making my health worse. Thankfully, they no longer live with me. Well, my sister Denise doesn’t.

Health wise, the best thing to do was get away from them and turn to God. Mandisa’s song helped me keep in check and reminded me daily that God is there. It was this song that I listened to every day when I got up. I needed that assurance that God was there. Many would tell me they needed to go, but it was through the gift of music that I heard it loud and clear.

I think anyone who is going through a rough patch can get something out of this song. If you listen to it, really listen to the words. Mandisa has had her share of bad moments and I guess knowing that, I can see that there is hope, even in despair and the cycle we call life.

Thankfully things are much better and got so much better the moment we moved and left them there. It was such a relief to have peace in the house. It was at that point when I realized family or not, it isn’t good to live in toxic relationships. And when they use the fact that as a Christian you never turn your back on family or those in need, I realized it was for their own purpose and gain, not mine and not Gods.

Stronger by Mandisa – Watch the Video –
Stronger by Mandisa – Lyrics

Hey, heard you were up all night
Thinking about how your world ain’t right
And you wonder if things will ever get better
And you’re asking why is it always raining on you
When all you want is just a little good news
Instead of standing there stuck out in the weather

Oh, don’t hang your head
It’s gonna end
God’s right there
Even if it’s hard to see Him
I promise you that He still cares

(Chorus)
When the waves are taking you under
Hold on just a little bit longer
He knows that this is gonna make you stronger, stronger
The pain ain’t gonna last forever
And things can only get better
Believe me, this is gonna make you stronger
Gonna make you stronger, stronger, stronger
Believe me, this is gonna make you …

Try and do the best you can
Hold on and let Him hold your hand
And go on and fall into the arms of Jesus
Oh, lift your head it’s gonna end
God’s right there
Even when you just can’t feel Him
I promise you that He still cares

Chorus

‘Cause if He started this work in your life
He will be faithful to complete it
If only you believe it
He knows how much it hurts
And I’m sure that He’s gonna help you get through this

Chorus

In My Heart There Rings A Melody/Joy Unspeakable

Published on February 22, 2014February 22, 2014 by Sandie DLeave a comment

I really like singing and listening to songs that are happy and full of joy. With all the bad things going on around us, we need more of that. Well, at-least I do. With these two hymns, I love them because of how they make me feel. They are upbeat and fun. They are full of hope and love. Those are all things that seem to be missing in our world.

I went to youtube to try to find a good version of this song. I’m guessing not many churches sings this song and not many artists do because it took me a long time to find a version of this that wasn’t instrumental. Which this is a shame that this song isn’t sung as much as it should be. I think people would be happier if they sang happy and joyful songs that speak to the heart.

I hardly ever hear is “Joy Unspeakable”. I had to make a video for this song since I couldn’t find many on you tube that isn’t instrumental. I can’t help but wonder if we the human race has lost our joy and happiness because we are listening to the news and a lot of bad stuff. We forget what it’s like to be truly happy. When I think of all the bad things in our world, I can’t grasp what it would be like without knowing that Jesus Christ saved me and that I know where I will be going when my work on earth is over. And my relationship with Christ gives me a lot of peace because I know through all my stupid moments in life and bad choices. And I have had more than my share of those moments and it’s awesome to know that there is going to be a place that will be overly joyful and happy.

Here is a video of some kids singing ” In My Heart There Rings a Melody” and I put the video together of Joy Unspeakable-

In My Heart There Rings a Melody –
Joy Unspeakable and Full of Glory

In My Heart There Rings a Melody Lyrics

I have a song that Jesus gave me,
It was sent from heaven above;
There never was a sweeter melody,
‘Tis a melody of love.

Chorus
In my heart there rings a melody,
There rings a melody with heaven’s harmony;
In my heart there rings a melody;
There rings a melody of love

Chorus

I love the Christ who died on Calv’ry,
For He washed my sins away;
He put within my heart a melody,
And I know it’s there to stay.

Chorus

In my heart there rings a melody,
There rings a melody with heaven’s harmony;
In my heart there rings a melody;
There rings a melody of love!

Chorus

‘Twill be my endless theme in glory,
With the angels I will sing;
‘Twill be a song with glorious harmony,
When the courts of heaven ring.

Chorus
In my heart there rings a melody,
There rings a melody with heaven’s harmony;
In my heart there rings a melody;
There rings a melody of love!

Joy Unspeakable Lyrics

I have found His grace is all complete,
He supplieth every need;
While I sit and learn at Jesus’ feet,
I am free, yes, free indeed.

Refrain:
It is joy unspeakable and full of glory,
Full of glory, full of glory;
It is joy unspeakable and full of glory,
Oh, the half has never yet been told.

Refrain:

I have found the pleasure I once craved,
It is joy and peace within;
What a wondrous blessing, I am saved
From the awful gulf of sin.
Refrain:
I have found that hope so bright and clear,
Living in the realm of grace;
Oh, the Savior’s presence is so near,
I can see His smiling face.
Refrain:
I have found the joy no tongue can tell,
How its waves of glory roll;
It is like a great o’erflowing well,
Springing up within my soul.

What a Friend We Have in Jesus

Published on February 21, 2014 by Sandie DLeave a comment

This is another part of my series on favorite songs. I’m covering the Hymns first and then going into other songs.

I have listened and sung ‘What a Friend We Have in Jesus” since I was very small. And have always loved it. Even though I have to say that for a long time it was just a song I sang at church. The words didn’t really mean alot to me until I was driving down the road and I was alone in my car.

I was having a rough time and not in a good place emotionally or physically. I was tired of Dr’s and life in general. I was feeling like God forgot I was here and that all the things going on in my life was for nothing. I was in a pretty dark place on this particular day. I prayed out loud as the radio was playing in my car. Really it was more of a frustration and I raised my hands in the air and wondered what in the world was God thinking. I was tired and not wanting to deal with anything more on my plate. At that moment, the song, “What a Friend We Have in Jesus”, started playing on the radio.

I had to pull off to the side of the road and was bawling by this time. I was so overwhelmed with emotions and peace that I couldn’t drive. While doing this blog post, I have been listening to different versions on youtube and what an awesome reminder and feeling knowing that Jesus is the most loyal and best friend I could ever have.

At that moment the words I heard many times and even hundreds of times became real to me. I seen Jesus in a different light. It was at that point when my prayers became more like conversations and I realized that not only was Jesus my Savior, He is my friend. I have never taken for granted the song since this. It was a answer to my prayers at a time when I needed it.If your having a really hard day or just the reassurance that Jesus loves you and He is there, it may be a good time to listen to this song. And listen with your heart.

Video of “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” by Alan Jackson

What a Friend We Have in Jesus (Lyrics)

What a friend we have in Jesus,
all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
all because we do not carry
everything to God in prayer.

Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged;
take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful
who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy laden,
cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge;
take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In his arms he’ll take and shield thee;
thou wilt find a solace there.

History of “What a Friend We Have in Jesus”

Wikipedia– “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” is a Christian hymn originally written by Joseph M. Scriven as a poem in 1855 to comfort his mother who was living in Ireland while he was in Canada. Scriven originally published the poem anonymously, and only received full credit for it in the 1880s.^[1] The tune to the hymn was composed by Charles Crozat Converse in 1868. William Bolcom composed a setting of the hymn. The hymn also has many versions with different lyrics in multiple languages, such as the Japanese version “Itsukushimi Fukaki” (いつくしみ深き^?, lit. “Deep Affection”), or a version sung during World War I with the line “When this bloody war is over” in place of the original title.The Handbook to the Lutheran Hymnal notes, “In spite of the fact that this hymn, with its tune, has been criticized as being too much on the order of the sentimental gospel type, its popularity remains strong, and the hymn retains a place in modern hymnals.”

Trust and Obey

Published on February 19, 2014February 19, 2014 by Sandie DLeave a comment

I don’t know how many will remember the song ‘Trust and Obey”, but I do. I absolutely love this hymn for so many reasons.

When I was younger, our pastor during the summer would let the congregation choose the songs. He would call on the congregation and whoever he called on could choose a song. Pastor Myers knew what song it would be if he chose my hand flinging in the air. it was pretty obvious that he better call on me, or I may make a scene, haha. Now Pastor Harry didn’t call me every Sunday, or we would be singing this all summer long, lol. But every now and then he would. His daughter was my best friend and when I would visit him, he knew I wasn’t content in not singing the song. I guess for me since there wasn’t Christian music or discussions in our home, church was the only place. Well, also at their house. His daughter Diana was an awesome singer.

I have talked about my little church in Willcox, AZ. I loved this church, because it was a safe haven for me. There was so many things going on in my life and around me and I found peace there and in this song. My sister tonight made a statement that was pretty much dead on. She was saying that on the outside our family was happy and normal. But in truth it wasn’t anything close to that. I won’t go into all the ugly details, but it wasn’t remotely close to happy. But when I went to church, that all changed. It’s hard to describe that feeling and freedom when I entered the church and I could sing songs and talk about God.

Trust and Obey really described what my life was like at home and church. These lyrics became real to me. I knew that all I had to do was trust and obey, for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey. How can those words not speak to a hurting heart of a then teenager and a now adult?

God is there for us during our burdens and sorrows. He loves us and we can know the joy that comes from trusting and obeying. I find myself humming this hymn every now and then and it has a way of calming my soul. It brings me a sense of peace that only God can offer. Life can be very difficult and things may seem like they will never get better. But that isn’t true. The second verse of this song is what I would say is my favorite in this song;

Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.

When I hear these words they tell me that God is there. He is there in the good and the bad. He makes everything better and all we have to do is trust and obey. Trusting and obeying isn’t always easy to do. I know I have a bit of a rebellious side. But I have seen that when I don’t trust and obey God, things go wrong very fast.

Click Here to listen to Trust and Obey

Trust and Obey Lyrics

When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.

Refrain:
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.

Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,
But our toil He doth richly repay;
Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,
But is blessed if we trust and obey.

But we never can prove the delights of His love
Until all on the altar we lay;
For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows,
Are for them who will trust and obey.

Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet,
Or we’ll walk by His side in the way;
What He says we will do, where He sends we will go;
Never fear, only trust and obey.

History of Trust and Obey:

One night at a Dwight L. Moody(Pictured) evangelistic meeting in Brockton, Massachusetts, a young man stood up to testify about his confidence of salvation. He said, “I am not quite sure,” meaning that he wasn’t really certain that God would save him from his sins –– and then he continued, “But I’m going to trust, and I’m going to obey” –– meaning that he planned to trust God for his salvation and to do what he could to obey God’s will.

“I’m going to trust, and I’m going to obey.” Daniel Towner was the song leader for that meeting. He was so impressed by the young man’s testimony that he wrote down those words and stuck them in his pocket. Later, he wrote a friend, John Sammis. In his letter, he told about the young man’s testimony and included the young man’s words: “I am not quite sure, but I’m going to trust, and I’m going to obey.”

Sammis quickly transformed those words into a hymn chorus: “Trust and obey, For there’s no other way To be happy in Jesus, But to trust and obey.” Soon he had five stanzas to go with the chorus, and he sent them to Towner, who composed the tune that we still sing today.

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: