Grab Some Tile....Stay A While

what would happen if.....

2005-08-27T21:34:00.000-07:00

well hello again there, good lookin' ;) YES! That means you:)
This past week I was helpin out at DVBS here in oak lake with my awesome friend Carime. (daily vacation bible school) yay! Good times had by allll. As late as I was every single morning. Goodness, 9:30am is just too early for this girl!
Apart from loving little kids and their innocence, it's also awesome to just be around them sharing God with them. This one little Asian girl (i think her name was Katya, cool eh?) was so beautiful and her smile just lit me up inside. Oh goodness! God makes such beautiful people. Anyway, one boy was just hilarious. There wasn't one day where he didn't crack me up. Especially when he read from the Bible and used different accents for Jesus, and other people etc. etc. This kid is one funny duck, i believe he'd make an awesome actor. Anyway! The last day got pretty serious as we were talking about Jesus' crucifixion and the resurrection and what that truly meant. He asked, what would happen if Jesus didn't die for us on the cross?
What would happen? I thought to myself. Oh my word I can't even imagine. We'd all be doomed for hell...life would have no purpose....So many things just poured into my head. But what can you say to a 10-12 year old that wouldn't freak the crap out of him? I felt really bad cuz we didn't really elaborate for him, and I know how much it sucks when those questions in your brain don't get answered. So what I wanted to basically ask is, what would you say to a little kid who asked you that? I think I should be prepared, you know? That'd be sweet if anyone had any idea.
Thank you Jesus for saving us.....man. I can't believe He would suffer all that pain and agony when He knew alot of us would turn our backs on Him anyway. That's real love. I love you Jesus! That sounds so sunday-school-ish, but I don't care! Give Jesus your praise today!
-carly

Love or Lust? (yes, the big s-e-x)

2005-08-19T11:16:00.000-07:00

I just read this amazingly cool diddly today by a dude named Duncan Moore. I figured I'd write it out on here for all you guys to read, it REALLY REALLY helped me alot. I know it's long, but don't make that a lousy exscuse to not read it! So, Enjoy!

Dating advice: if lust is driving your relationship, it will never work. Here's why.

I was brought up in an atheistic family and it wasn't until I arrived at university that I met lots of Christians. They seemed nice people and there was a quality to their friendships that I envied. However, they seemed to me to be painfully naive and their innocence, particularly in the area of sexual morality, evoked my patronizing sympathy. Since then my thinking has radically changed. In this article I want to ask whether there are good reasons for taking the Bible's teaching on sex seriously.

Contrary to popular belief, Christians don't view sex as a bad thing, tolerated as a concession. God invented sex and he meant it to be good, very good. Sex is not just a means to pregnancy, but is meant to be an intense, joyful, passionate expression of love. God also designed a context for sex -- lifelong marriage between one man and one woman. Contemporary English culture has now mostly abandoned this idea. Should Christians abandon it as irrelevant or does it point to timeless principles?

Pragmatic Reasons (practical)

From a practical viewpoint there are plenty of advantages to following the Bible's blueprint for sex. It protects against STD's - no small thing for us and a huge issue in parts of the world where AIDS is wiping out whole communities and destroying the economy. It also protects against unwanted pregnancies outside of marriage.
Keeping sex exclusively for marriage avoids the pain and destructiveness of comparing different sexual partners. It also guards against the very painful situation where one partner is very in love and the other is purely interested in having an orgasm.
A final thought is that our sexual drives and desires are addictive. Someone once pointed out that our sexual desires have the engine of a Ferrari and the brakes of a bicycle. If we stir up and feed our sexual desires in unhealthy ways it becomes harder and harder to reamin faithful in marriage, with all the emotional agony unfaithfulness brings. The divorce statistics reflect the consequences of our sexual values.

Ideological Reasons

The practical reasons alone are strong enough in themselves to support the case for the Bible's teaching on sex. However, there are more fundamental reasons for setting sexual relationships aside for marriage. God didn't design sex simply to give us orgasms, he designed sex as an expression of love and physical intimacy.
To have sex with someone is a profoundly meaningful thing and if misused the effects can be devastating. There's a wonderful story of a court case where a man sued the manufacturers of his lawnmower. The man had injured himself while using his mower to trim a hedge and claimed that the instructions didn't say that the mower couldn't be used for that purpose. Similarly, sex has a purpose but because it's such a powerful thing, it can do a lot of damage if not used as per the maker's instructions.
To understand the Bible's view of sex we must understand the difference between love and lust. Love honors, values, and seeks the best for the beloved. It focuses on the other person. It's selfless, sacrificial and inseparable from commitment. Lust, on the other hand, seeks to use things or people to meet its needs and gratify its desires. It focuses inward on itself, is inherently selfish, and rejects commitment.
Love and lust are opposites. They are in direct conflict with each other. The question to be asked is whether our sexual relationships are an expression of love or lust: "I want to honor and value you, giving myself to you," or "I want to use you as a tool to satisfy my urge for an orgasm, using you and taking from you." If God really has designed sex as an expression of love, to use it for lust is an extremely destructive lie.

The role of Marriage

Marriage is a profound mystery, the joining of two people to become one. It doesn't guarantee or enforce love, but if taken seriously as an unconditional lifelong commitment of faithfulness and fidelity, it certainly helps to distinguish between love and lust. Just as litmus paper tests for the presence of acid, marriage tests for the presence of commitment. How do we know if we truly love someone enough to have sex with them? Marriage asks are we willing to commit ourselves to them for life?
Marriage is also a safety net. We're all fragile and fallible. How can we be confident and secure in the love of our partner in light of our shortcomings and failings? The answer again is commitment. If commitment is absent, then love isn't genuine and sex is reduced to a physical orgasm which technically you don't need two people for.

Conclusion (ie: the ending! haha)

Lust is powerful and seductive, but it's inherently selfish and opposed to love. As we foster and feed lust in our lives we're dragged inexorably ( unyielding, unrelenting) towards isolation, loneliness, insecurity and emptiness. What do we have left when orgasm becomes boring and unsatisfying, left alone to face the pain of guilt and loneliness?
Love with commitment is clearly very expensive and hard work. It requires honor, respect, forgiveness, and sacrifice. However it's the road out of the loneliness, suspicion and despair that plagues our culture. If we substitute lust for love we end up with a meaningless sensation which eventually loses its novelty and can never satisfy beyond the physical.

God's intention for us is that we should be set free from the power and slavery of lust and become men and woman of genuine love. Everyones falls short of a God who views sleeping around and entertaining lustful thoughts alike. However, ( and i'm glad of this however:))He offers us all the forgiveness we need to bring us into a deep personal relationship with Him.
The love we experience in our relationship with God begins to be worked out in our relationships with each other. Our choice is either to respond to God's offer and pursue a life of love empowered by his love or to reject him and set off on our own.

Tell me what you guys think!
-Carly

2005-08-17T12:13:00.001-07:00

alicia, me, mando

2005-08-17T12:13:00.000-07:00

lead guitar doin some solo

2005-08-17T12:12:00.002-07:00

lead guitarist

2005-08-17T12:12:00.001-07:00

lights and people

2005-08-17T12:12:00.000-07:00

the Foo

2005-08-17T12:11:00.000-07:00

taylor and dave

too long!....is she dead?!

2005-08-17T11:40:00.000-07:00

wow..so i guess i haven't been on here in what? about 3 months? sorry guys, i understand if you've all given up on checkin out this site and no one's really reading this haha.
well i don't have too much to say, but i will give you these sweet, awesome, funktastic verses that i just read last night. do with 'em as you wish:)

Isaiah 40:28Have you never heard or understood? Don't you know that the LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth? He never grows faint or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding. 29He gives power to those who are tired and worn out; he offers strength to the weak. 30Even youths will become exhausted, and young men will give up. 31But those who wait on the LORD will find new strength. They will fly high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.

hmm...i really LOVE verses like these. don't forget that through all the crap, God is everlasting.

did any one get a chance to go see the Foo last wednesday!??!?! if you didn't, well. that really sucks i guess. I'll try and leave you some pictures tho:) Have a great week everyone!

check out: www.ask.sonlife.ca really good site for ANY questions you have.
-carly

2005-05-11T11:56:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone,

It's been a really long time, I know. I just read this post of a friend of mine, and he basically poured out his heart and soul. We all get a little tired of life sometimes, and we need eachother to build eachother up in those times. Soo, what I'm trying to get at, I want to pray for you guys, and we can pray for eachother. If you feel the need to talk about something going on in your life, please do. Any thing you want to give God praise for, anything. You don't have to leave your name, God will sort it out. I just really think this is a cool idea (compliments of Jer!) So go on, leave some comments. I can start with a prayer request of mine:

I have a lot of trouble keeping the faith when life gets hectic. This usually results in me taking it out on my family, i just get crusty with them and tear them down with hurtful words. Please pray that I can get a grip on my anger and just be a witness for my family. And also that i wouldn't base my love for God on my emotions. I love you guys, thanks.

Phew, that feels cool. Just try it guys, let some stuff go. Hope to hear from you guys soon.
love your sis in Jesus,
carly

I lift it up, I lift it up, lift it up so you can see, I lift it up, I lift it up, lift it up from inside of me;

So I lift it, I lift it up to you, and I will never forget, the times that we've been through, so I lift it, I said I lift it up to you; And I surrender all of me, to you, to you, to you, and everything I'll ever be, to you, to you, to you, and I surrender all of me...

~TFK~

jesse + no dreads = what the crap junk crap!?!

2005-04-25T16:21:00.000-07:00

yes, it's the sad truth. his beloved dreads are dead. (hence the red font. you know, red=blood..haha, anyway!)

kenneth and him came over to bring me some cds. and kenny was like, "hey, look at jesse!" and that i did. i think my mouth was wide open for at least 3 minutes. he sat there....then got out of the car...then walked toward me....and yep. i was in shock. you'll all see the new doo fairly soon, i just thought it was crazy so i thought i'd announce it. and yep, if ya don't know him...well, this blog is useless to ya ain't it!?
but for now, he better be growing a mohawk!!

if you're readin this buddy, leave me a comment!

until next time *sniff sniff*
holy wow it sounds like i was completely obsessed with his dreads...haha. i'm not that creepy, really!..shut up!
love car

are you real?

2005-04-24T11:40:00.000-07:00

so much stress keeps running through my mind now

i fell into a mess that i wish i could climb out

i guess i'll hide it so nobody will find out

that way everyone thinks everything is fine now

at home things are messed up with mom and dad

and at school all my friends stab me in my back

no one is real anymore i hate the way they act

there is so many things that i wish i had

so God if you're there do you understand

don't you care about anything that's happening

it's not fair to put me through all this junk again

you see that i'm scared so help me if you can

so please speak loud and clear cuz i'm listening

i need to know that your real cuz i'm struggling

you need to show that you're here cuz i'm stumbling

show me that you care and this is why i'm saying this

are you real, i want to know? are you real, then let it go.

are you real, i want to know. are you real then let is show.

it was right then when everything began to change

i started looking at these things in a different way

i saw life through God's eyes and it wasn't the same

that was right at the time i called on your name

and then i saw all the lies that was thrown my way

i recognized that i need you and on that day

i cried out and sought you that was when you came

now that i see you i've been through a major change

i believe you are real cuz it's so plain

and finally i feel that i can make it through anything

it don't matter what they speak or if they hate

they can't keep me down no more cuz i've seen your face

and from now never will i be ashamed

cuz ima stand strong i won't bend or sway

now that i know that you're real it's gonna be ok

i hear you speaking in my ear and this is what you say

are you real, i want to know? are you real, then let it go

are you real, i want to know? are you real, then let it show

see there is a war that's going on outside

you can try and ignore it and just run and hide

but everyday more and more people die

see the battle is for souls and we are on the front lines

so many soldiers are too scared to fight

they're too worried about what people thinking of they life

how can you fight if you won't lay down your pride

and how will anyone see if you won't shine your light

so many of your friends is walking around blind

and you've got the source that can open up their eyes

it's yalls choice what you'll do with your lives

but i'm gonna go to war cuz i've made up my mind

Jesus gave his life when he went and died

so the least that i could do is just give him all of mine

so how many of yall are ready to fight by my side

cuz this is what he's saying right now here tonight

are you real, i want to know? are you real, then let it go

are you real, i want to know? are you real, then let it show...

KJ-52

god only knows

2005-04-14T06:04:00.000-07:00

hey guys,

so i've kind of been deserting the people who read this i guess. woops. haha, like becca said, i just can't come up with anything. but i figured, i think i'll just babble today. today just feels like one a those days.
i'm not sure what week it was, maybe last week i think, but i wasn't doing so well. no one to blame but my stupid self really. i just started work, festival was going on, choir, piano, and not to mention the piles and piles of chem homework and other such things that teachers love to load on ya. we've all been there, so i will try not to have that poor-me attitude. for some reason i just cant handle these things too well. i freak out, worry myself sick, and focus in only on my problems. it got to the point where i wasn't sleeping. all because of stupid freaking stuff that isn't going to matter in the end. but hey, we're humans right? (which doesn't make it right, but we just do this sort of thing) "heyyy lets see how much i can fit into my life this week! no time for you god...sorry, maybe next week. after all, things are going well, i don't need you right now."
this was basically my attitude all week. ha. OBVIOUSLY god was trying to desperately shake me out of this vicous thought process. i was just blinded at the time, didn't really see it coming.
soo...everything started to spin out of control. and what did i do? hmm, this girl tried to take it on allll by her lonesome. you know, the whole, i can do it, my strength is enough. that is so wrong guys. i can tell you that much.
i was always crusty at school, i wasn't praying heartfelt prayers, my bible time was raunchy, and i just didn't give a damn about anyone else. (sorry about the language but it's really true i'm so mad at myself)
so i gave up. i was toast at the end of the week. and you know, all i had to do was just kneel before god, and TELL him, i can't do this alone. that's all he wants. and trust me he knows, he just wants us to admit it. so i told him, i don't want control over my life at school, work, even during sleeping, when i'm around friends, and spending time with You. just get rid of me, cuz i'm sick of this.
and honestly, when you start putting god first, before every stupid thing, things fall into place. i'm not saying there won't be struggles, but you will get through them with god's help. believe me, you will. i'm just so thankful to have a best friend like Him i don't know what i would do without Him.
so, if you've had a crap week, weeks, month, months, year, whatever. check yourself, and see where your desires really lie. are u trying to accomplish things for yourself, or are u working to give god the glory?

love car

2005-04-10T18:36:00.000-07:00

dang it's been a long time since i wrote anything on here. i still don't really know what to write. but if you're looking for an eye opener, check out my friends blog at www.mandylynnmac.blogspot.com "the 2 most important things we can do"
wow it was really what i needed to hear. maybe u do too.
anyway, sorry about the not writing stuff...someday i'll get back on it! keep checkin back
love carly

i can leave u with some pretty sweet verses though:
4Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again--rejoice! 5Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.
6Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:4-7

Just out of curiosity...

2005-04-03T09:51:00.000-07:00

From the book Shine, by the Newsboys:

You are alone in the house and sound asleep. Slowly you come to consciousness. There's a strange scent in the air. Suddenly, you realize you are smelling smoke. Jumping out of bed, you run to the door, but it's too hot to touch, and you can see the glow of fire from underneath it. To escape the flames, you'll have to climb out the window. Everything you own will soon be burned up in the fire. You can carry only one thing with you-your prized possession.

What would you save?

I emailed Mandy this question. We both agree that it's freakishly hard! Just curious as to what you guys think. Let me know if you wanna!

2005-03-29T12:33:00.000-08:00

Are you looking for someone to be gentle

With your broken heart

Your shattered dreams

Are you searching for someone who’ll be faithful

To you no matter what life brings

Well I know the Maker of the storm, the sunrise

He is both the Lion and the Lamb

He is strong enough to shake all earth and heaven

Yet meek enough to take me as I am

(He says)

Come unto me all who are weary

And I will give you rest

Bring what hurts, bring your scars,

Bring the load that you carry

And I will give you rest

Are the clouds above your head oh so heavy

Bursting with showers of despair

Do you struggle under more than you can carry?

Has life given more than you can bear?

Would you like to trade your failures in for victories?

Like piles of ashes in for piles of gold

Can you fall down like a child who is helpless

So He can pick you up and make you whole

(He says)
Come unto me all who are weary

And I will give you rest

Bring what hurts, bring your scars,

Bring the load that you carry

And I will give you rest

-Nicole C. Mullen (Come Unto Me)

Hey there. If you've just stumbled across my blog, well, that's neato:) God knew today was the day for you to be free. Free from death, sin, and the motions of a life with no purpose. Please talk to me if you want all this. God wants this for you too, just let go, ok? There is so much more to life than this.

Email me at: treble_charger444@hotmail.com, or just leave me a comment on here and i will respond. Till then, i'm praying for you, whoever you are.

love carly

2005-03-27T18:51:00.000-08:00

jesus died for us, a shameful terrible death on the cross. but that's not the end of the story guys. he CONQUERED DEATH, he rose again from the grave. He is alive today, and He LOVES you! He loves us enough to die for us and let us come to heaven and live with him forever. Will you believe and chose Christ, eternal life? I

2005-03-25T17:33:00.000-08:00

napoleon

2005-03-25T17:32:00.000-08:00

matt -> rk

2005-03-25T17:31:00.003-08:00

falling up

2005-03-25T17:31:00.002-08:00

jeremy camp

2005-03-25T17:31:00.001-08:00

toby mac2

2005-03-25T17:31:00.000-08:00

skillet2

2005-03-25T17:30:00.001-08:00

hawk nelson

2005-03-25T17:30:00.000-08:00

c-soul2

2005-03-25T17:23:00.000-08:00

toby mac

many many snowflakes

2005-03-22T09:13:00.000-08:00

hey guys!
woooo hooo, snow day in march! ah you just gotta love these days. the feelin is so awesome when you wake up and your all groggy and your eyes barely open (well not this feeling) and then your pa comes in and says those beautiful words: "no school today" mmmm great times.
i don't know why but this year school is a big downer. there are days when i just want to sit in the bathroom stalls and scream. anyone with me?? yes, many people have been tellin' me how much they hate school. ugh. i'm so fake there, struggling with trying to be the real me. i don't even really know if i'll ever figure that out. but jesus is with us. yes, say it again out loud so all can here:) JESUS IS WITH US:) yay and a woot woot!
i was gonna put some verses on here from Hebrews that i got from jer on his site. so that i shall do. they are some reaaaally good verses. so read em up, old school! (lol, yes i know. i'm not black)
hebrews 12:1-3 (MSG)
..."strip down, start running - and never quit! no extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sin. keep your eyes on jesus, who both began and finished this race we are in. study how he did it. because he never lost sight of where he was headed - that exhilarating finish in and with god - he could put up with anything along the way: cross, shame, whatever. and now he is there, in the place of honor, right alongside god. when you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. that will shoot adrenaline into your souls."

whhhewwww. wow eh? nothin could have said that better. soo, hm. that puts my little schoolish problems aside, and will give us hope for every new day. i love that. jesus put up with anything along the way and finished this race for us. anyone care to plough along with me? :)
oh, dude. this is awesome cuz i had excruciating cramps earlier and i got in that whiny-oh-i'm-gunna-die-mood...(yes girls u know what i'm talkin bout and guys, suck it up if ur "uncomfortable" heh heh). and so i just prayed about it. ahh and they are gone! it's good to remember that god wants to hear about even the most insignificant things in our lives. he cares so much. sure, he's a guy, but the bible tells us that he knows all our suffering and he understands us. he could put up with anything along the way. so i think he understands our pain. reassurance baby!
anyway, see ya next time
stay fit and have fun!
love car

nintendo star

2005-03-19T18:39:00.000-08:00

we all know the game mario cart on good ol' N64. and if you don't, umm. i don't think i'll comment on that. just please come to my house immediately and aquaint yourself with my good friend nintendo.
so klassen was at my house this weekend:) good times eh jess? yep. cuz i whipped yo butt at this game! its sad really...haha if you know me, i'm super competitive/creepy/get angry in this game. i just gotta win, or else you'll be hearin some wickity weird noises ie) grunts from this girl. hahaha so hey jess? what was the score on our battles today? i think it was something like...ohhhh...8-0?? for me right? ah yes. i think i'm hearing myself type correctly. hahahahaha i love you by the way.
so yes, this is my story for today. anyone care to come join me, i'll be glad to whip your butt:) (not a trace of full-of-myselfness in this blog at alllllll). haha good good times. hope ya alll enjoyed that as much as i did. (u too klassen:))
cya next time!!
carly

2005-03-12T20:19:00.000-08:00

me, shane and coops. old school pic!

2005-03-12T20:18:00.000-08:00

SYATP 2004

2005-03-12T20:17:00.000-08:00

some crazy guy i don't know. hahahaha he's tor's friend!

2005-03-12T20:16:00.000-08:00

cute kelso:)

2005-03-12T20:15:00.000-08:00

ben pole dancin...haha he'd kill me if he saw this!!

2005-03-12T20:14:00.000-08:00

chris at school:)

Holes in His Hands

2005-03-11T15:33:00.000-08:00

it's always fun to put song lyrics on your blog...
i just got this song today. and i super dooper like it, the words are so powerful.

You said your days were over
That the sun would never shine again
From glory days, to wicked ways
You've lost your forgiveness of sin
You walk through your desert
Wondering why and what you've become
You said you've slipped through the fingers
Of the hands of God

[Chorus:]
You've fallen out of His hands
Or at least that's what you said
The truth is not that the truth is this
The only way to escape the Lord
Is if you crawl through the holes in His hands

I ran away, I did not lead, you say in the darkness you stand
But you are not forgotten, you're in His mighty hands
NOw turn aside and see this sight, a flame that does not consume
To show you that He's called your name
You're one of His chosen few

Chorus

Come closer, come closer now to Him
Come closer, come closer
His name is I am that I am
You said your days were over
That the Son would never use you again
But by one man's disobedience
Came One who's conquered your sin

Chorus
-Seven Places

hmm. i like these lyrics. today was kind of a weird day and i was feeling like i was pretty fake you know? i try and seem all "christian" to everyone because i want to look good. but deep down God knows my heart and we need to be bringing him glory, not living life to please ourselves. so i was straight up and told him i was tired of acting the way i do (and it does weigh down on you after a while) and it feels refreshing. i just want to be real and it's so hard to do (eh klassen?) for now i shall keep on stumbling. it amazes me to even begin to think about how amazing jesus is to put up with me and my sin every day....wow. but like the song says, jesus uses us, despite of everything. and in the bible he used every kind of person imaginable. He's calling your name, and if we mess up, that's ok. just keep on truckin. he'll always always be there to pick us back up again so don't be discouraged.

i was also gonna ask you guys, if you knew what this part of the song really meant? "the only way to escape the Lord is if you crawl through the holes in His hands" it probably has some deep meaning but i don't quite get it. so if any of ya have an idea, please share. thanks, and see ya next time
love car

satan sucks

2005-03-08T14:56:00.000-08:00

hey everyone,
today feels like a monday....we all love THOSE days of the week. i guess cuz we didn't have school yesterday it just feels like monday. oh well.
i just feel really stupid right now cuz i cant even stick to a commitment i made to god. i told him i wouldn't be going on the computer at all until i did my devos. yep, carly fails once again. why does reading the bible have to be such a chore for me? i don't understand. god's never like, oh. carly's praying again....wellll, i've got other people to listen to so i think i'll just ignore her for right now. maybe later.
sometimes i ask god why the crap are you who you are. why are u so stubbornly loving, and patient, and full of grace, and all the rest of it. the trouble i have is thinking that i need to earn all this, and if i mess up, well i guess i just didn't measure up for today, and god's gonna love me less. satan should shut it. ya that's right jerk, i told you to SHUT IT!
i'm so sick of satan. arg
anyway, i need to be readin my bible. it's crazy how awesome it feels when you spend time with god. and he's like, i know...i've been waiting for ya!
ta-ta
car

i would hate to be a telemarketer

2005-03-07T10:35:00.000-08:00

Yep, cause i'm sure there's alot of people out there like me! wow, saturday they were superbly ticking me off. i think they called a total of about 10 times, in one stinkin' day!!!!!!!!!!!!! arg, they are so persistent. don't you think they would get the idea?? but it's funny because sunday and today they've stopped calling. hmm....maybe they've given up on the smith residence?
I was such a jerk to them though, that's why i would hate to be one! i would pick up and then, you know how it takes them like a minute to respond to your angry hello? ya, i usually hang up on them at that time. i was telling shane this ranting story and he told me to tell them to stop calling. then apparently they could get sued if they don't stop. ouch! haha i guess i'm just too nice to tell them to stop calling *cough*
if anyones got any good telemarketer stories, let me know!
car

priceless sacrifice

2005-03-05T12:09:00.000-08:00

hey everyone, i just felt like sharing todays devo's from Take5. so here we go:

Read 1 Chronicles 11:1-19 if you don't have a bible handy, but u want to read it or this probably won't make a heck of a lot of sense.

"So the Three broke through the Philistine lines, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem and carried it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured it out before the Lord" 1 Chron. 11:18

Can you imagine risking your life to bring your king a priceless gift only to have him pour it out? (you may be thinking...ouch. but just wait)
David's reason had nothing to do with ingratitude. In fact, he realized that the risk of the young men's lives made the water far more valuable than he could have imagined. So rather than taking it for himself, David offered the water to the One he truly thirsted for: God.

You might find it tough enough to make sacrifices for God, even when things are going well. (shyaa!) How much more difficult can it be when you feel pressed from every side? But that's when it shows- the respect you have for God, and even fore the people around you, when you dare to acknowledge and trust Him in desperate situations.

What "pouring out" do you need to be doing in your life right now? Surrender it to God...

just some thoughts for ya,
love car

the cross

2005-02-26T20:35:00.001-08:00

Alrighty, so i was gonna do a whole bunch of looking around and junk on the "perfect" thing to say on this particular blog. then i thought, whatever. i'm sick of trying to dress myself up to look good in front of everyone and God, with smarts that i don't have. so i'm just gonna say whats on my heart. hey, if it's up for debate, go for it. id love to hear all your comments!

sooo the cross. we see it all over the place eh? jewlery and such especially. and it just seems to me that we've begun to label people as being different and "good" and "christian" if we're wearing a cross around our neck, around our fingers, what have you. of course i've fallen into this not-so-great habit. what haven't i fallen into! anyway, i think the whole cross means so much more than this.
i think it symbolizes something special. once you've asked Him to remove all that crap out of your life. when i think of the cross i want to remember what Jesus did for us. and that just really blows me away when i do. i can't even begin to comprehend it, but we should not forget it, or even harden our hearts to it becuz we hear it so much and it's like "yah, the crucifixion...whoopdee do." It wasn't until i saw the passion that i seriously realized and it was drilled into my head like dude, Jesus took His own freakin life for filthy people like us. anyway, i'm getting a little off topic here. that's a whole other issue.
what i'm feelin is that i need to stop wearing a cross or anything like that until i know the significance of it. like u know what i mean? it seems like it's just a fad for christians. do we really know what it symbolizes? or is it just something that you have to do when ur a christian? i don't really know.
i'm gonna show u this thinger that i printed off my computer a while ago. just so u know this isn't my writings or anything.
Holy
God
Loving

Sacrifice
Christ
Sacrifice

Sinful
Man
Helpless
haha, this is SUPPOSE to be shaped as a cross. hm, funny how that didn't work at all. i hope u guys can at least picture a cross in ur mind lol. sorry about that. anyway, it goes on to say...

Mans condition: Condemned by Adams sin and his own, and powerless to do anything to save himself, man was under penalty of death.
God's position: God was bound by His holiness to punish evil. To do less would be to violate His own character. But because He is also love, He desired to save man from his sentence of death. (that last sentence really hit home, cuz he sure didn't have to freakin do that, but he did)
The Resolution: Christ, God's Son, became human, lived a sinless life, then died on our behalf. His sacrificial, substitutionary death made possible our salvation.

All in all, the cross shows you how the death of Christ resolved the worlds huge dilema.

I hope we can all look at the cross with a different perspective..
discuss amongst urselves

love car

2005-02-26T20:24:00.000-08:00

passion

broken world

2005-02-18T19:40:00.000-08:00

my friend jess just sent me this song by "across the sky" called broken world. i've never heard of these guys before, but the lyrics are so powerful it's crazy. so i'm writin them on here for you all to read. i recommend you download it if you can!

Promises shattered
Answers don't come
Friends say goodbye
Plans come undone
Dreams get crushed
Lies get told
Words can turn cruel
Hearts can grow cold

In a broken world where we cry to feel
Some hope that helps these hearts to heal
You're my strength, You're my refuge
In a broken world, Jesus I'm holding to You

You make sense of the madness
And You make darkness flee
You bring such a calm
To the chaos in me
Show me life
Tell me truth
Day after day I keep running to You

Long ago, we fell so far
Yet You came to where we are

Like? Let me know what you think:) Have a great weekend
luv carly

romans 8:28-38

2005-02-10T14:37:00.000-08:00

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them.

FOr God knew His people in advance, and he chose them to become like His Son, so that His Son would be the firstborn, with many brothers and sisters.

And having chosen them, He called them to come to Him. And He gave them right standing with Himself, and He promised them His glory.

What can we say about such wonder things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us?

Since God did not spare even His own Son but gave Him up for us all, won't God, who gave us Christ, also give us everything else?

Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for His own? Will God? No! He is the one who has given us right standing with Himself.

Who then will condemn us? Will Christ Jesus? no, for He is the One who died for us and was raised to life for us and is sitting at the place of highest honor next to God, pleading for us.

Can anything ever seperate us from Christ's love? Does it mean He no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or are hungry or cold or in danger or threatened with death?

(Even the Scriptures say, "For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.")

No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ who loved us.

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from His love. Death can't, and life can't. The angels can't, and the demons can't. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can't keep God's love away.

Romans 8:28-38 (NLT)

2005-02-03T12:21:00.000-08:00

woo hoo!! i'm done exams!!

convicted

2005-02-03T11:46:00.000-08:00

I haven't been using my time on earth to learn to love. Relationships haven't been my first priority at all. It's always about me and MY schedule. me me me. God and His Word has told me something about this....

"No matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love." - 1 Cor. 13:3

"The entire law can be summed up in this single command: 'Love your neighbor as yourself'" - Galatians 5:14

"Your strong love for eachother will prove to the world that you are My disciples." - John 13:35

"Let love be your greatest aim." - 1 Corinthians 14:1

"These three things will continue forever: faith, hope and love. And the greatest of these is love."
- 1 Corinthians 13:13

"Truly i tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to Me." - Matthew 25:40

"The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love." - Galatians 5:6

"My children, our love should not be just words and talk; it must be true love, which shows itself in action." - 1 John 3:18

"Be full of love for others, following the example of Christ who loved you and gave Himself to God as a sacrifice to take away your sins." - Ephesians 5:2

Christ didn't ponder the idea of love. As you can see it was and is a HUGE thing for our lives. He loved, without ceasing. Even to the point of death for us. I don't wanna waste another day. What will I say when I stand before Jesus when He asks: "Why did you spend so much of your time on things that will never last?" (like tests...projects...crap) I wanna love. I wanna give myself, my time, to others. I'm shocked...how stupid i am.

love carly

long time no type!

2005-01-31T20:20:00.000-08:00

hey all. i haven't been on her for a way too long of a time. (makes sense eh? too much exams...) lol. bet ya liked that. anyhoo...i got sick of studying so i flipped the channel to whose line is it anyway. man that's always good for a laugh, except i'm not really payin any attention whatsoever cuz i'm on my compy. huh. fancy that.
so what's new with me...? i can't wait till monday! well i was spose to be going snowboarding, but the trip was cancelled since barely anyone signed up haha. ( i hadn't even signed up yet so i should shut it) but i think a bunch of us still wanna go. so carpool all da way! i'm so scared tho. mandy went, and she's all sore and junk. hahaha i wish i coulda been there to see her rack out...i mean...what? i didn't say that...no proof watsoever!
hmm....i dunno. maybe ya'll should comment on here. i'm not too interestin tonite, sorry! love ya anyhoo. later
love car

2005-01-31T20:18:00.000-08:00

an angry verena...man she's ton's of fun! i bet she'll never see this either! mwahaha...

2005-01-31T20:16:00.000-08:00

me and sarah. she's awesome...dang pretty too!

2005-01-31T20:15:00.001-08:00

mxpx background

2005-01-31T20:15:00.000-08:00

12 stones...sweet pic

2005-01-23T16:02:00.000-08:00

hey everyone. i'm just gonna share something with you that I wrote last night. see, all of a sudden i was feeling really upset. so i needed to go have a good cry and talk with God. and this is what happened...

Don't Let These Tears
Feeling a bit down tonight, Jesus.
So where do i run?
Friends....empty truths...T.V.....worldly views...
Nothing seems to put a stop to my feelings of brokeness....lonliness...
Why do i always choose You as my last resort?
Like a fool i turn away from the only thing that's true.
I fall, i scramble, i have no where to go....
But there You stand, knocking at my hearts door.
Come to Me...I will give you rest...Never will I leave you...
Your words of love, whirling through my head, washing away the tears and lonliness.
You alone are my Rock.
So i run to You.
And You catch me.
You twirl me around in Your arms.
You whisper words of comfort and send me on my way.
I will try again.
This one's for You Jesus.
You have turned my mourning into dancing.
I will read through Your Word, talk to You like old times.
Forgive me for boxing You up, for using You.
Putting You on like a pair of shoes.
I am but a filthy rag.
But with You, everything is made new.
Don't let these tears stop me from loving You...

and i bawled like a baby. i find such comfort in my Daddy's arms. let's run to Him. He'll catch you everytime.
I know the LORD is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me. -Psalm16:8

2005-01-20T16:11:00.000-08:00

hey guys. here are some verses i thought i would put on here, I'm really likin them lately. enjoy...

...My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart. He is mine forever... Psalm 73:26

...If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you... - 1 Peter 4:14

...The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives for ever... - 1 John 2:17

...I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world... - John 16:33

...Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?... - Matthew 6:26-27

that's it for now! i will walk by faith...even when i cannot see...- Jeremy Camp

Forgotten...

2005-01-16T17:28:00.000-08:00

hey guys. click on that poem, enlarge it, and take a gander.
how many times do we give up on hope and blame it on God when troubles, persecution, and all that other crap comes our way? When really He is the only One that is willing to stand strong through everything we go through. it's crazy, really. He says to run to Him when we feel weary, and HE will give us rest. but here i go, running to anything EXCEPT Him. whatever it is that takes that pain away so i don't have to feel. but yet it comes rushing back everytime. it takes me forever to get this through my head, yet Jesus is always standing there with arms wide open, calling my name. Giving us billions of chances And yet again, i run to Him, after i can't take it anymore. So ya, I guess i just need to learn to keep His promises in mind and to turn things over to Him right from the beginning. Because I sometimes forget.....

2005-01-16T17:27:00.000-08:00

forgotten - one of my fav's
Posted by Hello

2005-01-15T19:32:00.000-08:00

this is me and kelsey in the girls change room at school! haha good times.
Posted by Hello

2005-01-15T19:30:00.000-08:00

me and my teddy
Posted by Hello

Poems

2005-01-15T13:20:00.000-08:00

The Nail

The Nail reminds me I was a sinner condemned to die.

The Nail also reminds me of my great worth.

Esteemed worthy of the sacrificie of God's only son.

Jesus Christ regarded me precious enough that he endured the pain and agony of the cross and shed his blood to give me life.

The Nail reminds me to take up my cross daily and follow him.

The Nail didn't hold him to the cross it was his love for you and me!

"He is the sacrifice for our sins. He takes away not only our sins but the sins of all the world." 1 John 2:2
- Author unknown

Every Tomorrow

God is in every tomorrow,

Therefore I live for today;

Certain of finding at sunrise

Guidance and strength for the day,

Power for each moment of pain

Comfort for every sorrow,

Sunshine and joy after rain.

God is in every tomorrow,

Planning for you and for me,

E'en in the dark I will follow,

Trust where my eyes cannot see,

Stilled by His promise of blessing,

Soothed by the touch of His hand,

Confident in His protection,

Knowing my life-path is planned.

God is in every tomorrow,

Life with its changes may come,

He is behind and before me,

While in the distance shines Home.

Home - where no thoughts of tomorrow

Ever can shadow my brow,

Home in the presence of Jesus,

Through all Eternity now!
-Author unknown