Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Spurgeon:: Saved through God's own blood























If one man might suffer for another, yet one man’s sufferings could not avail for ten thousand times ten thousand men. What efficacy could there be in the death of one innocent person to put away the transgressions of a multitude? Nay, but because he who carried our sins up to the tree was God over all, blessed for ever; because he who suffered his feet to be fastened to the wood was none other than that same Word who was in the beginning with God, and who also was God; because he who bowed his head to death was none other than the Christ, who is immortality and life: — his dying had efficacy in it to take away the sins of all for whom he died.

As I think of my Redeemer and remember that he is God himself, I feel that if he took my nature and died, then indeed my sin is gone. I can rest on that. I am sure that if he who is infinite and omnipotent offered a satisfaction for my sins I need not enquire as to the sufficiency of the atonement, for who dares to suggest a limit to its power? What Jesus did and suffered must be equal to any emergency. Were my sins even greater than they are his blood could make them whiter than snow. If God incarnate died in my stead my iniquities are cleansed.

From a sermon by Charles Haddon Spurgeon entitled "Jesus, The Substitute For His People." Image by Steve Garvie on Flickr under Creative Commons License.

Monday, January 23, 2012

One Thousand Gifts:: Take Thirty-One

1001-1050

1001. lovely, drive-with-the-windows-down weather
1002. protection during bad storms
1003. not losing electricity
1004. good chat time with my dear sister Julia
1005. protection when out driving

1006. freedom and release in forgiveness
1007. joy in Christ
1008. seeing Him answer prayers
1009. that God knows my future, and knows His plans for me
1010. God's plans are better than mine

1011. quality time with Mom on the side of the road
1012. AAA
1013. finding a granola bar and Cheesitz {sp? :)} in the car
1014. protection while we were stuck
1015. my dear Momb :)

1016. Jesus time, my family, Chickfila, ice cream, and Pride and Prejudice after a really rough day
1017. science experiments with the fam
1018. the fam's excitement
1019. dinner with dear friends
1020. game night

1021. coffee with my Theophili sisters!
1022. Bible app on my iTouch
1023. finding parking spots
1024. excitement for the retreat!
1025. celebrating a dear friend

1026. precious babies and little people
1027. super fun time in nursery with four little munchkins and Cara
1028. the gift of life
1029. my church family
1030. Pride and Prejudice sheet music

1031. laughing with my fam
1032. homemade ice cream
1033. my LU Spanish class
1034. excitement for Grandview each Tuesday
1035. opportunity to tutor ESL

1036. fun LU friends
1037. looking forward to my class, even though it's at 8 am :)
1038. iMessaging
1039. Chickfila at LU
1040. spending time with my wonderful grandparents

1041. 88.7 WAY FM while I'm driving
1042. Skype
1043. precious notes in my school mailbox
1044. encouragement from Julia
1045. hanging out with new friends

1046. Dad
1047. Mom
1048. Julia
1049. Cara

1050. As Long As You Are Glorified (Sovereign Grace Music)


by Mark Altrogge 
Shall I take from Your hand Your blessings
Yet not welcome any pain
Shall I thank You for days of sunshine
Yet grumble in days of rain
Shall I love You in times of plenty
Then leave You in days of drought
Shall I trust when I reap a harvest
But when winter winds blow, then doubt

Oh let Your will be done in me
In Your love I will abide
Oh I long for nothing else as long
As You are glorified

Are You good only when I prosper
And true only when I'm filled
Are You King only when I'm carefree
And God only when I'm well
You are good when I'm poor and needy
You are true when I'm parched and dry
You still reign in the deepest valley
You're still God in the darkest night

So quiet my restless heart
Quiet my restless heart
Quiet my restless heart in you

Oh let Your will be done in me
In Your love I will abide
Oh I long for nothing else as long
As You are glorified

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Sunday.

Hey friends!

Hope you are having a good weekend! Hoping that we are all safe tonight with the bad weather coming in!

I hope you watched the 7 Lies about Homeschoolers video. It's kind of amazing.

I am loving this CD: The Story. "God's story of love and redemption from Genesis to Revelation told in 18 new songs." Some of Christian music's top artists have come together to create this fabulous CD! Check it out!

One of my favorites... Check out "Bring Us Home"- Michael Tate, Blanca Callahan, and Lecrae



Can't believe this week will be my last meet of the 2011-2012 season! I love my team. The Makos are the best! So thankful to be a part of it!

Yesterday I got to hang out with my dear Theophili sisters! I love them!

Thursday was kind of a rough day... But Jesus time, Chickfila, ice cream, and Pride and Prejudice made it much better :)

Check out MoneySavingMom's post on goal setting. "If you aim at nothing, you'll hit it every time."

Check out my church's Vimeo channel in the next couple of days. Pastor Stephen had a really great sermon about spiritual gifts!

I really like Group 1 Crew's newest music video for "Outta Space Love."

Is today a big recruiting day for colleges? I have gotten 10-15 emails from colleges just today...

Favorite convo with Cara recently:

Cara: Here try this. *shoves a spoon of corn into my mouth* Cara: How is it? Me: Yuck!! What is wrong with it?! Gross! Cara: Oops I need to season it. You are my hamster. Me: Um I think you mean guinea pig...

Coming soon... finishing the photo challenge?, one thousand gifts, and more!

Thanks for reading!

peace to you,

lily

Spurgeon:: Believe with Confidence

































Surely the witness of Matthew and Mark, and Luke and John, and Peter and James and Paul, is as good as the witness of Julius Caesar or Tacitus, and it is rendered the more trustworthy from the fact that they died for adhering to it, which neither Caesar nor Tacitus were made to do. Besides, for the gospel narrative we have many witnesses, the number of names was about one hundred and twenty, and they all agreed and stood fast; and even the one who did for a time seem to forsake his testimony, bad as he was, returned to it, and threw down the money for which he had sold his Master, and said, “I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood.” We have the witness of men as to the facts that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, lived and died, and rose again, and ascended into heaven.

From a sermon by Charles Haddon Spurgeon entitled "Faith, And The Witness Upon Which It Is Founded." Image by Vincent van der Pas on Flickr under Creative Commons License.

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

7 Lies about Homeschooling... Debunked


This is hilarious. And very legit.

Friday, January 13, 2012

One Thousand Gifts:: Take Thirty :: #1000!

962-1000!

962. a wonderful and relaxing Christmas break
963. going back to LU and Whitver this week
964. answer to prayer- feeling peace and readiness to get back to school
965. snow
966. hot tea and hot cocoa

967. my amazing swim team
968. dear coaches that love us and encourage us
969. feeling like I'm coming home after not being at swim practice for a while
970. swim meet and team dinner at SATCO with my Makos
971. taking over half the restaurant wherever we go:)

972. getting to see super talented friends in Beauty and the Beast- twice! (I totally could have gone every show!) :)
973. selling roses
974. hanging out with beautiful and fab Joelle!
975. oatmeal, juice, and good chat time at 11:30
976. my dear and wonderful family!

977. hanging out with the wonderful Lydia and three adorable kids!
978. my church family
979. Grandview!
980. "Thank you teachers" - ESL students :)
981. "Nice to meet you" - after we learned that

982. privilege of being part of Grandview
983. two adorable friends coming with me!
984. said cute girls coming for dinner
985. new friends
986. excitement for this semester

987. finding our memory card reader (now I can finally upload pictures!)
988. getting to see my friend Emily at the meet! :)
989. pinterest
990. Facetiming with the Hippensteels
991. hanging out with Jenny

992. photo shoots
993. trying to video chat with Mara :)
994. a fabulous Christmas
995. fresh starts in 2012
996. hanging out with Christina

997. "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." ~ Matthew 11:28

998. "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." ~ Philippians 4:13

999. "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." ~ Jeremiah 29:11

and...

1000! ~ In Christ Alone ~


In Christ alone my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength, my song;
this Cornerstone, this solid Ground,
firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
when fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My Comforter, my All in All,
here in the love of Christ I stand.
In Christ alone! who took on flesh
Fulness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones he came to save:
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied -
For every sin on Him was laid;
Here in the death of Christ I live.
There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain:
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave he rose again!
And as He stands in victory
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me,
For I am His and He is mine -
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.
No guilt in life, no fear in death,
This is the power of Christ in me;
From life’s first cry to final breath.
Jesus commands my destiny.
No power of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home,
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand.



Friday, January 6, 2012

30 Day Challenge:: green with a dash of an update.

Day 4. Something green.


Taken with a macro lens. That lens is so fab.


Trees.


Here is me being a panda several years ago... :)




Last night I went to see some super cool and awesome friends in Beauty and the Beast. It was so incredible. We laughed and we cried. It was perfect. They were perfect. And I didn't even see the Beast's hand fall off. Quote of the evening from a little girl when Gaston stabbed the Prince: "I don't like that!!" too funny. And I got to help sell roses. So fun.

Tomorrow we have a dual swim meet! GO MAKOS!!!

I would just like to take a minute to share how much I love my team and coaches. They are amazing. I kind of slacked during the holiday season and maybe went once over three weeks. Oops. (I was definitely feeling it when I went back... haha) When I went back (finally) I was so happy to see everyone. I love those people! they are like family! My coaches are so wonderful. My team is so wonderful.

Posts coming soon: one thousand gifts!



Happy Birthday to my dear friend Sarah Beth!! I love you!!


(here is a picture of Sarah Beth, me, and Mimi before SB went to CO for the summer)

Thursday, January 5, 2012

30 Day Challenge:: Cloudy with a chance of... roses?

Day 3.

Clouds.


An artsy picture taken by my artsy sister Julia.

30 Day Challenge: because I know I'll get behind.


Day 2. 

What you wore today. (or are wearing)


I am going to see some of my super cool friends in a play. And I will be selling roses.

$10 dress from Old Navy, thanks to Black Friday shopping.

30 Day Challenge:: Let's do this

Day 1.

Self portrait.

PhotoBooth on Christmas!

New Challenge?

Pinned Image

Monday, January 2, 2012

2011 :: In Pictures :: Part 2

Part 2!



Sisters!

Chickfila with my Mako girlies! (check out how we are all tan haha)
Cheesecake with the gals before SB headed out to CO!
 Love these gals!
 Pool!
 Papa's birthday!
 Mr. Popper's Penguins and Chickfila with these fun folks!
 Wizard of Oz!
 Cara, Dorothy (aka Annie), and Lily
 Anna before she went to China!
 Scotts+Anna!
 Hannah's going away party
 Roadtrippin with Dad to Falls Mill!
 Selfie
 Dad
 Julia got her permit!
 Cow Appreciation Day! (wow I basically lived at Chickfila over the summer... :)
 Meet on the birthday!
Matthew!
 Jenny!
 Zach and Anna Rose! I had so much fun coaching with them and Caitlin! Go Gators!
 9-10 girlies!
 Crazy side of being a Gator!
 Putting up the lane lines
 Hannah graduated from PM!
 Lunch!
Mz Dake got married!

 Anna Lea!
 Mom was super impressed with my driving of this... :)
 I love this sweet little girl!
 Dad's 50th! First family meal with all 7 of us! Thank you, Lord!
 Mom and Dad on his 50th!
 Sisters!
 Joelle!
 Super fun outing at Cheekwood with the fabulous and wonderful Ms. Kathy!
 Sisters!
 Matthew is falling...
 Fun friends!
 +Julia -Lily
 With the dear parentals on Dad's big 5-0!
 Sisters at the new Nordstrom!
 Cute girls!