Malachi

My friends Wes and Rachel Smith lost their 3-year old son this morning to leukemia. My heart is breaking for them but I'm not mourning without hope. Christ conquered death when He gave His life on the cross and rose again--and we have hope that little Malachi is in heaven rejoicing with his Creator. And with my mom. Malachi means "Messenger of God" and this is God's message to me through Malachi:

God's Message

God said children are a precious gift—
Malachi is God’s messenger of that truth.

God said He works everything for good for those who love Him—
Malachi is God’s messenger of that promise.

God said He is the Great Comforter—
Malachi is God’s messenger of that attribute.

God said He knows every hair on our head—
Malachi is God’s messenger of that fact.

God said He loves the little children—
Malachi is God’s messenger, proof that’s true.

God said He gives us the grace we need for each day—
Malachi is God’s messenger to help us experience that grace.

God said He formed us and knew us intimately before we were born—
Malachi is God’s messenger, evidence of that care.

God said He is sovereign—
Malachi is God’s messenger, demonstrating that reality.

God said He can use the faith of few to increase the faith of many—
Malachi is God’s messenger to bring that to pass.

God said life is a vapor—
Malachi is God’s messenger, reminding us to live that way.

God said He is preparing a place for us—
Malachi is God’s messenger, causing us to dwell on thoughts of heaven.

One Reason Why I Don't Internet Date :)

Online
By: Brad Paisley

I work down at the Pizza Pit
And I drive an old Hyundai
I still live with my mom and dad
I'm 5 foot 3 and overweight
I'm a scifi fanatic
A mild asthmatic
But there's whole ‘nother me
That you need to see
Go checkout MySpace'

Cause online I'm out in Hollywood
I'm 6 foot 5 and I look real good
I drive a Maserati
I'm a black-belt in karate
And I love a good glass of wine
It turns girls on that I’m mysterious
I tell them I don't want nothing serious
I’m so much cooler online

When I get home I kiss my mom
And she fixes me a snack
And I head down to my basement bedroom
And fire up my Mac
In real life the only time I’ve ever even been to L.A.
Is when I got the chance with the marching band
To play tuba in the Rose Parade

Online I live in Malibu
I pose for Calvin Klein,
I've been in GQ
I'm single and I'm rich
And I've got a set of six pack abs
That would blow your mind

When you got my kind of stats
It’s hard to get a date
Let alone a real girlfriend
But I grow another foot and I lose a bunch of weight
Every time I login

Hair Cut Picture...Just For You, Joy! ;)

Just because you asked...

Hair Cut

It's amazing to me that something as simple as a haircut can make you feel like a new person. When you feel like you need a change or you need to move on or past something, there is nothing better than a haircut. I say this only because I am too chicken to dye my hair or something even more extreme, so for me, a haircut will have to do. I high recommend it. If you're having a bad day, try it out. I promise you won't be disappointed.

Change Something About Myself That I Don't Like/Plant Some Flowers

The closer I grow to the Lord, the more I see my sin, and the more I hate it. Sometimes I feel like I have so far to go, but as I fight my sin with the Lord's help, each day I will be conformed more and more to His image. That's why on my list of 30 things to do this year, I said that I want to work on something about myself that I'd like to change. It wasn't a difficult choice. While I have many weaknesses I could choose from, there is one glaring thing I want to focus on growing in this year.

I've been this way my entire life...opinionated and strong-willed. I know how things should be and I know how I want things to be. Unfortunately that trait often lends me to unwittingly try to control my circumstances. It's out of a desire for security and stability. I want to feel like everything is nice and neat and in order. That's wrong. And it's my biggest, glaring fault. I realize that I can't control anything. God is in control. And the only way to feel that security, peace, and safety is to be settled in Christ.

Since recognizing the severity of this sin in my life, hopefully I've already come a long way. But I know practically I still have a very long way to go, and I'm taking steps everyday to put others first before my own desires and to trust in God and not my own wisdom.

And I did plant some flowers. My lovely friend Melissa gave me a plant of sunflowers for my birthday so I decided to plant them in the front yard. I've never planted anything before...it couldn't be that hard, right? I didn't want to get dirt under my fingernails and I know my mom gardened a lot, so I searched through my mom's gardening things in the back yard, and found everything I needed. I got gloves, a little shovel, and little pick for hard dirt. I picked my spot in the front yard next to some other plants and I dug dug, dug until it was deep enough for the plant to sit flush with the ground. I filled in the ground around the plant and gave it lots of water.

It's been several days and the plant is dead. Yes, dead. Dried out and shriveled up. I guess this attempt was not a success, I'll have to try again.