Operation Christmas Made it to Senegal!

 

This year my Operation Christmas Child box went to Senegal. A small country on the west coast of Africa.

 

 

 



 

posted by: Caroline



Melody on Monday

 

 

 

This is one of my favorite Hymns. I sing it all year round!

 

 

posted by: Caroline



Until the Day of Jesus Chirst.

"You mean, if you were to become pregnant right now you would keep it? Right now..... you would keep it? What if you can't take care of it and it ends up just another miserable life like you?"

I was standing on a street in the Bronx talking to a girl in front of an abortion clinic. My friends and I went to the Bronx to do street counseling ..... I hadn't expected to be out there like this..... face to face with a girl who's friend was in the clinic having an abortion.

"Well," said one of my friends, "yes we would. Because we're taking it a step further and making that choice to stay abstinent until marriage and we're in a place where we can care for a child. We're saving sex for marriage." "No one talks about that. No one ever told me that."
No one ever told me that......... No one ever told me that........

Those words rang in my hears..... I thought I had been hit with something. "Do people talk about that were you come from?" she asked. "Yes we do." I said. "We have a program through our pregnancy center called Worth Waiting For. We go into school health classes and talk about this." I had meant to say "they" and not "we".

You see, I had been interviewed to be a presenter for WW4. On the way down to NYC I had been reading through the material. As I read through I began to be less interested in public speaking on this topic. I've lead a sheltered (and by sheltered I mean blessed) and pure life stile growing up in a Christian household. By taking this job would I be risk my own purity in a way? Wouldn't it be nice to keep my innocents?

These girls walking into abortion clinics are not blatantly doing something they know is wrong and liking it. Most walk in not knowing how they got there. They are scared and really believe they are giving their unborn child a break for not having to grow up the way they have. We as Christians may look at that as "sick" but when there is no God, you have no hope, and the life you're carrying  has no eternal soul, it's easier to suppress the truth.

We waited around till this girl's friend came out of the clinic. I went over to see if she needed help because she could barely stand. "With all due respect miss, I'm not really in a place where I can take someone judging me right now," she said. What? "No! I just wanted to know if you needed anything and tell you that I'm sorry and that God loves you." I was frantically trying to find words to say that would actually mean something for her to hear...... there weren't any. They drove away and I never saw them again.

Back at home in my bedroom I was on my knees begging God to send someone else. "I don't want to be in this battle! Please God. I will pray for those out there fighting, but please don't send me!" Looking back at this conversation I had with God, it seems silly but I really was scared stiff. Dear brothers and sisters, the God we serve is so good and patient with us. I did not hear a voice. There was not writing on the wall. But through the prompting of the Holy Spirit I knew He was telling me, "Yes, you will go and I will be with you even to the end of the age."

 

Do you know what the opposite of fear is? It's love. When you step out of your comfort zone because you love the people out there too much to stay, you look back and realize, God did that. God gave you that love for those people that turned into courage. "God will take you to places you did not intend to go in order to produce in you what you could not produce on your own." ~ Paul David Tripp I have been to places I did not intend to go. Friends, I ended up in Haiti presenting the Worth Waiting For program!

Our Heavenly Father in about the business of turning us into the image of His Son. "And this is our prayer, that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ." ~ Philippians 1:9-10  He will take you to places you did not expect to produce in you what you could not produce on your own. "He who began a good work in you will carry it onto completion until the day of  Jesus Christ." ~ Philippians 1:6

 

 

posted by: Caroline

 

 

Shine

Dating Philosophy

Sometimes I worry about becoming old and unmarried because I was just too busy to have my eyes open.

But there is a difference between busyness and obedience. A difference between distracting yourself and saying, Yes, Lord."

You can do the tasks God puts in front of you just for the sake of doing them. Or you can do them because you love the Lord your God so much the thought of not doing something He has set before you is unbearable.

If there is someone out there who thinks the same way, I'm sure we'll run into each other.

 

 

 

Yes, Lord. I will choose to run towards you as fast as I can.

 

 

posted by: Caroline

 

 

Artisan Bread

This video makes understanding how to make artisan bread so easy!

 

 

Sometimes when I come home from work I don't have time to let the dough rise.....

 

 

But if I cut it like this....

 

 

it takes less rising and baking time.

posted by: Caroline

Melody on Monday

Baptisms

 In him also vyou were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by wputting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 xhaving been buried with him in baptism, in which yyou were also raised with him through faith in zthe powerful working of God, zwho raised him from the dead. Colossians-2: 11-12

 

 

 

 

Pastor Mark and Drew

 

 Abby and Dad

For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Philippians-3:8b-11

 

Sisters by birth sister in Christ. :)

A pair of shoes for Abby.

 

posted by: Caroline


Melody on Monday

A Book on Friday

The ladies Sunday school class in our church is going through this A.W. Tozer book. 

 I would really encourage anyone to read it!

 

 

 "The most important thought you will ever think is the thought you think when you think about God."

What do you think of?

 

posted by: Caroline

Day in Seritoga, NY

Our family spent a beautiful day in Saratoga, NY a few weeks ago.

 

 Farm's market.

 

Abby having a laugh.



SPAC (Saratoga Performing Arts Center) is an outdoor music theater. 

 The night we went we got to hear the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra with Yo-Yo Ma.

 



 

Yo-Yo Ma didn't play this piece but it's one of my favorites.  

 

posted by Caroline

 

One Day in August

Picking blueberries with a friend....

 

Sanding and finishing our living room floor......

 

 

It's the simple things in life.  

 

Happy Wednesday everyone!

 

 

posted by: Caroline

Melody on Monday

The Wedding

After months of prepping, gathering odds and ends, planning, and praying......

 

 

the day finally came!

 Nathan and Carissa, the happy couple.

 The beautiful barn an elder in our church let us borrow for the reception hall.

 

 Milk and cookie bar.

 

It was such a wonderful day that I wish could have lasted longer! Thanks to everyone who helped us put it all together. Thank you to Leah Putney for taking these wonderful pictures.

 

poster by: Caroline

 

Melody on Monday + Birthday!

Today is the birthday of one of the dearest people I know!

You are beautiful inside and out Lydia. God has used you in so many ways this past year. May you grow even more into His image this next year.

 

 

Love you so much!

Happy 20th. 

 

Here is a song for you..... :)

 

 

 

 

Posted by: Caroline

Dreaming of Backpacking Today.

 Kelty packs are beast (really great) if anyone is looking into packs.

This one is the Red Cloud 5600- 6650cu. in.

 

So true. ;D

 

 

posted by: Caroline