grace AND truth.

so. grace is probably one of the most sweetest sounding words to a sinner’s ears. for it is by grace you have been saved.. and we love when the Lord pours it out on our wretched hearts. there are so few who will reject its notions or gifts and as a child of God, i can’t deny it’s necessity in my life.

but. truth. now the truth is. Christ died on the cross to save my soul. he was persecuted. crucified. and buried. the truth is we are called to pick up our crosses and follow him.. not only in a life showered by grace.. but also in his suffering. to share in his sufferings, becoming like Him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.. 

—-

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’” Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. -John 1:14-17

grace is found in conjunction with truth.

John 6:1-15. when Jesus fed 5000 and showed his grace, people readily accepted and ate. it. up. in v15 they even want to make him King! oh how sweet is grace when it showers us with goodies..

but grace is probably what, i believe, demands the most of us.

John 6:53-60 ends with the disciples expressing how difficult it is to understand or grasp the gospel, that which is founded upon calvary. now Jesus speaks truth and it is just not as readily or easily accepted or understood. people walk away from truth. it isn’t easy to hear and it’s sure as heck not easy to live by. the grace concept is easy to receive.. that he died for me.. but shouldn’t it compel us then to respond? shouldn’t the truth then move us to live and be witnesses of God’s mercy? and we are warned.. or urged.. not to receive God’s grace in vain! -Galatians 2:19-21

so. here i stand. while grace is so sweet. and necessary. and while our Lord embodies it and poured it out. and while we live lives saved by grace, through faith. i am challenged to now further be obedient to the calling to live in truth. to allow for the gospel to be received not in vain but fully.. in that i may die to myself, take up the cross, share in his sufferings.. to live a life worthy of the cross!!

“For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!” -Galatians 2:19-21

“Your love Oh Lord, is better than life. My lips will forever praise you.”
Psalm 63:3

obsessions au courant

strawberries are buy one get one for 4.99 at my nearest Jewel-Osco and i have taken FULL advantage! i can’t get over how pleasing strawberries are! I mean, not only are they the most vibrant shade of my absolute favorite and the most passionate, sexy color.. but they’re shaped like hearts! This pretty fruit, when ripe, is just SO sweet, juicy and satisfying and you can’t deny all it pairs well with: strawberries&cream, strawberry shortcakes, strawberry icecream, chocolate dipped strawberries.. but nothing beats them fresh. gosh. love ‘em.

peach izzes have tickled my tastebuds recently and it is quite the delight. i have always been a HUGE fan of izzes. for those of you that know me, i am a carbonation addict. yep. not caffeine, not sugar.. but the bubbliness of carbonated drinks excite me to no end. it’s why i love my cokes and my ever rare glasses of champagne. but to drink another obsession of mine, fruit, in juice form.. which is usually a perfected taste.. that’s carbonated?! it’s beyond amazing in my opinion. and then there was the peace izze. peach is another one of those sensual fruits.. it’s soft, fuzzy, and sweet.. it’s got such a distinct and yet decadent taste. izzes have reclaimed my heart yet again.. swoon

prunus dulcis. aka.. almonds. I’ve formed this habit of munching on a few almonds every time i get into my car. :) I keep a bag of natural whole almonds [yeah blue diamond!] in the side pocket of my car door and they’ve become my crunchy earthy snack to and from work! They’re good sources of fiber, nutrients and energy, rich in mono-unsaturated fatty acids and have vitamin E in ‘em too. Almonds, to me, have an almost buttery taste to them and while I am actually not a fan of nuts for the most part.. I am pretty much in love with these particular ones. :)

cadbury mini eggs. those of you that have known me and my obsessions.. if you’ve been around me in march-april you’d know my absolute favorite candy comes out!! It’s what I get most excited about when Easter rolls around, of course.. that’s after the excitement of celebrating my Savior’s ultimate display of love and mercy on the Cross and His ridiculously awesome resurrection that redeemed me!! :P for some reason the milk chocolate in these candied shells is so creamy and addicting.. i have no idea what it is! I actually prefer dark chocolate over milk any day and you’d think m&m’s would do the trick for candied chocolates.. but cadbury minieggs are where it’s at guys. only during this time of year!! :)

ok. there it is. just SOME of my obsessions as of late. i love me some goooood food and yummies in my tummy. do you, the reader, care? probably not. haha.. :)

“You are my witnesses,” declares the LORD, “and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me. I, even I, am the LORD, and apart from me there is no savior. I have revealed and saved and proclaimed— I, and not some foreign god among you. You are my witnesses,” declares the LORD, “that I am God. Yes, and from ancient days I am he. No one can deliver out of my hand. When I act, who can reverse it?”

Isaiah 43:10-13

how sweet it is to be loved by You..

on LOVE day 2011..
i had roses, chocolate truffles, lunchdate and a singing balloon.. how blessed am i?

and.. it just so happened that the singing balloon.. from my brother.. sang my heart’s melodies of the day. how sweet it is to be loved by You..

i think this may be my first time spending Valentine’s Day feeling ever so content in my Savior’s love and affections. It was the first time I took moments to reflect on His vast, infinite, merciful, ridiculous, crazy and sweet.. so sweet love. I love that He draws me near and keeps stringing me closer and closer to His heart. It humbles me to know just how he pursues me despite my efforts to run or hide or even just ignore.

I am just so in awe of You, my God, creator of Heaven and Earth..

“The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they display knowledge.
There is no speech or language
where their voice is not heard.
Their voice goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.”

Psalm 19:1-4


And yet, your affections are for me..

“To the LORD your God belong the heavens,
even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it.
Yet the LORD set his affection on your forefathers and loved them,
and he chose you, their descendants, above all the nations, as it is today.”

Deuteronomy 10:14-15

and You changed my name, bringing me out of death and into a life of splendor.

“You will be a crown of splendor in the LORD’s hand,
a royal diadem in the hand of your God.
No longer will they call you Deserted,
or name your land Desolate.
But you will be called Hephzibah,
and your land Beulah;
for the LORD will take delight in you,
and your land will be married.”

Isaiah 62:3-4

You called me yours.

“But now, this is what the LORD says—
he who created you, O Jacob,
he who formed you, O Israel;
‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name;
you are mine.
When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweet over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.
For I am the LORD, your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
I give Egypt for your ransom,
Cush and Seba in your stead.
Since you are precious and honored in my sight,
and because I love you.’”

Isaiah 43:1-4

this song was a hit in the 60s/70s. to an earthly love.
God, my God, how sweet it is to be loved by You.

How sweet it is to be loved by you
How sweet it is to be loved by you

I needed the shelter of someone’s arms, there you were
I needed someone to understand my ups and downs, there you were
With sweet love and devotion
Deeply touching my emotion
I want to stop and thank you Jesus
I want to stop and thank you Jesus

I close my eyes at night
Wondering where would I be without you in my life
Everything I did was just a bore
Everywhere I went it seems I’d been there before
But you brighten up for me all of my days
With a love so sweet in so many ways
I want to stop and thank you Jesus
I just want to stop and thank you Jesus

You were better to me than I was to myself
For me, there’s you and there ain’t nobody else
I want to stop and thank you Jesus
I just want to stop and thank you Jesus

my life’s moves thus far..

my life’s moves thus far..

“And when God the Almighty Maker died, all the power there is was in that atonement. You never can overstate the efficaciousness of the atonement. You never can exaggerate the power of the cross.”
A W Tozer, The Attributes of God
“The human language staggers when we try to use it to describe God.”
A W Tozer, The Attributes of God
“The everlasting marvel and the high, overpassing love of God, the irresistible love of God, out of His goodness sees us perfect even though we are not perfect.”
A W Tozer, The Attributes of God
“And worthy is the goodness of God that out of His infinite kindness, His unchanging, perfect lovingkindness, He made amends for us, “full, fair and many,” turning all our sin into endless worship.”
A W Tozer, The Attributes of God