My mom

I would like to wish my mom, a very Happy Birthday!

Its truly a blessing to have such a godly mother, who cares so much about our family living solely for Christ.

So, thank you very much for everything you do and for just being you. I love you so much!

Who Are We?

Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?
Have you ever in your life commanded the morning?
Have the gates of death been revealed to you?
Have you understood the expanse of the earth?
Have you entered the storehouses of the snow?
Can you lead forth a constellation in its season?
Do you know the ordinances of the heavens?
Can you send forth lightnings?
Will the faultfinder contend with the Almighty?

These are just a few of the many questions God asked Job.

Job answered the Lord and said, " Behold, I am insignificant; what can I reply to Thee? I lay my hand on my mouth."

Do we annul God's judgment? Do we condemn God that we may be justified? Job 40:8

I have recently been reminded about these passages in Job, and I have to question myself and say, "Have I complained against the Most High God?" Who am I that I think I know better than he does.

What do we complain about, that we think nothing of? The small things in life, maybe? The weather? The temperature in the house? The food wasn't cooked right? Where you are and wishing you could be somewhere else?  Those are just a few things, and there are tons more.

God has been here since the world began and I think He knows what is best for His children. I personally, need to trust in that more.

Family

Wouldn't it be easier if our entire family were Christians?  That we could share that common bond in Christ? To rejoice in the same things? To enjoy the same things? To study the same things? The list could go on. It's hard not to expect them to act like Christians, and when they don't it surprises you.

Christ says our life will not be easy but full of trials. Why? To make us miserable? No. To strengthen us, to grow us, but the ultimate reason is to bring Him the glory. The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.

Christ has given us a common bond with other people. It may not be blood relatives. But yet aren't they? Because we are all connected through the blood of Christ. He called all of us, connected through the blood of Christ, brothers and sisters. And that is encouraging. We are HIS family, and we are all family.

But sometimes this still doesn't make it easier to be around our non-Christian blood relatives. We are called to bring forth the gospel. That doesn't mean shove it down their throats. It sometimes means being patient and wait for God to open the door. But when God does open that door, take it and seize it. And other times its just letting God shine through you and letting God be God.

No matter what happens in this life, everything and I mean everything, brings glory to God and He is worthy to be praised. He gives us brothers and sisters and that bond can never be broken.

The Makings of an Apple Pie

 Starting the crust.

 Tasty lard. Haha!

 Mix it mash it, put in a stew. Well not in a stew...

 Mhmm....we got this!

 That's not dangerous! We had to have music, and for those of you who know me..well..you know!

 I think she said something funny..maybe?!

 My hands are sticky...see!

 Haha...I was disgusted at something, not sure what.

 Aren't they pretty!?

 Making the edge of the crust pretty!

 See?

 Cutting an apple design.

 Finished!

It was soooooooo yummy!

And just to let everyone know....I did help.. I didn't just take pictures!

My Poor Attempt at Poetry!

Its cozy under the covers.
Its cold outside the covers.
Don't wanna get up.

Duty calls.
That bittersweet aroma
entices me to get up.

I remove the blankets
A little chilly but tolerable.
Quickly get changed.

I go downstairs
To where the heat is on.
To help if I can.

The house is silent.
Besides the ticking of the clock
And the rushing of cars outside.

I open the front door.
I feel the chilly winter air.
The hair on my arms begin to rise.

Walk down the front steps
Watching my breath
Disappear into the air.

Open the icy mailbox.
Put the frosted flag up.
Hurrying back inside.

Oh the Lord is good
To allow us the joyous warmth
of radiators and coffee.

Marcel Dumais

Four years seems so long.
Four years seems so short.
Seems like he's still here.
Relaxing watching tv in his room.

Didn't get to know him well.
Started to get to know him.
Cutting his hair.
Sitting at the table talking.

But now he's gone.
He's not here.
Memories last.
And the photographs will remain.

The loss is great
to grandmother and family
Yet she and we move on.
But we remember, always remember.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe

This makes 2 cheesecakes

I just bought a premade graham cracker crust but if you want to make it here it is.

Crust:
1 cup - graham cracker crumbs
3 tbsp - margarine or butter (melted)
2 tbsp - sugar

Pumpkin Filling:
2  packages - 8oz. cream cheese (softened)
1 1/4 cup - sugar
1 can - 15oz pure pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
3/4 cup - sour cream
2 tsp - vanilla extract
1 tsp - ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp - ground allspice
1/4 tsp - salt
4 large eggs

Directions:
(1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and sugar until moistened. With hand press mixture onto bottom of pie plates. Bake crust 10 minutes. Cool completely in pie plate on wire rack.

(2) Prepare Pumpkin Filling: In large bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat cream cheese until smooth; slowly beat in sugar until blended, about 1 minute, scraping bowl often with rubber spatula. With mixer at low speed, beat in pumpkin, sour cream, vanilla, cinnamon, allspice, and salt. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.

(3) Pour pumpkin mixture into crust and place the pie in a large roasting pan. Carefully pour enough boiling water into pan to come 1 inch up side of pie plate. Put in oven. Bake cheesecake for 1 hour 10 minutes or until center barely jiggles.

(4) Remove cheesecake from water bath to wire rack. With small knife, loosen cheesecake from side of pie plate to help prevent cracking during cooling. Cool cheesecake completely. Cover and refrigerate cheesecake at least 6 hours or overnight, until well chilled.

Now you can eat it! Enjoy!

Coffee

Oh the aroma is comforting, to this tired body.
Bring the strong black leaded liquid to my lips.
Oh, that is good I say, hot liquid passing my lips .
The little pleasures and blessings God allows us to have.
Oh how I am thankful!

Heritage Reformed Church

Check this church out! Great sermons.

http://www.facebook.com/HeritageReformedChurch

http://heritagercus.org/

Why Proverbs was written

The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel
*for attaining wisdom and discipline;
*for understanding words of insight;
*for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life,
*doing what is right and just and fair;
*for giving prudence to the simple
*knowledge and discretion to the young
*let the wise listen and add to their learning
*let the discerning get guidance
*for understanding proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise.
Proverbs 1:1-6

Though I've read the book of Proverbs many times, I never noticed these six verses right in the beginning!
And then it gives you a reminder/exhortation before you start reading.

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom discipline." Proverbs 1:7

Reformation

Strict and overbearing
White washed tombs
Traditions over scripture
Rome

Do as i say
I am better than you
I have the power
To damn your soul

Peasants
Consistently fearful
No hope
Weak

What is this?
Contradiction?
Ninety - five of them!
Heresy!

A common
Disobedient monk
Who does he think he is?
This must stop.

Many writings
Proving the wickedness
Of this religion

People
Thinking for themselves
Having hope
In the One who saves

Standing strong
For the faith
Saved by grace
Through faith alone.

Reformation 
In the land
Hearts changed.
Understanding has come.

Great Sermons

Looking for some good solid teaching. This is my home Church's website! 

http://heritagercus.org/

And here is their facebook page!

http://www.facebook.com/HeritageReformedChurch

Poem based on question # 2 of the Heidelberg Catechism.

Me sitting alone
seeing the state in which I live
going down the road of destruction
This is how great my sin and misery is.

Now I see the Light fading
see Him dying on a cross
look, the Light, alive and reigning
This is how I am redeemed from my sin and misery.

For the sacrifice
I may join Him in paradise
I will praise Him forever
This is how I am thankful for such redemption.

Red Green Show - Lawnmower Dragster.MP4

What About Them - John Reuben

(chorus)
Puff the magic Jesus
Floats around the universe
The United States is His favorite place on the whole entire earth
So sing your songs and wave your flag
And thank the Lord for all you have
But what about them?
Did you forget about them?

We came we conquered never speak of this again life
Must go on let’s not think of them
Things are comfortable now the pioneers have settled in
A perfect blend of progress and pale skin
For our sake and those to come
We’ll rewrite the text so you can forget where you came from
Tell it in a way that will build your self esteem
Repackage the product and sell the American dream

(chorus)

History is best forgotten and even better rewritten
And since there’s no forgetting let’s remember it different
Commit to it so strongly till you believe it
The truth is there but you aren’t able to receive it
You need to know you’re safe here
Hide your face here cuz you found your faith here
But four walls with no windows doesn’t mean you’re it
Four walls with no windows doesn’t mean they don’t exist

(chorus)

What a prosperous, wondrous place
Remember to say grace before we scrape our plates
And ignore the crying outside the door sure
You’ll pray for their burdens but you don’t want to make it yours
Thin lines divide but there’s a world of difference
So crawl back into your happy existence and feel the bliss of ignorance keep you warm
Blessed are those who mourn but it’s so foreign
The more you have the less you care
The less you care the more you become unaware
And sure life’s not fair but it favors us apparently
And how are we to interpret this excess
Is it God’s favor ill-behavior or simply man’s modern progress
God bless us as we sweep this mess under the rug
Don’t want to walk barefoot on the tile and step in the mud
Out of sight out of mind and pushed to the side
Left for someone else to rationalize and justify

(chorus)

Psalm 29

Ascribe to the Lord, 

O sons of the mighty,

Ascribe to the Lord

glory and strength.

Ascribe to the Lord

the glory due to His name;

Worship the Lord in the holy array.

The voice of the Lord is upon the waters;

The God of glory thunders,

The Lord is over many waters.

The voice of the Lord is powerful,

the voice of the Lord is majestic.

The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;

Yes, the Lord breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.

And He makes Lebanon skip like a calf,

and Siron like a young wild ox.

The voice of the Lord hews out flames of fire.

The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness;

The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.

The voice of the Lord makes the deer to calve,

And strips the forests bare,

And His temple says,

"Glory!"

The Lord sat as King at the flood;

Yes, the Lord sits as a King forever.

The Lord will give strength to His people;

The Lord will bless His people with peace.

Psalm 29

This chapter is so encouraging! To be called the chosen people of this Mighty Sovereign God!

America's Holocaust

"An evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign;..." Matthew 12:39a

"Something greater than Jonah is here"

Matthew 12:41

"Something greater than Solomon is here"

Matthew 12:42

Christ is here! And he is our sign. Do we really need anything more?

My Hope Is Built

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly trust in Jesus’ Name.

Refrain

On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

When darkness seems to hide His face,
I rest on His unchanging grace.
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.

Refrain

His oath, His covenant, His blood,
Support me in the whelming flood.
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my Hope and Stay.

Refrain

When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh may I then in Him be found.
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.

Refrain

Tim Hawkins - Cletus Take the Reel

The Exhilaration of Running

There is no rhythm or pattern to this. I just wrote.

Tying my sneakers

Stretching my legs

Putting the headphones in my ears

Pressing play on my ipod

Opening the door and taking a deep breath of fresh air.

The question in the back of my mind

Do I really want to do this or

Do I want to relax and be lazy.

I put the thought of laziness out of my mind

I walk to the end of the street

I cross the crosswalk

I decide which direction I should pursue

Running

Breeze blowing my hair

Cars buzzing by

Walking, catching my breath

Leaves swirling around me

Shins and calves burning.

Go a little further and turn around

Running

Putting one foot in front of the other

Heart racing as I make for the home stretch

Pace change to a slow walk

Open the front door

Fall on the floor

Over yet, no.

My heart rate is up

Can't miss the opportunity

Hands behind my head

Crunches

Calves burning

Shins burning

Now abs burning

Feels good, yes.

Thankful for the ways in which we can exercise. And the exhilaration it brings! And the chances to admire God's infinite creation.

Dude Perfect™ (Backyard Edition)

Walking Dead - Decyfer Down

Pull the trigger now, end me,
Mark me for the kill,
Like I marked your hands your feet,
I spilled all your blood, flowing deeper,
To suffocate the sin, till I'm drowning you again
 
I am so alive, since you took my life
I'm walking dead now, only you remain
I take the life you gave, I walk from the grave
I'm walking dead now, I am not afraid!

Stabbing deeper now, spill me,
My body left for dead,
Like I pierced your side until it bled,
Now the blood flows freely,
It fills me till I see, that there's nothing left of me

I am so alive, since you took my life
I'm walking dead now, only you remain
I take the life you gave, I walk from the grave
I'm walking dead now...

Stay Silent or Cry Out

"Are we scared to stand out from the crowd?
Make a difference in our own town?
If we stay silent with our voices now
The rocks will cry out"

If you were to answer that question honestly, what would it be? Mine would be, yes sometimes if not most I am afraid to speak the truth. To be set apart. 

But why?

Cause I don't want to be different, I want to "fit" in? That is a lame excuse.

God doesn't need us. His creation screams His name all the time.

God gave us a charge to go out and preach the gospel. But that doesn't mean we need to go to far away countries to do that. Our own towns have people who need to hear it too. Sometimes just standing out and not doing the "in" thing is speaking out, louder than words ever could.

Paul says I am not ashamed of the gospel. I wish that were always true with me. I need to learn to step out of my comfort zone, but I can only do that through the grace of God.

If you have a chance you should listen to the whole song by the Newsboys its called One Shot.

Destruction of the Word of God and Christianity----Fail

 "the Word of God is not imprisoned" 2Timothy 2:9b

Throughout history, over and over, the Word of God and Christianity has had many attempts on its life. But instead of dying it has prospered and flourished!

Voltaire, the noted French infidel who died in 1778, said in one hundred years from his time Christianity would be swept from existence and passed into history.

The roman catholic church tried to put a stop to Luther's increased understanding of the Word of God. But instead he wrote about it and even translated the Scripture into German, which was the everyday language. He wanted ordinary people to be able to interpret Scripture.

Tyndale translated the Bible into English. He smuggled about 18,000 copies into England. Henry VIII gave orders to have all the Bibles destroyed. He managed to destroy most of them....but not all of them! 2 survived.

Too many people to be listed have been burned at the stake or executed in some regard for proclaiming the truth. But nobody has been able to quench the incredible light that illuminates the darkness of this world.
Many people today are still proclaiming the Word of God and translating it into new languages everyday.
People try and stop them but THE WORD OF GOD cannot be imprisoned.

Late Night

Yeah! She was playing with my hand....and Jo grabbed my camera

"Would you please stop taking random pictures"

Cumston Hall Replica that their brothers built

Apparently I was boring them

Again Jo using my camera

Sisterly Love

Me and Jo

Me and Corrie

Again me and Corrie

Me and Jessi

umm..yeah

For some strange reason I love this one of us!

Pig pile on Jenna

Ya we're cool!

Either cool or little messed up.....

So I'm thinking Jessi and Corrie are having an unbelievable conversation...Jo is upset that she's not in on it...and I'm just off in my own little fishy world!

Sales Pitch Chorus

Left yourself lying in the dark waiting to be exposed
Catch yourself hiding from your heart and what God only knows
Smile put on your game face
Your death bed awaits
And sure there's grace but it's going to sting a bit
Try to sell it to God and see if he buys your sales pitch

No Opinion - John Reuben

Go ahead, grab your picket sign
And you can find out what you're protesting later on
It sure feels great to be a part of something, doesn't it?
Just as long as you belong
Hey, look at this
Little revolutionist
Trying to start a revolution with nothing to revolt against
Is it the truth that you're defending
Or the chance for you to grab some attention?
Well hey, there's the pedestal stand up straight
Don't it feel great?
Everyone can see your face
What's the cause again?
Why're you arguing?
It'll soon be forgotten, so why you bothering?
You'll be off to the next thing that'll keep your short fickle attention span stimulated
We're the products of a spoiled society
So naturally spoiled products are generated

You see, I have no opinion, I don't
I could, but I won't
I'm tired of arguing
So don't begin what cannot end
Because I'm tired

You're defined by having an open mind
Yet you close me out every time I speak mine
We could agree to disagree and move on but humans love proving each other wrong
Forget it
Religion, cultural differences, politics
This could go on forever if we let it
This repetitive rhetoric is pathetic
Back to nowhere is where the argument's headed
You are who you are
Who am I to end it?
Hey I can't make you think past your mental limit
[ From: http://www.elyrics.net/read/j/john-reuben-lyrics/no-opinions-lyrics.html ]
I'm not God, I do not set the standard
Do not look to me if you want to expand yours
You see, me and you, we didn't create the truth
Without the grace of God our views are construed and at best just a good attempt
Heck, it wasn't until I surrendered my opinion that life made sense

I have no opinion, I don't
I could but I won't
I'm tired of arguing
I have no opinion, nor do I need to win
See, I'm tired, I'm tired of arguing
So don't begin what cannot end
Because I'm tired, I'm tired of arguing
I have no opinion, actually I do
I just don't want to dispute with you

I'm only so many years old
Raised in Columbus, Ohio what do I know?
Midwest perspective, Midwest approach to life
American church, American Jesus Christ
The do's and don'ts, the wrongs and rights
The facts of life aren't always black and white
But when it's all said and done, at the end of the day
I'm trusting God to guide me through the gray

See, I have no opinion I don't
I could, but I won't
I'm tired of arguing
I have no opinion, nor do I need to win
See, I'm tired, I'm tired of arguing
So don't begin what cannot end
Because I'm tired, I'm tired of arguing
I have no opinion, actually I do
I just don't want to dispute with you

Photography Page

Check out my photography page!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jennas-Photography/139480246108212

More Like Falling in Love by Jason Gray

"More like falling in love than something to believe in
More like losing my heart than giving my allegiance"

That is part of a song that playing on the Christian radio station!
This song goes against scripture. This is just part of the chorus but the whole song is like this.
Let's take "more like falling in love than something to believe in" anybody else see something really wrong with that? If that is true what do we make of when Paul says "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved." Acts 16:31. Or in John 6:47 where Jesus says, " Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life." I think that's pretty clear that it IS something to believe in.
"more like losing my heart than giving my allegiance" anything wrong with that one???
I looked up allegiance in the thesaurus and here are some other words that mean the same thing,dedication, devotion, duty, faithfulness, fidelity, obedience, and obligation. Those are only some of what they listed. There are many scriptures that say we need to do these things! Don't you want to? For what Christ has done for us, this is all he asks for in return. Granted it is hard. But he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Anyways. I could say a lot more..but those are my thoughts on this song. I just can't stand to listen to it on what they call a Christian radio station.

Pursuit of Happiness

In my opinion, the "pursuit of happiness" is something that is a made up lie created by the great deceiver! Yes you can be happy and want to be happy. But you can't be "happy" as people put it, without Christ.
Happy-what does happy really mean?
Something fun?
Something that brings you complete joy and fufillment?
No worries?
Well you can have fun. But it doesn't last long. The things that last long are the joy, fufillment and the no worries. How to obtain those things? hmmmm... Only through the blood of Christ.
Will that take care of your "pursuit of happiness"?
Can we please change that to the pursuit of Christ? Doesn't that sound better? That should be our goal in life, not the pursuit of worldly happiness.  Once we put our priorities in order and start pursuing Christ and learning and living how He lived, we will learn contentment. Contentment is joy and fulfillment but in Christ.

"For I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need." Phil. 4:11b-12

Now doesn't that sound like something worth pursuing?

"Not Alone" Lyrics - RED - Until We Have Faces

Joy With a Meaning

Round, round, round again
Finding myself in the same place I started
Feel like I’m chasing my tail
With no beginning or end
With nothing to do or say
I find myself

Myself, weak yet prideful
One minute depressed and pitiful
The next raising myself to the utmost
Happy yet not. Can you define it?
My mind can’t seem to find the One I lack.
Jesus Christ

Feeling the chase
Have heard the Word but not responded
Have tried but rejected it
Here I stand in the world and of it
Processing but not comprehending
How long can this last?

Hit the bottom alone. Alone!
No one here but me, at the mercy of others
Yet, maybe there’s hope
Hope in Christ and not in myself
Been looking at it blindly, not about me
But about Him.

Now I’m not alone. Not alone!
I have a hope found solely in the blood
He’s lifted me out of the bottomless pit
Now I’m in the world and not of it
He’s made me see that I now
Have the joy I lacked.

Hindsight by John Reuben

I screamed to God out of frustration
After another day of waking and hating the fact
That I'm still where I'm at
What's the point of all of this
Cuz I'm not seeming to find it
Is it meaningless? I search the reason behind it
Because these moments seem to drag on forever
And these years on end seem to have never been this
Desperation has formed repetition within
Too insecure to pretend and I'm too weak to defend
Here it comes again all in my world again
Left with no direction no beginning no end
The days blend together and the weather never changes
Numb to the outcome but yet not quite painless
Aimless to whether or not I made a mistake
And if so how far is too far before it's too late
Should I wait but then what would be too long
To reverse the effects if I was wrong

(chorus)
Hindsight is a beautiful thing
When you can look back and see what patience and time can bring

Is it a must that I'm here is it a must that I stay
In order to look forward must I look away
We're moving towards a new day
Unsure of what tomorrow will bring our way
I'm not even quite sure of what this day holds
I say we travel the unknown and watch it unfold
Hold today close while still reaching for tomorrow
Through the test of time I've seen joy overcome sorrow
So with every trial I endure
With hopes to mature into what I was created for
More than life itself I want life itself
Press past the present until forever is felt
And take hold of the hidden mystery
Wide eyed and open I now see differently
If it's to be then give me the strength to be content
And find peace in knowing one day it will all make sense

(chorus)

Learning to accept the unexpected
Because the unknown wasn't here for me to correct it
So I let it go and stopped trying to control the impossible
Simply put tossed in the shuffle
At a young age just like everyone else
So I don't feel sorry for you or for myself
Love is bigger than that and I'm not below or above
The way it moves even though the things it does
To my train of thought can bring about doubt and uncertainty
Patience tends to not agree with my psyche
That's more than likely just some pride in me
Fighting expectations of where I think my life should be
Selfishly I forget so quickly
Let me never forget Lord break me in humility
Some sort of amazing grace on me
As I look back upon my life and where You've taken me

(chorus)

Hear the call peace fall
From trial to triumph I want your hand in it all
Allow me to know where to stand in it all
Life Giver