Crucified with Christ

Crucified with Christ (Lyrics by Phillips, Craig and Dean)


As I look back on what I thought was living,

I'm amazed at the price I choose to pay.

And to think I ignored what really mattered

Cause I thought the sacrifice would be too great.

But when I finally reached the point of giving in,

I found the cross was calling even then.

And even though it took dying to survive,

I've never felt so much alive.

For I am crucified with Christ and yet I live!

Not I, but Christ that lives within me.

His Cross will never ask for more than I can give,

For its not my strength but His.
There's no greater sacrifice.

For I am crucified with Christ and yet I live!

As I hear the Savior call for daily dying,

I will bow beneath the weight of Calvary.

Let my hands surrender to His piercing purpose

That holds me to the cross but sets me free.

I will glory in the power of the cross

The things I thought were gain I count as loss

And with His suffering I identify

And by His resurrection power I am alive!

And I will offer all I have
So that His cross is not in vain
For I found to live is Christ
And to die is truly gain.

Freaks of Human Nature

Hooked on Houses is hosting a "Freaky Friday" showcase of bad MLS photos.
In honor of the occasion, I have scrounged up a few of my own. These are all from Minneapolis/St. Paul listings, and this is just a smidgen of what I found...

Loving the neutral colors and the.... brilliant blue carpet?

Dinner for two.

I don't know what is more creepy- that the dog has to be in a cage, or that the cage seems to be in a small child's room? "Sleep tight, don't let the BULLDOGS bite..."

"Honey, I'm going to go soak in the tub and gaze at our new stacked washer and dryer." Such a lovely sight.

The large, mirrored doors. The giant leather (?) headboard, the pukey pink walls. Just screams "relaxing," and "dream-like" to me.


Well, there's my meager addition to the feast. Seriously, you should go check out the party here. You won't be sorry you did!

and all the Lord's people said...

I am, at this very moment, blogging on my porch. It is slightly barren, dusty, and in need of a potted plant or two, but that will come later. What really matters is...

IT'S FINALLY SPRING!

Can I hear an AMEN?!

a manly easter-basket?

It is Josh's birthday on Monday, and I think I am more excited than he is. I just can't wait to celebrate the birthday of this wonderful man that I'm married to!



I also can't wait to show you what I made for him, but that will have to wait because he has a terrible habit of reading my blog.

My wonderful hubby is the hardest person I have ever had to shop for. He just doesn't like "stuff." He could live in a cardboard box and be ridiculously happy. Me? Not so much. We have probably had a few discussions due to this particular disparity. Like when I threw out his jeans that he has been wearing since jr. high and made him buy new ones (am I a terrible wife or what? Just wait til I have kids to torture!).

Anyhow, even though my beloved is about to turn the ripe old age of 26, he has alluded to disappointment in not receiving an Easter basket for the past 10 years. I personally could not care less about an Easter basket. Just give me the candy, please (Cadbury eggs, anyone?). But since it's his birthday, he can have whatever his sweet heart desires. So, I pulled together my very first Easter basket.

I shredded some newspaper in our shredder and I think it worked great for the "grass." It's a good way to recycle newspaper and save a few bucks as well!

Inside, I put some of his favorite candy, including some in the plastic eggs. Then, I hot-glued a ribbon around the basket just for fun! I wish I had a prettier, brighter ribbon but it would have taken away from the "manly" factor. Again, just wait until I have kids and then the Easter baskets will be so bright you will have to don your sunglasses.

What are some of your favorite Easter traditions?

changing the world, one ugly eyesore at a time

Yes, I do realize that "ugly eyesore" is redundant. But, it does get the point across, doesn't it?

Case in point:


Who would allow such a hideous black, plastic container to enter their home unchecked? And then sit in their dining room for three months? This person must be in dire need of an Interior Intervention.

Well, thankfully, the travesty has been remedied.

And this cute, French bucket is so fun that it just may wipe away all memories of past wrongs.

Bucket: $12.00, from Marshalls

on the fringe of fellowship

Colossians 3:12-14 (NIV)
Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

When you ask God to work in your heart, you can bet that He will follow through. I think He loves to poke at my peaceful existence and gently nudge me closer to Holiness. Just when I start to feel comfortable, that’s when He reminds me of all I have to learn.

Most recently, I prayed that God would help Josh and I to really connect with our church family. To be an integral part of the church’s ministry mechanism, instead of just lingering on the fringe, darting between the gears.

I think God smiled when I asked that. I was unaware of the impending flood at the time, but looking back I must have sensed that those words did not fall on deaf ears. Instead, they set into motion one revelation after another, something like a domino effect.

I said, God, why do I feel like I’m being neglected? I walk into church and no one even talks to me! Even though I’ve been here for 9 years, I feel like I hardly know anyone anymore.

God asked, Why don’t you talk to them? I sheepishly twiddled my fingers and waited for the words to come, the excuses that would numb the twinge of regret. But all of my words felt dry and useless at the back of my tongue.

With one question, God turned the issue around. I began realizing that the lack of community wasn’t some evil plot against me, but rather it was partly due to my own attitude. Every Sunday, for about 2 months now, God has been gently pointing out people that I need to talk to. I’ve realized that I have been holding grudges, some big and some small, that have been affecting relationships with my Christian family. And slowly, as Christ whispers in my ear, I am seeking restoration.

It’s not easy. In fact, sometimes I balk at what He asks of me. Don’t you remember what that person said? Don’t you remember what they did? But it’s not about their heart. It’s about my heart. And so I go, trudging as faithfully as I can, on a mission of reconciliation. Because community, fellowship, loving just the way Christ does is not a natural occurance. It is one that comes through trial, through testing and through the turning of our hearts.

How is God working in your heart? In the midst of celebrating Christ’s most significant act of love, we have an opportunity to refresh our understanding of His sacrifice, and examine our own hearts as we draw closer to Him.

in honor of Spring

In honor of Spring, I decided to make something special. So, I whipped up this wreath (well, maybe whipped isn't the right word, because it did take about 5 hours), using only items that already had. I LOVE making things out of stuff that I have lying around the house, it just makes me so excited! It's like getting something for free!

Here's the list of supplies I used:

Brightly colored felt squares ($0.25 cents each at Joanne Fabrics)
My handy-dandy Scissors
Hot Glue Gun (a crafter's best weapon)
and an empty Cereal Box

I started by cutting out the petals- I experimented with several different kinds of flowers. Some ended up being hideous, and some worked well enough to repeat the pattern several times! I cut a circle out of felt for the base of each flower, and started gluing petals around the edges using the hot glue gun (note: I found it worked best to put a small line of glue around the edge and overlap the petals on it, saves lots of time!):



Once I had petals all around the edge, I did another layer or two inside (putting the petals in the center between the outer ones). You can finish it off by gluing a tiny round center on the flower, or by threading some beads through.

Here's some close-ups of the flowers so you can see the different patterns:


(I only used beads in the middle for one- it looked nice but I got lazy)

After I finished making all of the flowers (it seriously took me three evenings, and 5 hours total to do it! Yikes!), I laid them out in a pattern on the floor. Then, using a cereal box, I cut out a rough circle with a hollow center to glue the "wreath" on to.


I tried to make sure there weren't a lot of gaps, but even if some cardboard does show through it won't really matter (unless you are an extreme perfectionist, in which case you should stop reading my blog now, for your own sanity!).


And voila- a wreath that will last for ages and it cost me nary a penny. It's a little more time-consuming than some projects, but it was worth it!

I'm linking up to some great blog parties below, and I can't wait to see what everyone else is crafting this week!