Summer Lovin'

And by the title, I just mean...lovin' summer, although I can't deny a possible desire for some summer lovin' myself, by ANYWAYS...
I'm free at last, and man, does it feel good. I'm sure I've mentioned this is a previous post, but this past semester of college was by far the most difficult one yet. Taking 21 credits and working close to twenty hours a week AND having a social life was mentally, emotionally, and physically exhausting. Not to mention spiritually as well. After that craziness, I decided it was a good idea to take a block of classes equaling 7 credits into three weeks. And actually, it was. When I get my license, I will be certified to teach preK-5 instead of to third only.
I'm so excited to be home. I don't have any homework hanging over my head or something to do so pressing i get knots in my stomach. I finally get to hang out with my friends without having to rush back to school and, as strange as this might sound, I'm excited to start working more. I'm so blessed to have such an amazing group of friends and family, I wouldn't want to spend my summer with anyone else. This past weekend, the sun was shining, the temperature was high and it finally felt like summer. Besides, this time next year, I will be a college graduate :) 
               

Blessed by Undeserved Grace

I am overwhelmed with amount of grace I've seen the Lord bless me with recently. I know I'm spoiled with grace daily and I don't even stop to recognize it, but over the past two days it has been blessing after undeserved blessing. Last night, a large storm swept through the Miami Valley and decided to drop it's worst directly in my neighborhood. I had taken our minivan to school so my little car was at home in the driveway. After the help of very dear people, we discovered four to five large cracks on my windshield and dents all over the car. I am extremely thankful for my older brother and his help last night. He drove with me, all the way home, helped me clean out the garage and move in my car to protect it from further damage. He has always been one of my heroes and the person I've looked up to the most and I am so blessed to now be his friend, as adults, as well as his sister. 
On my way back to school I called my dad to fill him in on the situation only to find out they had to take my mom to the ER for a detached retina in her right eye. By the goodness of God, he placed the exact right people in the right time and place to help my mom and do the procedure needed in the time frame in which she needed it done. While she's still not out of the woods and the prognosis of her vision is still yet to be "seen" (sorry for the pun) we are blessed to serve a loving and watchful God. 
And the blessings keep coming. My poor car only has liability coverage and we were certain we would be on our own to pay for the damages- money I did not have. A new camera and an upcoming vacation seemed to be vanishing in front of me as I thought about the possible quotes to fix Tessa. We contacted our insurance agent anyway and I'm grateful we did. My car has full coverage and we might be able to get the dents fixed as well. Thank the LORD for His blessings!
I am so undeserving of anything He has done for me. If they only thing Christ ever did was die for my sins on the cross, and left us alone, I would still have reasons to be thankful to Him and indebted to him my entire life. But He hasn't left us. He continues to be faithful and loving and merciful and I am forever grateful for Him in my life. 

Bin Ladan's Grace?

Okay, since everyone and their mother's cousin is talking about Osama Bin Ladan's death and what the Christian's response should be, I figured I'd take the time to write my reflection on the recent events.
First of all, I'll just say that I'm not the best at keeping up with news or even caring as much as I should. I do love our country but I won't be the first to be labeled as patriotic. As far as Osama Bin Ladan goes, he was an evil, wicked man who is responsible for the death of thousands of people.
Here's where the controversy and Christianity comes in. Osama Bin Ladan is a human marked by the curse and condemned by his sin. News flash- I am also a human marked by the curse and condemned but my sin, and so are you. My white lies and sinful thoughts would land me in hell just as quickly as Bin Ladan's mass murder attacks. But this is the difference, my friend. I have chosen grace and forgiveness by the blood of the Lamb- the death of Jesus Christ. I have acknowledged my sin and depravity and have chosen a life indebted to Christ because of his sacrifice for me. Whether Bin Ladan had the opportunity to hear the Gospel before his death, no one knows but if he did not recognize his sinful life and commit it to Christ, he is eternally separated from God in hell. There are many accounts in Scripture where God has destroyed the wicked, even take the Flood as an example. I cannot look at this situation much different. Bin Ladan chose his fate and chose his lifestyle- it wasn't forced upon him. And I'm sorry, but I cannot feel sorry for a man who slaughtered innocent people, specifically innocent Americans.
I take comfort and peace in the words of Scripture and the promise of protection of God. Psalm 37:28-29 says:

For the LORD loves the just 

   and will not forsake his faithful ones.

   Wrongdoers will be completely destroyed; 

   the offspring of the wicked will perish. 

²⁹ The righteous will inherit the land 

   and dwell in it forever.

Pride

I wish I could take credit for this, but this is a section from Beth Moore's Bible Study "Living Free". A good friend of mine and mentor gave me this book at a point where I just didn't know what to read anymore. This particular section stood out to me:

My name is Pride. I am a cheater.

I cheat you of your God-given destiny...

because you demand your own way.

I cheat you of contentment...

because you "deserve better than this".

I cheat you of knowledge...because you already know it all.

I cheat you of healing...because you're too full of me to forgive.

I cheat you of holiness...

because you refuse to admit when you're wrong.

I cheat you of genuine friendship...

because nobody's going to know the real you.

I cheat you of love...

because real romance demands sacrifice.

I cheat you of God's glory...

because I convince you to see your own.

My name is Pride. I am a cheater.

You like me because you thing I'm always looking out for you.

Untrue.

I'm looking to make a fool of you.

God has so much for you, I admit, but don't worry...

If you stick with me...

You'll never know.