Say "Hello" to my Little Fiend

My arch enemy knows my dark secrets, my hidden struggles, my selfish actions, and my faults. My biggest foe knows how do find my weak points and use them against me. The fiend I have been describing is no other than Satan. Although heissmart, cunning and lethal, I am not left helpless. I have ways of fighting himoff. "Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powersof this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have doneeverything, to stand" Ephesians 6:11-13. When my last day here on earth comes, I know where I will end up, but until then I'll keep singing this song to the Devil..

^^from postsecrete.com

"MEAN" by Taylor Swift

You, with your words like knives and swords and weapons that you use against me
You have knocked me off my feet again got me feeling like I'm nothing
You, with your voice like nails on a chalkboard, calling me out when I'm wounded
You, pickin' on the weaker man
Well, you can take me down with just one single blow
But you don't know what you don't know

Chorus:

Someday I'll be living in a big old city

And all you're ever gonna be is mean
Someday I'll be big enough so you can't hit me
And all you're ever gonna be is mean
Why you gotta be so mean?

You, with your switching sides and your walk-by lies and your humiliation
You, have pointed out my flaws again as if I don't already see them
I'll walk with my head down trying to block you out 'cause I'll never impress you
I just wanna feel okay again

I'll bet you got pushed around, somebody made you cold
But the cycle ends right now 'cause you can't lead me down that road
And you don't know what you don't know

Chorus

And I can see you years from now in a bar, talking over a football game
With that same big loud opinion but nobody's listening
Washed up and ranting about the same old bitter things
Drunk and grumbling on about how I can't sing

But all you are is mean
All you are is mean and a liar and pathetic and alone in life
And mean, and mean, and mean, and mean

Chorus

Someday, I'll be, living in a big old city
(Why you gotta be so mean?)
And all you're ever gonna be is mean
(Why you gotta be so mean?)
Someday, I'll be big enough so you can't hit me
(Why you gotta be so mean?)
And all you're ever gonna be is mean

Why you gotta be so mean?

Jumping in the Puddles

An older song came on the radio today and for some reason older songs catch my attention. It was as if God was saying, "Hello, I'm here. Don't give up on my yet. The best is still to come." Dark times, rainy days, sad moments all have potential to morph into something great. I picked this picture because it is the only picture I have taken with an umbrella, but it also reminds me of a rainy day turned good. This was in Uruguay when I studied abroad. It had been raining nonstop for 7 days but we had high hopes for a wonderful sunny Saturday. Unfortunately we woke up to rain for the 8th day but we were so tired of staying cooped up in our little cold Casa ACU that we ventured forth into the street. Our whole group was cold and wet when we left on our little miracle walk (as I now call it) but suddenly the sun came out and the rain completely stopped! We ended up walking aimlessly around Montevideo, never getting lost but also never knowing exactly where we were. In the end, everyone got to secretly see what they wanted, plus the sun came out and made us all happy inside. I know God will give me more "miracle walks" if I trust him when times get bad.. The author of Psalms 91 must have also come to this revelation. I too choose to let Him be my REFUGE and my FORTRESS. In other words I want Him to hold my umbrella as He sings this song to me.....

"Umbrella" by Rihanna

[VERSE 1]
You had my heart, and we'll never be worlds apart
Maybe in magazines, but you'll still be my star

Baby cause in the Dark,

You can't see shiny Cars
And that's when you need me there
With you I'll always share
Because..,

[CHORUS]
When the sun shines, we’ll shine together
Told you I'll be here forever
That I'll always be your friend
Took an oath, Imma stick it out 'till the end
Now that it's raining more than ever
Know that we still have each other
You can stand under my Umbrella
You can stand under my Umbrella (Ella ella eh eh eh)
Under my umbrella (ella ella eh eh eh)

Under my umbrella (ella ella eh eh eh)
Under my umbrella (ella ella eh eh eh eh eh eh)

[VERSE 2]
These fancy things, will never come in between
You're part of my entity, Here for Infinity
When the war has took it's part
When the world has dealt it's cards
If the hand is hard, Together we'll mend your heart
Because...

[CHORUS]

[BRIDGE]
You can run into my Arms
It's okay don't be alarmed
(Come into Me)
(There's no distance in between our love)
So Gonna let the rain pour
I'll be all you need and more
Because ..

[CHORUS]

It's raining (raining)
Ooo baby it's raining
baby come into me
Come into me
It's raining (raining)
Ooo baby it's raining
You can always come into me
Come into me......

** This photo is from postsecret.com. I saw this posted one time and it really hit me. That was exactly how I felt. The you was God for me. "I would not have made it without you" is an understatement.

What Does Heart Vomit Look Like?

Let me take you back to one of the best devotionals I have ever heard. I was junior volunteering at the middle school retreat for the first time. I don't really remember what the theme was or what he really said but the main point has stuck with me for many years. He wanted to make a point about how vomit shows us what a person has eaten. It shows us what is in the stomach.. there is no way of hiding the evidence of what a person has eaten. It is all there (I think this is where he actually holds up a ziplock bag of vomit). That sounds gross right? Well then he relates how our hearts are the same way. He goes on by asking us what would our heart's vomit look like?

Proverbs 27:19 states, "As the water reflects the face, so one's life reflects the heart." Right now, I do not like what my heart vomit looks like and this song is pretty much what I tell God.

"The Reason" by Hoobastank

I'm not a perfect person
There's many things I wish I didn't do
But I continue learning
I never meant to do those things to you
And so I have to say before I go
That I just want you to know

I've found a reason for me
To change who I used to be
A reason to start over new
and the reason is you

I'm sorry that I hurt you
It's something I must live with everyday
And all the pain I put you through
I wish that I could take it all away
And be the one who catches all your tears
Thats why i need you to hear

I've found a reason for me
To change who I used to be
A reason to start over new
and the reason is You

and the reason is You [x3]

I'm not a perfect person
I never meant to do those things to you
And so I have to say before I go
That I just want you to know

I've found a reason for me
To change who I used to be
A reason to start over new
and the reason is you

I've found a reason to show
A side of me you didn't know
A reason for all that I do
And the reason is you

Madi's Thoughts For A Day...

I am indeed, a little teapot. I don't think of myself as short or stout, but teapots come in more than one shape, you know? They also come in many colors and varieties, and it's true what they say, variety is the spice of life. I mean, have you ever tried to cook without any spices? The food that comes out is not so good. What would ice cream be with no vanilla? Frozen sugar....yum.Well like I said, about being a teapot. I am one. I have a handle and a spout, and that's all you need in life. If you've ever gotten me steamed up, then you KNOW I can shout. Sometimes it takes God to tip me over and pour me out.

Just some thoughts for the day...

*I asked Madi to help me out with my blog thoughts and this is what came out... here is the song that she picked too

"Beautiful" by Bethany Dillon

I was so unique
Now I feel skin deep
I count on the make-up to cover it all
Crying myself to sleep cause I cannot keep their attention
I thought I could be strong
But it's killing me

Does someone hear my cry?
I'm dying for new life

[Chorus]
I want to be beautiful
Make you stand in awe
Look inside my heart,
and be amazed
I want to hear you say
Who I am is quite enough
Just want to be worthy of love
And beautiful

Sometimes I wish I was someone other than me
Fighting to make the mirror happy
Trying to find whatever is missing
Won't you help me back to glory

[Chorus]

You make me beautiful
You make me stand in awe
You step inside my heart, and I am amazed
I love to hear You say
Who I am is quite enough
You make me worthy of love and beautiful

Three Little Words

Stress is a funny little thing. It sneaks up on you and swallows you whole until you can't breath and then suddenly disappears into the great unknown. Right now I feel emotionally drained and physically tired; it's the end of the semester and those final tests are coming in fast and furiously. I have tried many things, but the best solution for me has been to take "breaks" from whatever stresses me out. Most of my breaks are an assortment of chillings with friends (getting coffee, talking, watching a movie, etc.). This song was playing while I was chilling in my friends room and I immediately got excited. It was as if God was telling me that yes grades are important, yes finding money to buy a house is important, yes packing up your stuff in your dorm room is important, but that is not more important than building relationships. God has blessed me with sooooooo many good friends and sooooooooo many memories to cherish. This is not the time to let stress or the problems in my life consume me; it is the time to praise God and thank him.

"L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N." by Noah and the Whale

... From the hard time living 'til the Chelsea days
From when her hair was sweet blonde 'til the day it turned gray
She said :

[Chorus]
L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N.
You've got more than money and sense, my friend
You've got heart and you go in your own way
L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N.
What you don't have now will come back again
You've got heart and you go in your own way

Some people wear their history like a map on their face
And Joey was an artist just living out of case
But his best word was his letters home

His standard works of fiction about imaginary success
The chorus girls in neon were his closest things to friends
But to a writer, the truth is no big deal

From the hard time living to the sleepless nights
And the black and blue body from the weekend fights
He'd say

[Chorus]
L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N.
You've got more than money and sense, my friend
You've got heart and you go in your own way
L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N.
What you don't have now will come back again
You've got heart and you go in your own way

[Bridge]
On my last night on earth, I won't look to the sky
Just breathe in the air and blink in the light
On my last night on earth, I'll pay a high price
To have no regrets and be done with my life

[Chorus]
L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N.
You've got more than money and sense, my friend
You've got heart and you go in your own way
L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N.
What you don't have now will come back again
You've got heart and you go in your own way