Good Friday

Christ went to the cross to die my death and guilt. My sins were the nails driven into His palms and His feet. It was my the very nature of my sinful heart that put Him on the cross, the cross that He did not deserve. Oh He suffered horribly, bled, died and took the full wrath of God's judgement upon Himself freely for me.

I am sobered to reality each year with Good Friday and Easter (Lord willing, another post for Easter and the promise that Christ fulled by His resurrection). How can a true believer not be affected at this time of year of the sacrifice that took our guilty place by the Lamb of God? If Christ did not die to pay the penalty of my guiltiness, I would be lost, without hope and headed for God's required judgement and separated from Him eternally. I am forever grateful for my Savior.

Here is a song that I came across this past year. The words move my heart and soul almost every time I hear it. You can listen to a sample of the song here.

The Look
Music and additional lyrics by Bob Kauflin. Lyrics by John Newton. As recorded on Songs for the Cross Centered Life.

I saw one hanging on a tree In agony and blood Who fixed His loving eyes on me As near His cross I stood And never till my dying breath Will I forget that look It seemed to charge me with His death Though not a word He spoke

My conscience felt and owned the guilt And plunged me in despair I saw my sins His blood had spilt And helped to nail Him there But with a second look He said “I freely all forgive This blood is for your ransom paid I died that you might live”

Forever etched upon my mind Is the look of Him who died The Lamb I crucified And now my life will sing the praise Of pure atoning grace That looked on me and gladly took my place

Thus while His death my sin displays For all the world to view Such is the mystery of grace It seals my pardon too With pleasing grief and mournful joy My spirit now is filled That I should such a life destroy Yet live by Him I killed

© 2001 Sovereign Grace Praise (BMI).

Here is one more song. I posted this one a very long time ago so I felt it only appropriate to post it again here.

How Deep the Father's Love for Us, Stuart Townend, 1995 Kingsway's ThankyouMusic

How deep the Father's love for us, how vast beyond all measure! That He should give His only Son to make a wretch His treasure! How great the pain of searing loss, the Father turns His face away As wounds which mar the Chosen One bring many sons to glory.

Behold the man upon a cross, my sin upon His shoulders; Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice call out among the scoffers. It was my sin that held Him there until it was accomplished; His dying breath has brought me life- I know that it is finished.

I will not boast in anything, no gifts, no power, no wisdom; But I will boast in Jesus Christ, His death and resurrection. Why should I gain from His reward: I cannot give an answer, But this I know with all my heart, His wounds have paid my ransom.

Picture taken from Google Images.

If you don't know Jesus as your personal Savior, I would like to direct you to a presentation by Mattias Media called Two Ways To Live. Christ truly was the Lamb of God.

Almost There

Spring Training is officially over, yeah, let's get on with the regular season. Watched a game today after church and my boys beat the bad boys of LA. I love baseball season, I love going to the games (especially with my dad or with my family for my dad's birthday), love listening to a game on the radio, love when we win, love the thought that this just might be the year that we go to the series and win this time, love talking it up with Diane at work and Steve from church, love the chance of catching a foul ball or home run, love having slide races down the coke bottle with my sister (maybe this year with Trin Trin), love the smell of the roasted peanuts, love the heckle section of 108, love the opportunity to take a friend to a game and catch up, love the bridge and city lights from the 3rd deck, love beating the Dodgers, oh the list goes on.

Opening day is Tuesday.

Day Trip

My wonderful friend and sister in the Lord, Dawn, is having her last birthday in her 30's this week. I was able to incorporate some of the things Dawn enjoys: photography, flowers, God's creation, adventure, the outdoors and the beach. What a nice day we had at Filoli Gardens and Half Moon Bay both in San Mateo County, CA. The gardens were incredible. The tulips were in full bloom, so incredibly beautiful and unique. The Filoli estate is named from the first two letters of the words: FIGHT - LOVE - LIVE, from a credo "To fight for a just cause; to love your fellow man; to live a good life". Once again, I was left awestruck of God's amazing creation and able to enjoy His goodness.

After the gardens we drove down to Half Moon Bay. We ate at a little seafood restaurant and had Pacific Red Snapper for a great price. Very yummy. We then found our way down to a beach and enjoyed the surf and the tide pools.

It was a nice day to celebrate a dear friends birthday and to enjoy God's amazing creation.

Here are some photos in no exact order. Enjoy!

My Heelie Tendon Hurts

Friday at work, a 6th grade girl came into the girl's PE office to ask for an ice pack. When someone asks for an ice pack we allows ask why, mainly to determine if we need to notify the office or the student's parents that they got injured. When I asked her why she needed an ice pack, she replied, "my heelie tendon hurts". I repeated her answer with a question, "your heelie tendon hurts?" She said, "yes". I then proceeded to ask her if she meant her Achilles Tendon and she said, "no, my heelie tendon hurts". I completely knew what she was trying to say but was having some fun with it. So, another teacher who overheard the conversation said, "her heel hurts". We gave her an ice pack and gave her the instructions to hold the ice on with her foot elevated for 20 minutes and that should help her "heelie tendon" feel better. Boy, did we laugh it up over that one. Kids just say the cutest things sometimes.

Murphy's Law

4 times in the last 3 weeks, Murphy's Law came to my house, more specifically my pool.

• 3 weeks ago on Saturday, the pool got a through cleaning (including sweeping the walls, adding chemicals, cleaning out the filter trap). That night a wind storm put anything and everything in my pool. I had plastic potting pots, trash and thousands of needles from the Italian Cyprus trees that are next to my yard. It was a mess all over again. I absolutely had no time to go and clean it again.
• 2 weeks ago on Saturday, I was able to fully clean the pool again. There was more small debris in the pool than last time. This time I ran the filter and the pump for several hours. Sunday came along and yup, another strong wind storm. The pool was filled again.
• 1 week ago on Sunday, I just had time to skim the pool and not get the debris off of the bottom.
  
• last week on Wednesday, I finally had a chance to go out and completely clean the pool again. This time I had to vacuum the pool (my second least favorite chore with maintaining my pool, just behind cleaning out the filter cartridges). If you have caught on you know what I am going to say, yes, another strong wind storm on Thursday and Friday.
  
• Today, Sunday I cleaned the entire pool again, including sweeping the walls. I need to vacuum but I am afraid that Mr. Gusty Wind will return tomorrow so I am not going to do it this time.
  

I'm Done

There will never be another moment that I will touch Facebook. There are no words to describe what I feel in my heart right now. Most of you who read my blog have most likely already received an email from me explaining my reasons. There are some seriously sick people out there who desperately need the LORD. I had been thinking about dropping the account but what happened today absolutely got me to drop the account within seconds. If any of you are FB users please make sure that my account can not be found and let me know if you find me on there. I want to be gone.

The Thief

My tulips exploded with color just a few days ago. As I was out and about this afternoon, a squirrel was running down my fence from one of my tulip areas. He had one of my (well not mine but the Lord's) beautiful deep red tulip buds in his mouth. He stopped almost right in front of me on the fence and started chomping away on the beautifully opened bud. I had to scold that bad squirrel and told him that he can not steal my tulips, the oranges yes, but not the tulips.

I thought this African Daisy was neat with it's crinkly petals.

Lent

On Thursday the students ran the mile in PE. Here is the dialog I had with a one of my students a few minutes prior to running.

Student: "Guess what?"
Me: "What?"
S: "Guess what I gave up for Lent?"
M: "Chocolate, sweets, TV, soda pop. . .?"
S: "No, I gave up exercise."
M: "Really?"
S: "Yes, I gave up exercise. So, this means I don't have to run the mile today!"
M: "Do you have a note from home telling me that you can't exercise?"
S: "No, I did not know I needed a note."
M: "Guess you have to run the mile today."

Ilness Days

Yesterday and today I needed to take off from work due to the stomach flu. Today, I am feeling on the up and up and will most likely return to work tomorrow. Better to stay home so I don't pass this bad bug off to someone else (unlike the person who passed it along to me). Yesterday was a wasted day and today is a rest day. If I am up to it, I might even get out a few more blog posts that I have ready to go.

God- the Master Artist

The last several days have been so incredible and today especially so. I spent most of the day cloud gazing at work and driving in the car home from work. I am such a cloud lover. When I look at the depth, the complexity, the shape, the differing shades and types, and height of cloud I am almost left breathless. The heavens will be so much more amazing then the clouds. When I see clouds like these (by the way, I was unable to take pictures at work of the clouds but these were taken out through my windshield of my car on the way home from work), I am reminded that God put the clouds in the sky, that He formed them, He allows them to expand and cover the horizon as far as the eye can see. Clouds remind me of God's abundant faithfulness and love He has for me. Clouds like these almost take my breath away and I stand in awe of my Creator.

The top picture was God revealing the dawning of Spring with new life . God again shows His faithfulness. Winter lasts for a season and then He brings about Spring.

My Loves Were in Town

Jen, Joe and the kids were in town this past weekend. Friday, I took off from work and we went to the zoo and after the zoo we met mom and Grandma at Fenton's Creamery. Trinity is at such a wonderful age: she is so curious, smart, cute, lovey and loves to be around her aunties. Joey is quiet the cutie but he is at the "I'm a Mama's boy" stage. Every time I would be holding him and Jen would walk in or out of the room he would give a cry with big huge alligator tears. I just love them to pieces.

Sovereign Grace Music and Books SALE!

It's that time of year again when Sovereign Grace Music has a big sale on all of their CD's and books. Recently, I have really enjoyed the CD titled, "Come Weary Saints". Much of the music that is produced is considered as "modern hymns". Click here for the link of the sale.

Happy Valentine's Day

Jen sent me the best Valentine of my two loves. Trinity is now 3.3 yrs. and Baby Joey is .8 yrs. This week they are coming into town, I am so excited to see them and love on them.

This Week in the Garden

On Saturday, during a lull in the rain, I was able to pick some yummies from my garden. Here is about a head of romaine lettuce and several bunches of broccoli. I tell you, there is nothing like picking and eating the same day.

Fan Fest 2009

Last weekend was the SF Giants Fan Fest. I am so glad it was last weekend and not this weekend. Last weekend was perfect weather this weekend would have been a cold soggy mess. Last year my dad and I decided not to go to the Fan Fest because it was a crazy nut house last year. The year before last you would have thought you were going to the final game of the world series at AT&T Park and the Giants were one out from winning. Both my dad and myself were glad we were able to go this year. It is fun to be with my daddy, fun to start thinking about Giant's baseball and fun to be around everyone else in the SF Giant spirit.

Here are a few of my favorite shots at the ball park.




This is one of the entrances into the ball park.













Congrat's Timmy for being the 2009 Cy Young Award Winner. Way to go and keep it up this year!



















I love this nice, little detail at the gates at the turn stiles.














Look at all of these people. There must have been 10,000-15,000 people there. Crazy. Some people were lined up all around the inside of the ball park to get an autograph.













Rumor has it that if a player hits a home run during a game and hits the glove, a random fan will win 1 million dollars. Mark McGuire also got close one time in batting practice.

I saw a softball home run competition one time and some fellow got real close.











"Have a Coke and a smile". (Just for you Jen).












One of my favorite things about the ball park is the kids lot above the left field bleachers. I have wanted to take a photo of all the little kids sitting on the bench, swinging their legs, wearing their SF Giants garb, looking like they are having a good time. Everyone in the photo wore the right clothing except one dude who is in his Raider football jersey~ get it together dude!






My dad's name is Chuck. So, as we walked around the stadium, I saw this shot and thought it was funny. I agree, "Talk to Chuck".

It's Been Awhile

Hi, sorry that I have been away for some time. I wish I had a really good excuse like I have been on a month long trip to some remote island in the South Pacific or that I was on a helicopter snow skiing trip. But no real reason, just busy I guess. If you still are around, thanks for your patience. It's funny, my brain has thoughts of potential blog posts all the time but to actually sit down and do them is a different story. Hopefully, I will get back into the swing of things.

Speaking of swing of things, baseball catchers and pitchers reported yesterday to Spring Training. Go Giants. Look at next post on the Giants Fan Fest last weekend.

Birthday and Christmas Love

Several weeks ago now I had my 40th birthday. Shhhhhh, don't tell anyone. Had a wonderful birthday with most of my family (sure missed Jen, Joe and my sweet loves) and a few close friends. The day was pretty low key. We went to a movie and then we all went out to a yummy seafood dinner at the Dead Fish. What a joy to be able to celebrate my 40th year of life with those I care the most about. God has blessed me richly with my family and friends. I love you all very much.

I want to tell you about a few of the birthday and Christmas gifts that I received this year. My gifts were perfect for me. I captured a few on my digital camera.

I received this apple peeler and corer from a dear family. Sure made my job of preparing apples for sauce or jelly much easier.
You spear the apple on the left end of the crank, and you turn the other end.

As you turn the crank, the apple goes towards the peeler and the corer. A small blade removes the skin as you turn. Then the apple goes through the corer and at the same time spirals the apple. All this is happening and the mess fell right into my sink.

All of my apples were now peeled, cored and spiraled. You can see the core still on the end of the spear that was cranked. As you crank the spear the other way the core is pushed off right into my sink with the rest of the apple waste.

My side sink held all my apple spirals. This was just shy of 1/2 a bushel. I then put all the apple spirals into the huge thick steel bottomed pot that my Grandma got me for my birthday. All I had to do was break up the spirals and separate. Added all of them to pot with about 2" of apple juice on the bottom. Cooked on medium high for about 15 minutes. Added cinnamon. Did a taste test and my apple sauce needed no sugar.

All of my peels and cores contained in one place, no mess and super easy clean up. One day I will learn how to compost (it is on my Bucket List- but we will save that for another post on another day) and this would have been perfect for a compost pile.

As I cooked the apples I also got going the rest of the apple juice to make into apple jelly for my dad. Apple jelly is one of my dad's most favorites. I have not made him my apple jelly yet, so, I know he will be happy.

My sister Jen had my name this year for Christmas and she got me the most perfect gift of all. A home canning water bath and kit. Here you can see that my jelly is in the water bath canning process. It is nice to have the bath at the end of the process because while my jars are bathing, I can clean up the kitchen and wash all the dishes. In the Pyrex dish you can see the leftover jelly that would not fit in the jars.

The final product: 4 quarts of apple sauce and 4 jelly jars of apple jelly.

Oh by the way, the apple sauce was completely sugar free except for the apple juice I added to cook the apples down (it was natural juice with no sugar added). The jelly had almost no sugar added, I added about 1/2 cup to the juice that I turned into jelly.

New Year's Helps

I came across a few items from the blogs of Tim Challies and John Piper (can click on each name or look at my side bar if you want to see the original posts) that I thought I would pass along to you.

Tim Challies posts from Justin Taylor's blog on helpful Bible reading plans for a year. I am going to try to use The Discipleship Journal Bible Reading Plan. This will assist me if I start to get behind, as I often do with Bible readings and get frustrated and give up, this plan gives 5-6 "catch up days". John Piper also posted on fasting and praying through scripture.

This morning I read from Psalms 90 and 91 (have not started the Bible reading plan yet, read before I checked on my favorite blogs). Psalm 90:12 struck out to me and I prayed and pondered through this verse. The verse says,

"So teach us to number our days, that we may present to Thee a heart of wisdom".

This Psalm is a prayer written by Moses to God and the verses prior speak of God's anger and His fury on how His children don't live in light of Him. This verse starts out with the tiny little word SO, which means, with all that has just been said be very mindful of this. . . We are to number each of our days, to value each of them, make each of them count, make the most of each day.

Moses continues with his So. . . That. The key here is THAT we may present to Thee a heart of wisdom. We may only present to Him a heart of wisdom if we make the most of our days. One way we gain wisdom is by living our lives to the fullest to His glory.

For 2009, I want to number my days that I might be able to give back to Him a heart of wisdom.

Happy New Year to all of you. When I look back a year from now, my prayer is that I lived out some of what is on my heart now and I will only be able to do that by personal discipline and God's abundant grace.

Happy New Year

If someone cute and adorable did not wish you a Happy New Year, my loves would like to wish you a Happy New Year. I could not resist.

Jen, it looks like Trin has a slight bruise from the flying disc.

Couple of Worship Songs

On Sunday along with hearing an incredible message that focused on having a proper views of God for 2009 (two main points: God is Transcendent and God is Immanent) we sang two songs that we have not song for awhile and I wanted to share the lyrics with you.

Blessed Be Your Name, 2002 Worship Together Music, By Matt Redman

Blessed Be Your Name in the land that is plentiful
Where Your streams of abundance flow, blessed be Your name
Blessed Be Your name when I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness, blessed Be Your name

Every blessing You pour out I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord, blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord, blessed be Your glorious name

Blessed be Your name when the sun's shining down on me
When the world's 'all as it should be, blessed be Your name
Blessed be Your name on the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering blessed be Your name

Every blessing You pour out I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord, blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord, blessed be Your glorious name

Blessed be the name of the Lord, blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord, blessed be Your glorious name

You give and take away, You give and take away
My heart will choose to say, "Lord, blessed be Your name."

How true it is that we are to bless God when things are all going well (in our eyes) and when things are not going well (in our eyes again, God always has the very best for us even in suffering and pain). My prayer right this moment and I hope forever, echos the end of the song, "You give and take away, You give and take away. My heart will choose to say 'Lord, blessed be Your name.'" It is a choice to bless the Lord but it is always the best choice.

Here I Am To Worship 2000 Thankyou Music, Tim Hughes

Light of the World, You stepped down into darkness,
opened my eyes, let me see.
Beauty that made this heart adore You,
hope of a life spent with You.

So, here I am to worship, here I am to bow down,
here I am to say that You’re my God.
You’re altogether lovely, altogether worthy,
altogether wonderful to me.

King of all days, oh so highly exalted,
glorious in heaven above.
Humbly You came to the Earth You created,
all for love’s sake became poor.

And I’ll never know how much it cost to see my sin upon that cross.
I’ll never know how much it cost to see my sin upon that cross.
I’ll never know how much it cost to see my sin upon that cross.
I’ll never know how much it cost to see my sin upon that cross.


What a wonder of what God has done for me. He opened my eyes and let me see. Oh He is altogether lovely, altogether worthy, and altogether wonderful to me! I'll never know how much it cost to see my sin upon that cross. May my heart cry out Here I am to Worship!