Happy (By Ayiesha Woods)

Happy lyrics:
No record deal, no dream fulfilled, no three minute video
No catchy jingle, no big hit single playing on the radio

Can make me happy
Can make me feel the way you do
Can make me happy
I wanna make you happy too

No flashy cars, no movie stars, no man, woman, boy or girl
No fancy things, no diamond rings, nothing in the whole wide world

Can make me happy
Can make me feel the way you do
You make me happy
I want to make you happy too
You make me happy
You make me feel the way I do
You make me happy
I wish the whole world knew you too

No I cannot count the ways you have made my life so blessed
All I know is that you came and made beauty of my mess
*Chorus*

Hey, all!
 Suzanna here.
These lyrics are so...well...happy. Believe me, I am not a big get-up-and-groove kind of person, but the beat and sound of this song made me want to dance when I listened to it.
 The cool thing about these lyrics is that it's saying that nothing on this earth matters. not fancy stuff, or how famous you are, or anything. The only thing that matters is God, and His love for you.
 I don't ever listen to Ayiesha Woods, but I came across this song and it's pretty cute.
I have to be honest, I think the lyrics speak for themselves! I really can't think of anything to say about them other than, God makes me happy. Whenever I think about Him I get the smiles, and I just want to go sing Him a love song, because I'm truly in love with Christ.
 Here's something I want you to do tonight. When you pray, thank God for the things that make you happy. Maybe it's a best friend, or climbing trees, or your dog! Whatever it is; thank God for it, and if your dog is what makes you happy, go give him a massage.
Thanks for reading!!

Ginger Crinkles

I don't know about you, but when this time of year comes around, my mouth simply waters whenever the thought of these delicious ginger cookies crosses my mind. They have just enough crunch and spice to make them a perfect treat during the winter months.

Ginger Crinkles 

2 cups of whole wheat flour

1 Tablespoon baking soda 

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cloves

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon ginger

1-1/3 cups sugar

3/4 cup shortening

1/4 cup light molasses

1 egg, slightly beaten

***

1) Preheat oven to 350*

2) Sift flour with baking soda, salt, cloves, cinnaomn, and ginger; set aside

3) In a large bowl of electric mixer, at medium speed, gradually add 1 cup sugar to shortening, creaming until very light and fluffy-about five minutes-Blend in molasses and egg

4) At low speed, beat in flour mixture just until well combines, scraping down side of bowl with rubber scraper. Refrigerate 1 hour.

5) Shape dough into 1-inch balls; roll in remaining 1/3 sugar

6) Place, 2 inches apart, on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, until golden brown. Let stand for 1 minute before removing to wire rack to cool.

                      Makes about 4 dozen 

Joy

I loved Kylie's previous post on joy! I loved reading through it, and trying to understand what JOY really means.
 I think that happiness very much ties in with being joyous, but I think that it's a lot more than that. 

Psalm 118:24 - "This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." 

Proverbs 15:13 - "A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit."

Isaiah 55:12 - "You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands."

Nehemiah 8:10 - "Nehemiah said, 'Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.'" 

The last verse that I posted there, was one that Kylie also posted. I love that verse. The JOY OF THE LORD is my STRENGTH!

If you would like...leave a comment and let us all know one thing that really makes you happy! We'd love to know!

The Joy of the Lord

Nehemiah said, "Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength." (Nehemiah 8:10, emphasis mine)

No doubt you’ve heard this verse. I know many people who count it among their favorites, and I’ve heard the last part quoted many times. Today we’re going to take a closer look at what that phrase means.

First of all, what is joy? Well, according to my big blue Webster’s dictionary (that’s probably similar to Suzanna’s dictionary), this is the definition of joy:

Joy – n; 1. a feeling of great pleasure or happiness that comes from success, good fortune, or a sense of well-being; 2. something that gives great pleasure or happiness.

It’s from an Old French word that means “to rejoice”. Rejoicing occurs a lot in my life, especially when I receive something that makes me happy. I'm sure you've experienced joy many times. I think that the joy of the Lord may be bigger and better than any form of earthly joy.

I also believe that God Himself is joyful, and rejoices often. One of my favorite representations of Jesus is a picture we have hanging in our upstairs hall. Jesus’ eyes are smiling, and His mouth is open wide with laughter. It’s a beautiful picture of the delight God must feel in His children, and the joy that He wants us to have.

God knows that when we have His joy within us, it will refresh us and bring us life. When we have the joy of the Lord, it’s also a form of supernatural strength that can only come from Him. His joy goes beyond circumstances, and it will never run out. Most of all, we can rejoice because we have been saved by Christ Himself.

So how do we get this joy? Well, I would start by asking the Lord to give you His joy. I’m sure He will honor your request. Start tuning into Him and what He says. I get a lot of joy from my relationship with Him. And maybe try to find joy in everyday occurrences. You never know what might surprise you.

We've a Story to Tell the Nations!

(Matthew 28:18-20)
"And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, 'All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.' "

 We've a story to tell to the nations

That shall turn their hearts to right

A story of truth and mercy

A story of peace and light

A story of peace and light

For the darkness shall turn to dawning

And the dawning to noon-day bright

And Christ's great kingdom shall come on earth

The kingdom of love and light 

                                                                                      -H. Ernest Nicol-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpXb61sgE0g

(Acts 6:4)
"But we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” 

 ~Natalie~

Review of "Play On"

Track Listing:

1. Cowboy Casanova
2. Quitter
3. Mama's Song
4. Change
5. Undo It
6. Someday When I Stop Loving You
7. Songs Like This
8. Temporary Home
9. This Time
10. Look At Me
11. Unapologize
12. What Can I Say (ft. Sons Of Sylvia)
13. Play On

Cowboy Casanova:

I had heard this song many times before I got the CD. I didn't really like it at first, because I'm not big on country sounding like rock music. And this song sounds more rocky and hard than most country music.

In this song, she's warning other girls about this guy - who is what she calls a "Cowboy Casanova". 

"He’s the devil in disguise ,A snake with blue eyes." 

All in all, other than the tune, I don't think that there is anything really bad in this song - no insinuations or anything like that.

Quitter:

I really don't like this song, and it's probably my least favorite on the CD. It's tune is kind-of boring, and I don't really like the words that are in the song.

"Here's how it goes, Boy meets girl, girl leaves boy, That's all I know, All I've done, All my life".

I think that this song is insinuating that she's had lots of boyfriends, and eventually broke it off with them for one reason or another.

But in the chorus, she's saying how she's met this guy, who makes her not want to be a "quitter" anymore. 

"And make me feel like I never ever wanna give you up, 'Til now, I've always been a quitter."

Mama's Song:

I like this song, other than the fact that it's a pretty slow song, and I like faster songs more. I think, though, that the song has a good meaning - it's talking about how a Mom raises her daughter to be and do what you should.

"You've given me everything that I will need, To make it through this crazy thing called life, And I know you watched me grow up, and only want what's best for me."

Change:

I LOVE this song. It's a slower one, but I really like the message that is behind this one.

"What you're gonna do when you're watching TV, And an ad comes on, yeah, you know the kind, Flashing up pictures of a child in need, For a dime a day, you could save a life, Do you call the number, reach out a hand, Or do you change the channel, call it a scam."

Do you call the number or do you believe that...

"You're just a fool, just a fool to believe you can change the world"
Oh, the smallest thing can make all the difference
Love is alive, don't listen to them when they say
"You're just a fool, just a fool to believe you can change the world"

Undo It:

I will admit that when I listen to this album, that I play this song the most. It's my favorite - but I will tell you, that like "Cowboy Casanova", it has a more rocky and hard sound.

In the song she's talking about how she wants to "undo" the relationship that she had with a guy.

"You stole my happy, you made me cry, Took the lonely and took me for a ride, And I wanna uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-undo it"

 

Someday When I Stop Loving You:

This song is REALLY slow. But I do think that it's a really pretty song - talking about how her guy (I guess it's insinuating husband, but never mentions that), is leaving her, and she's saying that

"I'll move on baby just like you, When the desert floods and the grass turns blue, When a sailing ship don't need a moon, It'll break my heart but I'll get through, Someday when I stop loving you."

It's a love song, and it's pretty, but definitely not one that I listen to regularly, because like I said, I'm more of a faster-song kind-of girl. 

Songs Like This:

I love the beat in this song - but not particularly the message in the song. It's a fun up-beat song that makes you want to get up and dance around the room, with a good friend or two! :)

In the beginning it says:

"Wanna find some boy, rip his heart right out, First man I see, gonna take him down, It ain't the Christian thing to do, they say, But someone, somewhere's gotta pay."

In the chorus it says:

"Even I'm surprised, How easy sweet revenge rolls off my lips, If it wasn't for guys like you, There wouldn't be songs like this."

Temporary Home:

This song is slow and SAD! It's a song with three different 'stories' within it - but with the same idea.

"A little boy, six years old, A little too used to being alone, Another new mom and dad, Another school, another house that will never be home." 

"Young mom, on her own, She needs a little help, got nowhere to go, She's looking for a job, looking for a way out, 'Cause a halfway house will never be a home."

"Old man, hospital bed, The room is filled with people he loves, And he whispers, "Don't cry for me, I'll see you all someday", He looks up and says, "I can see God's face""

 The chorus goes:

"This is my temporary home, it's not where I belong, Windows and rooms that I'm passing through, This was just a stop on the way to where I'm going, I'm not afraid because I know, This was my temporary home."

The bridge - about the old man in the hospital is definitely my favorite part of the song - because he's mentioning how earth is just our temporary home, before we pass on, and as Christians, go to Heaven. I just really think that that's an awesome part in the song.

This Time: 

I can tell you, that I didn't even recognize this song title, when I was looking at the track listing, and figuring out what to write for this review. I don't listen to this one much - apparently!

It has an okay tune, and it's definitely faster-paced than some of the other ones on this CD, but slower than others.

"But I wanna tell you, That my heart is busting at the seams, yeah, And I can't wait another minute, Life is short, love is sweet, Ain't no time like this time baby."

I'm not even sure exactly sure what this song is about - probably since I don't listen to it as much as the others.

Look At Me:

Another song that I don't listen to often - but it has a pretty tune - that's slow, but still pretty.

"I would bet my life, like I bet my heart, That you were the one, baby, I've never been so sure of anything before, You're driving my heart crazy."

I LOVE the harmony in this songs' chorus - it's so pretty, and that's probably my favorite thing about it.

"Darling, look at me, I've fallen like a fool for you, Darling, can't you see, I'd do anything you want me to, I tell myself I'm in to deep, Then I fall a little farther, Every time you look at me."

I'm not exactly sure what I think of this song's message. I guess that I, myself, don't find any bad insinuations in it, but I think that she does say:

"I will do anything you want me to." And I don't really like that about it.

UnApologize:

I like this song - probably, like others, because of the faster-paced tune, and how it's got a beat.

""I love you" came flooding out, Couldn't make it stop, couldn't shut my mouth, I felt like a fool when I lied and said I was sorry."

"I unapologize, I meant every word, Won't take back the way I feel about you, I can't unsay what you heard, 'cause you heard me right."

Like some of the other songs, I don't find too much wrong with this song - except...

"Couldn't help myself when you held me tight."

What Can I Say? (featuring Sons of Sylvia):

I love this duet! Carrie Underwood sounds great with the lead singer (his name is Ashley - if you wanted to know. I kinda think the name for a guy is weird, but I like it for a girl! HAHA!)

"Piercing words, eyes are red, Watched your tail lights in the rain, Empty heart filled with regret, I know we were both to blame."

This song, if you couldn't tell, is about a breakup.

"And you should know, please believe me, I've picked up the phone a thousand times, And tried to dial your number, But it's been so long, it's never easy, It's like trying to spin the world the other way, What can I say?"

Play On: 

This is the title track of the CD - and it's also the LAST song on the CD- meaning that if I'm listening to it in order, I don't actually listen to this song often. But I do like the chorus of it - it's like a 'press on even when you don't feel like you want to', kind-of song.

"Play on when you're losing the game, Play on 'cause you're gonna make mistakes, It's always worth the sacrifice, Even when you think you're wrong, So play on."

"Even through a storm on the darkest night, Don't you ever give up the fight. Even when you feel you're all alone."

I really like the message in the chorus and the rest of the song is great as well! I think that it's a great title track - even though I don't listen to it often, I still enjoy it!  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I hope this review was helpful to you, and if you have any questions about the CD, be sure to leave a comment, and I'll comment you back, with my answer!

:)

~Ashley

Unintentional Witnessing

I don't know about you, but I really enjoyed Suzanna's devotional earlier this week. Wasn't it inspiring? I thought it would be fun to see what God says about being a missionary to those around us, and I found quite a few verses.

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. ~ 1 Corinthians 10:31

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. ~ Colossians 3:17

Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. ~ 1 Peter 4:10

Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. ~ 1 Timothy 4:12

God has placed us all where we are in life for a reason. Just because we can't pack up and head for a foreign country doesn't mean we can't tell people about Jesus.

I had an experience that reinforced this concept to me a couple weeks ago when I was at the library. While I was waiting in line to check my books out, I noticed one librarian in particular. I heard a quiet voice whisper in my heart, You will share Me with her today.

"What, God? No! You know I've never led anyone to Christ! Much less some random librarian that I don't even know. I can't believe you're asking me to do this," I protested. (Honestly. That is more or less what I said.)

Okay, don't freak out. Just ask her how she is.

I can do that, I decided. I stepped up to the counter and set my books down.

"How has your day gone so far?" I asked, smiling as warmly as I could.

"Good, good," she responded genuinely, her eyes smiling. "How are you?"

"I'm okay," I responded.

"Great. These books are due on January 20th."

God, how am I supposed to lead her to Christ when she's handing me my receipt? I questioned.

You did share Me with her, He said.

It was only when I walked out that I understood. I had shared Christ with the librarian just by noticing her, and by attempting to brighten her day. Suddenly my favorite quote took on a whole new meaning:

“Preach the gospel always – and if necessary, use words.”

We are always sharing our faith, whether we realize it or not.

~Kylie

Modern and Past Missionaries

Well...I was supposed to write about modern and past missionaries, but, me being the rebellious person that I am, I decided I'd just write about modern missionaries.



So, when I think of the word missionary, I think about some adventurous person wearing khaki shorts and a green t-shirt searching for a tribe to preach to through binoculars. What do you picture?


But, the funny thing is that there's another type of missionary. If you are a Christian and you talk to you friends, family, people you don't even know about God, then you're a missionary.


In my big, thick Webster's dictionary (I named it Big Ol' Blu.) the definition of 'missionary' is a person sent on a mission; specif., a person sent out by his church to preach and teach.


The church that I go to have different missionaries come from all over the world to talk about what they do. I think listening to their stories and the ways they live are so interesting. So different from what I'm used to here in America, that's for sure.


And all of our missionaries that visit our church all say that they felt led to go out into the world and preach the gospel. I know God has different talents and things that he gives people, and I definitely don't feel called to be a missionary in Peru, the Phillipines, China. I feel like God is calling me to help the people around me. The people I see every week in town, the people visiting our church.


And maybe one day God will call me to go somewhere exotic or out of my comfort zone to help people become Christians. But for now, I'm just working on the people around me. Because, just like in Europe or Mexico, there's people around, -lots of them, I might add- that need Christ in their life.


So...here's a little challenge; try being a missionary for a day. You might get something out of it; the person you're talking to might get something out of it; or all of the above. The latter would be best...


Thanks for reading. Please take this entry to heart...I know I will!!


~Suzanna