God's Love

I know I've mentioned it before, but I LOVE the girls over at (in)courage, especially one of its creators, Holley Gerth.  Their blogs inspire me SO MUCH and give me that extra boost each morning to live beautifully and wonderfully as a daughter of our Most High God.  :0)

Today on Holley's blog, Heart to Heart with Holley, she spoke about God's overwhelming forgiveness and love; she was feeling so down and so full of failure and God spoke to her heart and said, "Daughter, do you know why I wanted you to keep a “good things” journal?  It’s because that’s what My journal about you is like.  If you were to read the story of your life, that’s what you would read.  Not mistakes or failures, but the times you were a blessing, the ways you please Me, the love you show others.  The good things I think about you."  Hearing God's voice in her head made her realize:

"God’s love was so real and strong,
so much bigger than I even imagined.
I realized at that moment that God loves me.
He doesn’t just tolerate me.
He doesn’t just put up with me because I’m a Christian and He has to.
He really, truly loves me."

That made me smile.  :0)

And it reminded me of something else too...on Friday, Emily was the blog writer for the day on the (in)courage blog and, while talking about God's grace, quoted the following:
 

“When I was a child my parents loved me not because I was good,

but because I was Madeleine.”

--Madeleine L’Engle, Walking on Water

It made me think of my precious nieces.  One is a toddler with equally large amounts of curiosity, brilliance, energy, and molars keeping her up all night.  The other is a newborn whose favorite thing is having middle-of-the-night talks with her mommy.  While others might think they would be overwhelming, I think they are perfectly precious and absolutely wonderful...molars and midnights and all! 

Not because they are good.  (Even though this TOTALLY biased Aunt Jilly thinks they are!) 

Not because of what they do.  (Even though I TOTALLY think everything they do is adorable.) 

But because of who they are. 

They are my sisters'. 

They are my nieces. 

They are my parents' grandchildren and the nieces my hubby spoils. 

And it's amazing to think that is how God feels about us!  Molars and midnights, failures and mistakes and all...just as I love my nieces, God love us...and infinitely more!!! 

"Not because I was good, but because I..."

...am me.

...am His.

:0)

2011 Bible Verse Sixteen

So..I'm a few days late in posting my sixteenth Bible verse for 2011 because I have some BIG news...

I have another PRECIOUS niece!!!

L was born on Monday, August 15th to my younger sister and her sweet hubby.  They are over the moon in love with her and...so...am...I.  <3

"For this child we prayed"

--1 Samuel 1:27

And so in TOTAL JOY and THANKSGIVING over the ABSOLUTE BLESSING from GOD for her birth, my Bible verse is:

"For GOD is great,

and worth a thousand Hallelujahs."

--Psalm 96:4 (The Message)

Hot

I love summertime, but man...it is HOT outside!


The temp on my car yesterday.  Yikes!
It got up to 107 for a second, but I didn't get a pic before it dropped back down.



Aspen / Snowmass - "Burst into song, you mountains...for the Lord has redeemed"

For July 4th, my hubby & I got to go with my work to Aspen, Colorado.  It was so beautiful!!!  And so nice to get out of the summer heat for a few days...and into mountains that still had a little snow!  Snow!!!  For a Texas girl like me, that was SO EXCITING!!!

Matthew & I had SUCH an AMAZING time!  We shopped a bit, strolled around a little, went to a few work-related parties, and hiked a TON.  Who knew my hubby was such a mountain man???  <3

Here's some pictures of our hikes (sorry not in chronological order!)...

Maroon Lake at the bottom of Maroon Bells (the two mountains in the background).
Named "Maroon Bells" because their sedimentary rock "rusts" to make them look maroon...WHOOP!...and their shape made their discoverer think they looked like bells.  Christmas-y!!!   :0)

Hiking...me & my mountain man.  <3

Maroon Lake at Maroon Bells

View of Mount Daly from the Ditch Trail

My Aggie mountain man with Maroon Bells behind him.

After climbing Maroon Bells.  We did it!

Getting ready to hike Maroon Bells to Crater Lake

We made it!  Hiked Maroon Bells 3.6 miles round trip and 1 mile up (to 10,076 feet) to get to Crater Lake.
It was rocky and really uphill but so worth it!  It was BEAUTIFUL!!!

Crater Lake at Maroon Bells

Matt on the Ditch Trail

Maroon Bells

Me on the Ditch Trail

Me at the first party.  Such a BEAUTIFUL home!!!

Matt at the first party.  Handsome man.  Beautiful backyard!!!

SNOW!!!
On the Maroon Bells trail to Crater Lake.
So uphill and high up, we would pass pockets of snow...in July!

"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."

--Isaiah 55:12

"Though the mountains be shaken

and the hills be removed,

yet My unfailing love for you will not be shaken

nor My covenant of peace be removed,"

says the Lord, who has compassion on you.

--Isaiah 54:10

How beautiful on the mountains

are the feet of those who bring good news,

who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings,

who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion,

"Your God reigns!"

--Isaiah 52:7

"Sing for joy, you heavens, for the Lord has done this;

shout aloud, you earth beneath.

Burst into song, you mountains,

you forests and all your trees,

for the Lord has redeemed Jacob,

He displays His glory in Israel."

--Isaiah 44:23

“I tell you,” Jesus replied,

“if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”

--Luke 19:40

2011 Bible Verse Fifteen

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart

and lean not on your own understanding;

in all your ways submit to Him,

and He will make your paths straight / direct your paths."

--Proverbs 3:5-6

2011 Bible Verse Fourteen

"May the God of hope

fill you with all joy and peace

as you trust in Him,

so that you may overflow with hope

by the power of the Holy Spirit."

--Romans 15:13

2011 Bible Verse Thirteen

"We are made holy

through the sacrifice Christ made

in His body

once for all time."

--Hebrews 10:10