We sang "In Christ Alone" on Sunday, and it's been playing in my head all week. If you haven't heard it before, you can find it readily on YouTube, sung by various different artists. It has a beautiful melody, but what I love most are the rich lyrics taken from truths in the Bible. I thought I'd share them here in this little blog O' mine, with the hope that they would encourage you as much as they have me.
"In Christ Alone"
Written by Stuart Townend and Keith Getty
In Christ alone my hope is found, He is my light, my strength, my song;
this Cornerstone, this solid Ground, firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace, when fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My Comforter, my All in All, here in the love of Christ I stand.
In Christ alone, who took on flesh, Fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness, Scorned by the ones he came to save:
Till on that cross as Jesus died, The wrath of God was satisfied -
For every sin on Him was laid; Here in the death of Christ I live.
There in the ground His body lay, Light of the world by darkness slain:
Then bursting forth in glorious Day, Up from the grave he rose again!
And as He stands in victory, Sin's curse has lost its grip on me,
For I am His and He is mine - Bought with the precious blood of Christ.
No guilt in life, no fear in death, This is the power of Christ in me;
From life's first cry to final breath, Jesus commands my destiny.
No power of hell, no scheme of man, Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home, Here in the power of Christ I'll stand.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
The Unseen Watchman - UPDATED
Yesterday morning I was home by myself (Derek took the boys to church while I am still recuperating from a little surgery I had this week), when there was a knock on the door. Not feeling inclined to answer it in my pajamas, I tip-toed over and peered through the peep-hole. It was some dude with a clipboard, likely a salesman, so I ignored it and went back to the couch. On the way back, I saw him walk by our window on the side of the house and mess around at the fence (where there is no gate), so I peaked through the window to see him TAKING OFF SEVERAL BOARDS of my fence and creeping through into the backyard.
Now, usually I am a complete and total coward when it comes to stuff like this, so I don't know what on earth made me feel like I could handle this fool in the backyard by myself...in my pajamas...recovering from surgery. But for whatever reason, I marched over to the backdoor, flung it open just as he reached the porch, and said, "GET OUT NOW."
By the look on his face, I surprised the living daylights out of him, but he managed a stuttered, "I'm the plumber!"
"GET OUT. GET OUT NOW," I said in my best I-really-mean-it voice.
"But this is the address they sent me to," He pleaded.
"We didn't call for a plumber," I said firmly, "Now LEAVE!" At that, he turned and ran off the porch and slipped back through the fence as fast as he could.
Just then I thought, "Wait, the fence." So I hurried (as fast as my post-op body would allow) back to the front to order him to fix his mess. But he was already in his SUV backing out of the driveway and speeding away as fast as he could. I wish I'd had my wits about me enough to get his license plate number.
So, I don't really know what happened yesterday. Did a real plumber make a real mistake? Or did a not-so-bright thief almost rob us until he was scared away by some crazy lady with bed-head wearing no make-up, pajamas, and pink, fuzzy socks? The thing is, I don't know of any plumber who would take apart a fence to get in the backyard when the owner didn't answer the door. I mean, what's he gonna do back there? But I also don't know why any thief would try and rob someone in the middle of the day when the blinds are open, the TV is on, and clearly someone is home and just not answering the door. I guess we'll never know.
Regardless of what happened, the incident left me a little shaken. But then a verse from the Bible popped in my head, "Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it. Unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain (Psalm 127:1)." I may not have known what that man was up to, but God did. He sees our house and all it's goings-on every minute of every day. And He protected me. And for that, I am extremely thankful.
***UPDATE***
Turns out, after talking with my step-dad (who is a police sergeant), and reporting the incident to our local police, that the man who came into our backyard on Sunday was more than likely a burglar about to rob us. Which makes me all the more thankful God protected me! The whole thing could have gone very badly under different circumstances!
I know now that I should have called 911 right away, but I guess it threw me off that he knocked on the front door; rather loudly, I might add. I guess I always pictured burglars prowling around in the dark, lurking behind bushes and stuff (and I guess they probably do that too), but what I have learned is that most home burglaries happen in the middle of the day, and often the burglar will knock on the door to see if anyone's home, and if not, get in the backyard, breakdown the back door, and rip you off. And apparently, home burglaries go up at this time of year, because the burglars are targeting presents under the tree. How's that for Merry Christmas! Ha! Anyway, I will certainly be on the alert a little more in the future. And I hope you will too!
Now, usually I am a complete and total coward when it comes to stuff like this, so I don't know what on earth made me feel like I could handle this fool in the backyard by myself...in my pajamas...recovering from surgery. But for whatever reason, I marched over to the backdoor, flung it open just as he reached the porch, and said, "GET OUT NOW."
By the look on his face, I surprised the living daylights out of him, but he managed a stuttered, "I'm the plumber!"
"GET OUT. GET OUT NOW," I said in my best I-really-mean-it voice.
"But this is the address they sent me to," He pleaded.
"We didn't call for a plumber," I said firmly, "Now LEAVE!" At that, he turned and ran off the porch and slipped back through the fence as fast as he could.
Just then I thought, "Wait, the fence." So I hurried (as fast as my post-op body would allow) back to the front to order him to fix his mess. But he was already in his SUV backing out of the driveway and speeding away as fast as he could. I wish I'd had my wits about me enough to get his license plate number.
So, I don't really know what happened yesterday. Did a real plumber make a real mistake? Or did a not-so-bright thief almost rob us until he was scared away by some crazy lady with bed-head wearing no make-up, pajamas, and pink, fuzzy socks? The thing is, I don't know of any plumber who would take apart a fence to get in the backyard when the owner didn't answer the door. I mean, what's he gonna do back there? But I also don't know why any thief would try and rob someone in the middle of the day when the blinds are open, the TV is on, and clearly someone is home and just not answering the door. I guess we'll never know.
Regardless of what happened, the incident left me a little shaken. But then a verse from the Bible popped in my head, "Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it. Unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain (Psalm 127:1)." I may not have known what that man was up to, but God did. He sees our house and all it's goings-on every minute of every day. And He protected me. And for that, I am extremely thankful.
***UPDATE***
Turns out, after talking with my step-dad (who is a police sergeant), and reporting the incident to our local police, that the man who came into our backyard on Sunday was more than likely a burglar about to rob us. Which makes me all the more thankful God protected me! The whole thing could have gone very badly under different circumstances!
I know now that I should have called 911 right away, but I guess it threw me off that he knocked on the front door; rather loudly, I might add. I guess I always pictured burglars prowling around in the dark, lurking behind bushes and stuff (and I guess they probably do that too), but what I have learned is that most home burglaries happen in the middle of the day, and often the burglar will knock on the door to see if anyone's home, and if not, get in the backyard, breakdown the back door, and rip you off. And apparently, home burglaries go up at this time of year, because the burglars are targeting presents under the tree. How's that for Merry Christmas! Ha! Anyway, I will certainly be on the alert a little more in the future. And I hope you will too!
Monday, December 21, 2009
The Unseen Watchman
Yesterday morning I was home by myself (Derek took the boys to church while I am still recuperating from a little surgery I had this week), when there was a knock on the door. Not feeling inclined to answer it in my pajamas, I tip-toed over and peered through the peep-hole. It was some dude with a clipboard, likely a salesman, so I ignored it and went back to the couch. On the way back, I saw him walk by our window on the side of the house and mess around at the fence (where there is no gate), so I peaked through the window to see him TAKING OFF SEVERAL BOARDS of my fence and creeping through into the backyard.
Now, usually I am a complete and total coward when it comes to stuff like this, so I don't know what on earth made me feel like I could handle this fool in the backyard by myself...in my pajamas...recovering from surgery. But for whatever reason, I marched over to the backdoor, flung it open just as he reached the porch, and said, "GET OUT NOW."
By the look on his face, I surprised the living daylights out of him, but he managed a stuttered, "I'm the plumber!"
"GET OUT. GET OUT NOW," I said in my best I-really-mean-it voice.
"But this is the address they sent me to," He pleaded.
"We didn't call for a plumber," I said firmly, "Now LEAVE!" At that, he turned and ran off the porch and slipped back through the fence as fast as he could.
Just then I thought, "Wait, the fence." So I hurried (as fast as my post-op body would allow) back to the front to order him to fix his mess. But he was already in his SUV backing out of the driveway and speeding away as fast as he could. I wish I'd had my wits about me enough to get his license plate number.
So, I don't really know what happened yesterday. Did a real plumber make a real mistake? Or did a not-so-bright thief almost rob us until he was scared away by some crazy lady with bed-head wearing no make-up, pajamas, and pink, fuzzy socks? The thing is, I don't know of any plumber who would take apart a fence to get in the backyard when the owner didn't answer the door. I mean, what's he gonna do back there? But I also don't know why any thief would try and rob someone in the middle of the day when the blinds are open, the TV is on, and clearly someone is home and just not answering the door. I guess we'll never know.
Regardless of what happened, the incident left me a little shaken. But then a verse from the Bible popped in my head, "Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it. Unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain (Psalm 127:1)." I may not have known what that man was up to, but God did. He sees our house and all it's goings-on every minute of every day. And He protected me. And for that, I am extremely thankful.
Now, usually I am a complete and total coward when it comes to stuff like this, so I don't know what on earth made me feel like I could handle this fool in the backyard by myself...in my pajamas...recovering from surgery. But for whatever reason, I marched over to the backdoor, flung it open just as he reached the porch, and said, "GET OUT NOW."
By the look on his face, I surprised the living daylights out of him, but he managed a stuttered, "I'm the plumber!"
"GET OUT. GET OUT NOW," I said in my best I-really-mean-it voice.
"But this is the address they sent me to," He pleaded.
"We didn't call for a plumber," I said firmly, "Now LEAVE!" At that, he turned and ran off the porch and slipped back through the fence as fast as he could.
Just then I thought, "Wait, the fence." So I hurried (as fast as my post-op body would allow) back to the front to order him to fix his mess. But he was already in his SUV backing out of the driveway and speeding away as fast as he could. I wish I'd had my wits about me enough to get his license plate number.
So, I don't really know what happened yesterday. Did a real plumber make a real mistake? Or did a not-so-bright thief almost rob us until he was scared away by some crazy lady with bed-head wearing no make-up, pajamas, and pink, fuzzy socks? The thing is, I don't know of any plumber who would take apart a fence to get in the backyard when the owner didn't answer the door. I mean, what's he gonna do back there? But I also don't know why any thief would try and rob someone in the middle of the day when the blinds are open, the TV is on, and clearly someone is home and just not answering the door. I guess we'll never know.
Regardless of what happened, the incident left me a little shaken. But then a verse from the Bible popped in my head, "Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it. Unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain (Psalm 127:1)." I may not have known what that man was up to, but God did. He sees our house and all it's goings-on every minute of every day. And He protected me. And for that, I am extremely thankful.
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