Introducing . . . Mr. Shivers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Carl, Elsie and I decided to build a snowman today - I havn't built a snowman in WAY to long! It was a blast. The snow was the perfect stickyness and the temperature was perfect! I was actually sweating rolling those huge snow balls around. :-)


Mr. Shivers and I


Elsie, Carl and Mr. Shivers

Not that You Died

~ Legacy Five ~

Familiar words so often seen

That precious truth...John 3:16

You loved the world,

You offered grace and what leaves me most amazed is ....



Not that You died for the whole world

that humbles my heart, brings me to my knees

Not that you died for the whole world

But Lord that you died for me



With trembling voice I confess

Your redeeming love my unworthiness.

That cruel cross, the nails the spears

Yet mercy flowed, I'm moved to tears...



Not that You died for the whole world

that humbles my heart, brings me to my knees

Not that you died for the whole world

But Lord that you died for me


HAVE YOU EVER JUST STOPED AND THOUGHT ABOUT THE AMAZING LOVE THAT NAILED CHRIST TO THE CROSS? NOT HIS LOVE FOR THIS WORLD - BUT RATHER HIS LOVE FOR YOU. YEAH, YOU, SINNER THAT YOU ARE. DON'T TRY TO DENY IT - YOU KNOW YOU HAVE DONE ALL MANNER OF EVIL - WHETHER IN ACTION OR ONLY IN YOUR MIND. WE ARE ALL EVIL, "DESPERATLY WICKED". AND CHRIST DIED FOR YOU. EVEN IF YOU WERE ALL THAT THERE WAS IN NEED OF SALVATION AND A SAVIOR - EVEN IF THE REST OF THE WORLD WAS PERFECT AND WORTHY OF HEAVEN, STILL CHRIST WOULD HAVE COME, SUFFERED AND DIED FOR YOU.

WHEN I THINK OF THAT, WHAT HE HAS DONE FOR ME, I WANT TO SIT DOWN AND CRY - I WANT TO GO OUT AND SOME HOW PROVE MY GRATITUDE AND COMMITMENT TO HIM. SHOW MY THANKFULNESS FOR HIS SAVING MERCY AND GRACE.

AND YET I FAIL.

AS SOON AS HE SENDS ME TEST, ASKS ME TO SACRIFCE FOR HIM, STAND FOR HIM, OR EVEN SHARE HIS LOVE WITH ANOTHER LOST AND DIEING SOUL - I CRING AND ASK HIM "ARE YOU FOR REAl?' THATS TO HARD!

WHO AM I KIDDING?

I AM A CHICKEN. NOT WORTHY OF ONE DAY IN HEAVEN LET ALONE AN ETERNITY THERE. WHY CAN'T I SHARE THAT WITH OTHERS? WHY CAN'T I SEE PAST MY SELFISH PRIDE AND BREAK THE UNCOMFORTABLE SILENCE. SHARE THE LOVE I DON'T DESERVE - AM I SO SELFISH THAT I CAN'T EVEN SHARE THE GREATEST NEWS IN THE WORLS WITH ANOTHER LOST AND DIEING SINNER?

"LORD, MAY I LIVE A LIFE FULL OF YOU, SO I'M SO WEAK AND HELPLESS THAT YOU CAN WORK THROUGH ME TO BRING HONOR AND GLORY TO YOUR MIGHTY NAME."

I know probably nobody even reads this blog thingy. But for those of you random people who might stumble upon it (and for posterity) I will update the world on "My Wonderful Life".

This last year has been so full and fabulous I havn't posted much - so i'm gonna play some MAJOR catch up right now!!!!!!!!!!

March/April

I suffered from a major crush on a youge man from our church. I struggled with how to respond to a wonderful man I knew I would love to marry and spend the rest of my life with - only problem was i was entirely commited to allowing God to plan and orchastrate this area of my life. I wanted so badly to show initiative and get "something" started - but God had another plan. And so instead I learned patience and to trust God.

May

Mom and dad took me into their room one evening and told me that Stephen (the guy I had a crush on) had been meeting with dad and had asked for permission to court me! I can't even begin to put into words the joy and wonder i felt at this news! My God had a bigger plan I could never have imagined!

June

Time goes by quickly! June saw our family take a trip to Texas for Nationals and Rian and Whittneys wedding.

November

Yeah, skipping ahead again, I know! November saw me determined to NaNoRiMo (National Novel Writting Month) the idea is you challenge your self to write a 500,000 word novel in one month. Yeah right! I quite after 15,000 words - I know i'm a quitter. Sorry :-)

The 11th was more than the most beautiful day of the year for weather it was also the day that Stephen proposed - yep thats right - he took me for a walk and then when my back was tured got down on his knee and when I tured back around he took my hand, for the first time (we had agreed on having no physical contact during courtship. In so many ways it became a beautiful reason to find ways other than physical touch to express our growing love for eachother. As well as a way to gaurd against temptation.) and so any way . . . after a very romantic speech I told him i'd marry him (he made the romantic speech, I just said "yes" and took the ring)

So that's my life - all caught up to date.

We are working on wedding stuff - with alot of Christmas and baby planning as well (Whittney is due to have my nephew January 2nd)

The wedding is set for February 23rd, and neither Stephen or I think it can come soon enough.

I always new i served a God who made dreams come true - i just never imagined something as wonderful or as beautiful as this.

I know i dont' deserve such blessing or such an amazing guy. But than on the same hand I also know i don't deserve the love and mercy that nailed my savior to a cross and bought my eternal salvation. As Christmas draws near may we all remember that but for the babe in the manger who would grow up to be the perfect lamb upon the cruel cross, we would be nothing but lost miserable sinners heading towards our just reward in a place of eternal torment and misery. How can we ever thank HIM enough for all he's done?

Christmas blessings to you all. My prayers is that this Christmas season you will grow closer to your heavenly savior and if you dont' know him personaly that you will discover him for the very first time and begin the journy of a lifetime. What better time to turn your life over to the savior of the world, but at the celebration of his birth!

In Christ ~ Lydia