Welcome to our home…. January 9, 2012

You may want to grab some coffee….and/or a meal…..I think this going to be the longest post in history!

I have been busy as a bee! I have been on an all out mission to fine tune things around our home to really be able to manage it in a way that consistently works for us me.   I’m just going to be completely honest and vulnerable if you don’t mind. If you know anything at all about me you would know that my heart is happiest when my home is in what I deem as in “order”.  I’m just a happier person.  I enjoy my life more when I feel that my home and my family have been attended to in the way that really I see fit.  For a large portion of my life that standard has hung over my head and has also been highly unattainable ( You know…the Christian Superwoman deal) and I’ve struggled over the years defining that for myself and my family.  Brandon has helped me a great deal by letting me know how he basically would like our home to run and I’ve just kind of added my own ‘flair’ while trying to find a healthy balance along the way.  School has had its  very dominant place in my life this last year and while we’ve been ‘getting by’ I’ve largely been unhappy and feeling like my home has been kicking my buttocks and NOT vise versa..  I’ve gotten away from “me”….which makes for an aggravated Mella.

So, with all that being said I was eager for winter break to start so I could get to work and wrangle in clutter in our home.  In all honesty…nothing in here is ‘safe’ I’ve been going from top to bottom trying to figure out how to best utilize our home to serve us in the best way possible.

Like any woman would (I guess) I started in the kitchen:

I took everything out of each cabinet and drawer and purged, purged, purged!  It now looks like this:

What’s in those ADORABLE little crates (that I scored at Walmart for .50) you ask?  Well they are labeled: baking, assorted, grilling, seasoning salts and each item is labeled inside. Yeah!  So excited. I will not show you each one but I’m sure you get the point.  There is a place for everything in there now Mama’s happy!

I’ll also spare you the drawers and the dishes and I didn’t take any pics of the storage in the island but you know the usual suspects: Tupperware cabinet, baking supplies drawer, utensils, bakeware cabinet, food storage drawer, pots and pans, etc.  All neatly put away. *sigh*

I also took the liberty of converting my recipe box to a binder( think 4×6 cards to 8×11 sheets of pretty sheet protected binder of organized tummy delights!  YEAH!  Love it.  It’s been SO much easier to meal plan and all that goodness.  I’ve just been pulling recipes out, placing them up front for the week and refiling when done….easy peasy lemon squeezy.  I’ve also recently fallen in love with my cozi meal planning tab….more on that another time.

OH!  I’ve redone the boy’s daily schedule/chore routine/rewards and also made a printable instead of having it written on our white board.

So what used to look like this:

(From doing their ‘steps’ they would earn $12 chore bucks a day $6/am & $6/pm allowing them to earn and then pay for 60 mins( $60) of video game time…on the weekends

Now looks like this:

This  printable was made by Jen at iheartorganizing.blogspot.com. I HEART her!  If you have one ounce of desire to be organized…you should get to know her.  She is a genius!

Christian: football//Nehemiah: basketball//Ezekiel: baseball

I look over their tins & areas and if everything is done, they are rewarded accordingly. Blue (am chores): 12 minutes// Black (pm chores): 12 minutes// Green(when we "catch" them doing something AWESOME we reward them! 15 "bonus" minutes //Red( If they are doing something NOT awesome the loose 15 minutes. With this new system, they now can earn 2 hours of screen time

Our white board with steps, rules, daily bible readings, and schedules for the boys

For both morning and evening each step corresponds to a picture and is posted where they can do them and then place them back into the "all done" tins. This is a pic of their morning routine.

WHEW!!!  Are you still here?  Pretty sure I’ll be banned from wordpress after this massive post!  I guess this is what happens when you don’t blog in FOREVER! I also redid ( got rid of games/puzzles with missing parts and pieces) our family game closet…which is in CJ’s room and he’s sleep so you don’t get a pic of that….I’m sure your <3 broken…but seriously once you’ve seen a organized stack of family friendly games…you’ve seen them all.  Before I go I H.A.V.E. to show you all the new yumminess our boys have in their rooms!

First off…I took to task the constant clothing war I wage on a daily basis and reduced each boy’s wardrobe to a manageable (for us) number, saved and stored a small reserve stash, and happily donated the rest.  YES!  No more overwhelming laundry days for this mama! They now will wear everything they have and NO more overly stuffed drawers! (Someone HAS to be able to relate to me on this one!)

I also recently scored these AMAZING desks at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore shop in J town…for ::drumroll:: $10 bucks EACH!  YAHOO!  YIPPEE YEAH!  I immediately had visions of our own little school house away from school but then the only room big enough to do that is in my office and that wouldn’t work considering I actually have to conduct business out of it on a regular basis so I decided to convert small areas  in their own rooms for their own spaces.  Again inspired (note I said ‘inspired…NOT as awesome as….but it TOTALLY works for US and that’s all that matters) by Jen and what she did for her son…..this is what they now have for their at-home educational needs:

Christian:  Has a printable that I whipped up in Excel to keep him on track on practicing his instrument. ( You’ll have to click the link to see it.  I don’t know how to show just the image…sorry :/ )

http://www.box.com/embed/mo7p993bzabmz1g.swf

Clarinet printable, pics of brothers and friends, clipboard for weekly reading log

Pic of Mommy and CJ, glue, pencils, markers, colored pencils and crayons and multiplication chart

Nehemiah and Ezekiel share a room and they each have their own desk and clipboards for their homework packets and shared “art cart” which has flash cards, paint supplies, coloring books, etc. they each have a tile for pics and writing + math helps on the wall for their reference:

BONUS:

I also hooked up each little man with their own personalized DS storage bins/cases.  Decided to make sure there would be ZERO excuses as to why they could find them or their games at a moment’s notice  They all look like this:

Well….if you’ve still here….thank you.  I just shared my home and my heart and I appreciate you being interested in something that means so much to me.  Before I head back to school, I still need to tackle    before I do that would like back to Walmart and see if I can get about ooohh….. 50 more of those cute little containers….hee hee hee

I still need to to tackle my office, Christmas gift storage, bedroom, laundry supplies storage area above my W & D, and then we will be good to go!  I don’t know what I’m really going to do in either room yet so I’m brainstorming like crazy.  Perhaps I’ll share those pics too when I’m done.

What about you? Have you started anything new in your life and home this year?  If so will you share that with me?  I would love to read it.

So in a (very large) happy nutshell…that’s what I’ve been up to!  Are you tired yet?

Thanks for reading…I’ll be back soon….I hope

<3 Mella

~~If you have a comment PLEASE leave it below so that I can have it always!!  If you have come here from Facebook and comment on Facebook then I don’t have any comments associated with posts and I loose them in a matter of days! ::Sad face:: 

2012?!? When did THAT happen? January 6, 2012

I should really be ashamed of myself for even owning a blog!  It’s really just shameful!  So here we go, a new year and hopefully LOTS more blogging!  I don’t even know where to start.  We just finished up with all the holiday celebrations as well as Ezekiel’s 6th birthday yesterday!  YOWZA!  My baby is six.  I read that, I said that, I know that it’s true but I really don’t know how that’s possible. I know it’s a good thing, but I really am having a bit of difficulty over it.

Here’s a pic I snapped of the birthday boy today:

Oh yes…did I forget to mention that he too has now joined the Westmoreland glasses gang?  Isn’t he just too cute for words?

OK…so what’s new?  What ISN’T NEW?! CJ plays the clarinet, Zekie is reading, Nemo a very bright student, I’m applying to nursing school school soon, I now work with Brandon at Crossroads,  Brandon is pursing a degree as well as having recently launched Celebrate Recovery (hereafter always referred to as CR) and by the grace of God, we are holding this busy family of ours together!

Whew…OK

This Christmas Break has been a great deal of fun for me!  I love spending time with my boys and we had such a wonderful time together.  I also took the opportunity to really buckle down and tackle some organization projects that I’ve been meaning to get to…..you know…in the time where I’m not working one of my two jobs, attending school full time and maintaining my 3.6 GPA………..so yeah Mama got to work in the boys rooms and in my kitchen and office. Purge and simplify was the name of the game.  One of my very favorite games to play. Very few things make me as happy as organizing something or other and I am really pleased with the outcome.  If it weren’t 1 am and I wasn’t so comfy on this couch I’d upload a few pics.  Perhaps I’ll do that soon.  I have 12   11 days left until I have to go back to school myself so I’m busy as a bee trying to wrap this all up.

So there you have it.  Those who have been saying/emailing.  ”I love when you blog”, or “I miss your blog” and those other hints you’ve dropped.  I have blogged….I blog now.  For now.  Hopefully as a more consistent part of my life.

Hasta Pasta and Buenas NOCHES!

Please take my survey! I need your help! October 26, 2011

Hello friends/family!  I have a homework assignment that I need to do and I need your participation to get it done!   Would you please take a few minutes to answer a short 10 question ANONYMOUS survey?  Please, please, please!  Anyone can take it and if you’d like to ask someone else in your home to take it that would be great too!  Please only take it one time.  There is no follow up or any personal information collected so be honest!

THANK YOU!

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CJYYSMN

Super quick update November 25, 2010

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

I just wanted to make sure I shared how blessed and thankful I am.  We made “thanksgiving place mats” with the children yesterday and this is what Christian’s read*verbatim*…

I am thankful for my mom and dad my brothers and my sister and my mom giveing me life and helped the Westmorelands and giveing a roof to keep us warm save and to have a bed to sleep on and a school to learn great things and a church to be wise about you God so you know how much I care about your great preety world you made and I thank you for all you gived me I love you and I am thankful for you God. Thank you.

Now how could that NOT bless my whole life?!?!

Gotta go cook.  HAD TO SHARE!

I’ll be back soon.  I miss blogging.

LOVE YOU!

 

Page in my book of life September 28, 2010

Outside my Window: It’s Fall.  Red, yellow, and purple leaves….happy me!

What I’m creating: Pies.  I made sweet potato a few days ago. I have a pumpkin on my counter and I just so happen to have made an extra pie crust last week…pumpkin pie coming soon.

Sounds in my ear: My boys in the shower, and the clickity-clack of my rockstar typing speed.

What’s in my cup:  Ugandan African Moon.  HALLELUJAH!

I am thankful for:  A great deal of things.  Recently a VERY unlikely friendship was reborn and it’s one of those things where I can only just testify of the power of God in my life.  So I would say that I am thankful that God is who He is and that He allows me so much grace to step out on Him and that He has never let me fall.  He’s never let me down.

One meal on the menu this week: Hmmm…. You know what I want that I have not made in a long time? Chicken and dumplings….OH YES! The thought of that is making me pretty excited.

I am wearing: grey t-shirt, black pants, and my super comfy robe…complete with my hot pink fuzzy slippers (yes, THOSE ones….I STILL have them….how many years has it been?)

I am reading: —> Under my currently reading section…..

I am praying for: Brandon. Friends. Still please join me in praying for Lynne. A friend of a friend’s daughter is missing and I am praying for her as well.

Bible verse of the week: Ephesians 3:17-19 (Amplified Bible) <3 Amplified!

¹⁷May Christ through your faith [actually] dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts! May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love,

¹⁸That you may have the power and be strong to apprehend and grasp with all the saints [God's devoted people, the experience of that love] what is the breadth and length and height and depth [of it];

¹⁹[That you may really come] to know [practically, ^[a]through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses ^[b]mere knowledge [without experience]; that you may be filled [through all your being] ^[c]unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and ^[d]become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]!

Reflection of last week’s happenings: I don’t remember.  I’m only on coffee cup #2.  If you remember anything I did last week, put it in the comment section. LOL!

What I’m looking forward to:  Registering for school.  I’ve decided that I quite like being a student and I’m enrolling for the spring semester at JJC in just a few weeks.  I’ll be pursuing my A.A.S in Nursing. YEAH! The journey begins….we’re all getting in whooooaaaa HEY!! LET THE VAST VOYAGE BEGIN!!! HAHAHAHAHAAAAAHAHAHAA!

One of my favorite things:  Warmth.  I HATE being cold.

What’s new with the children:

CJ: is involved in his 1^st after school activity.  Two days a week, he’s attends camp fitness for an hour.  It’s what it sounds like…learning healthy choices and plenty of exercise!  Yesterday was his first day so Nehemiah had to come home on the bus alone.  He got off the bus crying and he was just so sad that he had to come home without his brother.  He said he had to sit by himself and he was so lonely.  BROKE MY HEART! I hope he finds a friend to sit next to tomorrow.  Pumpkin pie is doing just fine…loves Pre-K and he loves showing me all the things he is learning.

Some pictures I’d thought I share with you:

Look how sweet my boys are!

He dressed himself to go outside and play.......LOL!

Family Night Fun!

A page in my book of life August 23, 2010

Outside my Window: The temperatures are dropping…Fall is near.  I really like this time of year.

From the teacher’s desk: We will be talking about Noah tonight for Family Night

What I’m creating: Nothing at the moment.  I need more yarn.

Sounds in my ear: Believe it or not….SILENCE!!!!! Big boy’s are at school and Pumpkin Pie is off playing quietly.

What’s in my cup: USDA organic, fair trade, earl grey black tea.  Thought I’d keep it simple today.

I am thankful for: The simple things.

One meal on the menu this week: I can only speak for tonight…..Turkey drumsticks.  They have been marinating all night and I am getting ready to put them into the crock pot!  Mmmm, it’s going to smell SO good in here all day!

I am wearing: a coral tank top and gray “workout” pants

I am reading: The complete guide to getting and staying organized by Karen Ehman.  Let’s me tell you, this is SO different than any other book I’ve read on the subject.  NO pressure to be perfect. Ask questions and gives solutions that can be tailor made to your family’s lifestyle.  In short, ( and I’m only on Chapter 2) she is not trying to make you little Ehmanites she takes more the Titus 2 approach…sit here with me young one and observe my ways, use them as God directs you….she didn’t say that.  I just made that up.

I am praying for: Lynne.  She still stands in need of a heart transplant.  Join me please.

Bible verse of the week: Hebrews 11:6 NASB

And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.

One of my favorite things: thinking about the many attributes of God.  He is SO much.  It overwhelms me.  King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Everlasting Father, Righteous, Just, HOLY, Emmanuel, Graceful, Powerful, Compassionate…see what I mean?  I could literally go on forever….and HE loves ME! ( AND YOU!!)

What’s new with the children:All of my babies started school!  They all had good first week and are excited about this year.  Even Ezekiel loves school!  I’m so happy!

Some pictures I’d thought I share with you:

First day of school!

Off to 3rd grade!

This CRAZY boy is off to 1st grade!

Off to Preschool! :*(

Thanks for reading!

Love you, mean it.

Ciao!!

A page in my book of life August 12, 2010

Outside my Window: It is a BEAUTIFUL day!

From the teacher’s desk: We have been brushing up on the basic 3 R’s.  Although I wish I was smart enough to understand why Arithmetic is on the list

What I’m creating: Scarves!   Trying to start earlier than I normally do.  I’ll post a pic of the one I just finished.

Sounds in my ear: Israel and New Breed Alive in South Africa

What’s in my cup:  This fantastic Gevalia Ethiopian coffee. “Harrar”

Brief excerpt of the description:  Harrar is considered a “wild coffee” because the beans are dried in the coffee fruit, giving them a full-bodied richness with soft tones of dark chocolate, cinnamon and cardamom.  The beans provide a tantalizing flavor with pleasant tangy notes and a captivating aroma.  Complex and distinctive, Ethiopian Harrar is one of the most sought after coffees in the world.

Does it deliver? YOU BETTER BELIEVE IT!

I am thankful for:  My hubby.  I came home from work to a clean kitchen and folded laundry, making my today so much easier…thank you baby!

One meal on the menu this week: Um, I don’t know. Not itching to make anything particular.

I am wearing: A Bears shirt and blue sweats.

I am reading: Nothing at the moment, but that’s only because I’m waiting for my next book from my Laura.

I am praying for: Friends and Family.  Join me? Lynne Jackson is in need of a heart transplant.  She’s had her defibrillator go off more than once is a short amount of time. Her latest update: An update, Drs. don’t know when they will release me, can’t keep my magnesium level higher magnesium level helps to prevent my defibrillator from going off, might have to stay here until a donor heart becomes available, probably will know more by the end of week. Thank you all my fb family and friends for your continued prayers .  Lift her up please! Also her daughter Amber, I know it’s having mom in the hospital with such a condition.  Strength and comfort to them both. Sam Novak( 8 y/0 fell and fractured skull that hit an artery and resulted in a 3 hour surgery) last I heard he walked 100 feet and he might be able to come home this weekend. That would be WONDERFUL!  Also there are those with illnesses and shut ins on my heart as well. Let us pray.

Bible verse of the week: Today’s MUFHH.  Very fitting with what’s on my heart right now.

Why are you fearful, O you of little faith? —Matthew 8:26

When we are afraid, the least we can do is pray to God. But our Lord has a right to expect that those who name His name have an underlying confidence in Him. God expects His children to be so confident in Him that in any crisis they are the ones who are reliable. Yet our trust is only in God up to a certain point, then we turn back to the elementary panic-stricken prayers of those people who do not even know God. We come to our wits’ end, showing that we don’t have even the slightest amount of confidence in Him or in His sovereign control of the world. To us He seems to be asleep, and we can see nothing but giant, breaking waves on the sea ahead of us.

“. . . O you of little faith!” What a stinging pain must have shot through the disciples as they surely thought to themselves, “We missed the mark again!” And what a sharp pain will go through us when we suddenly realize that we could have produced complete and utter joy in the heart of Jesus by remaining absolutely confident in Him, in spite of what we were facing.

There are times when there is no storm or crisis in our lives, and we do all that is humanly possible. But it is when a crisis arises that we instantly reveal upon whom we rely. If we have been learning to worship God and to place our trust in Him, the crisis will reveal that we can go to the point of breaking, yet without breaking our confidence in Him.

We have been talking quite a lot about sanctification, but what will be the result in our lives? It will be expressed in our lives as a peaceful resting in God, which means a total oneness with Him. And this oneness will make us not only blameless in His sight, but also a profound joy to Him.

Reflection of last weeks happenings:  Last week (8/4) was Nehemiah’s birthday!  He’s 6!  CRAZY!  We had a great day here at the house.  Playing with gifts, bubbles, and CUPCAKES!  When we went to bed he told me, “Mama, I’m so happy!  This was a great day!  You wanna know what I wished for when I blew out the candles?  I wished you would never leave me”  Whoo..talk about joy overflowing!!!  Who could ask for a sweeter birthday wish?  It soon dawned on me that one day, I won’t be able to keep the promise that I won’t have to leave him and my heart breaks for the grief he will have and for the first time in his life, he won’t have his mama to dry his tears, draw him up into my arms and comfort him. Oh how wish I could protect him from that!  I am abundantly grateful for the redemption power in Jesus!  My baby will have a hope of seeing me in the presence of the Lord.  I long for the days when not only my tears will never flow again but those of my children as well!  Thank you Lord for redeeming us!  I don’t even know what to say, I’m overwhelmed at the thought and I really can’t even see my screen right now. I just trust God will give my children peace and confidence in my absence and he will carry them through just has he has done with me time and time again.

One of my favorite things: quiet time.

What’s new with the children: They start school next week!  All 3 of them!  WOW!  We’ve gotten them all set to go and they are actually looking forward to it!  I’m going to be a hot mess when I put my baby Zekie on a bus….whoo Lord…give me strength.

Some pictures I’d thought I share with you:

The boys went down to Bourbonnais to Bear’s trainingcamp

Christian and Staley!

Ezekiel and Staley

Nehemiah and Staley

On the field!

He's 6!!!!!!

Love him!

That beautiful scarf I was telling you about!

Thanks for reading!  Love you, mean it!

( Not saying you have to, but if you comment, please leave it here, I want to have be able to read them here one day and trying to find them on Facebook would be an impossibility!)

Remember…. July 24, 2010

That Lime and Honey Glazed Salmon with Warm Black Bean and Corn Salad I told you about?  Well I made it and it was FANSTINKINGTABULOUS!!!

I’ll just post a few pics of the prep work:

Black beans, corn, onion, bell pepper, garlic, EVOO,cumin, S&P

Salmon, marinated in Lime and Honey

Add spinach, stir to wilt

VOILA!!!!

If you and your family like salmon…put this on your list of things to make….SOON!

What’s going on today July 22, 2010

Outside my Window: Children are playing, in their underwear.  Jasper is out  Neighbor is outside and everything.  They don’t care and I can’t say that I do right now either.

From the teacher’s desk: Our next topic for family night will be Cain and Abel.  I will be filling their folders with material relevant to that.  Also I’ll be using my “mommy resources” to get some math and language into them as well.

I am thankful for: Great friends.  I really value the relationships in my life and I am beyond blessed to enjoy some really great ones.  Jesus showed us how important great friends can be in our lives.  He lived with his friends. He shared meals with his friends. He loved his friends….and I love mine!

One meal on the menu this week:

Lime and Honey Glazed Salmon with Warm Black Bean and Corn Salad
Recipe from: Rachael Ray 365
by Rachael Ray

• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (divided use)

• 1 medium red onion, chopped

• 2 large garlic cloves, chopped

• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin (1/3 palmful)

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• Juice of 2 limes

• 3 tablespoons honey (3 gobs)

• 1 teaspoon chili powder (1/3 palmful)

• 4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets

• 1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped

• 1 (10-ounce) box frozen corn kernels, defrosted

• 1/2 cup chicken stock or broth

• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

• 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

• 6 cups baby spinach

1. Preheat a medium skillet over medium heat with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil (twice around the pan). Add the onions, garlic, red pepper flakes, cumin, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes.
2. While the onions are cooking, preheat a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
3. In a shallow dish, combine the juice of 1 lime, honey, chili powder, and salt and pepper to taste. Add the salmon fillets to the lime-honey mixture and toss to coat thoroughly. Add the seasoned salmon to the hot skillet and cook until just cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes on each side.
4. To the cooked onions, add the bell pepper and corn kernels and cook for 1 minute.
5. Add the chicken stock and continue to cook for another 2 minutes.
6. Add the black beans and cook until the beans are just heated through.
7. Remove the skillet from the heat and add the juice of the second lime, the cilantro and the spinach. Toss to wilt the spinach and then taste and adjust the seasoning.
8. Serve the lime-and-honey-glazed salmon on top of the warm black bean and corn salad.

I am wearing: A grey(gray) Mickey Mouse shirt and some blue pants

I am reading:  My heart’s at home: Becoming the intentional mom your family needs by Jill Savage.  So far so good.  I really like her writing style and she’s very matter-of-fact.

I am praying for: Friends and friends of friends.  And of course My Husband

Bible verse of the week:

Proverbs 21:13 NIV

Whoever shuts his eyes to the cry of the poor will also cry himself and not be heard

I am creating: Nothing =( I went to get yarn last night and the store didn’t have what I was looking for.  I’m going to try to hit up Micheal’s today.

Reflection of last weeks happenings: Ya know…I really just try to live in the present…ya dig? (translation: I haven’t had enough coffee to jog my memory)

One of my favorite things: A clean bedroom.  Particularly, my own.

What’s new with the children: They are quite the little adventurous buggers.  Lately they have been play acting like “Avatars” and Dragon Questors.  They make me smile.  Also, they have been making up “brother days” and writing sweet notes to each other letting each other know how much they are loved….melts mama’s heart.

Some pictures I’d thought I share with you:

A slug found on an expedition in the great backyard

Nemo had a go at the slug

He loves dressing up!

Jesus, the King July 21, 2010

This video was edited a tad, so I’m going to include the full transcript of his message:

The Bible says my King is a seven-way king

He’s the King of the Jews; that’s a racial king
He’s the King of Israel; that’s a national King
He’s the King of Righteousness
He’s the King of the Ages
He’s the King of Heaven
He’s the King of Glory
He’s the King of kings, and He’s the Lord of lords. That’s my King.
Well….I wonder, do you know Him?

David said, “The Heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament showeth His handiwork.”
My King is a sovereign King.
No means of measure can define His limitless love.
No far seeing telescope can bring into visibility the coastline of His shoreless supply.
No barrier can hinder Him from pouring out His blessings.
He’s enduringly strong.
He’s entirely sincere.
He’s eternally steadfast.
He’s immortally graceful.
He’s imperially powerful.
He’s impartially merciful.
Do you know Him?

He’s the greatest phenomenon that has ever crossed the horizon of this world.
He’s God’s Son.
He’s the sinner’s Savior.
He’s the centerpiece of civilization.
He stands in the solitude of Himself.
He’s august and He’s unique.
He’s unparalleled.
He’s unprecedented.
He is the loftiest idea in literature.
He’s the highest personality in philosophy.
He is the supreme problem in higher criticism.
He’s the fundamental doctrine of true theology.
He is the cardinal necessity for spiritual religion.
He’s the miracle of the age.
He’s — yes He is — He is the superlative of everything good that you choose to call Him.

He’s the only one qualified to be an all sufficient Savior.
I wonder if you know Him today?
He supplies strength for the weak.
He’s available for the tempted and the tried.
He sympathizes and He saves.
He strengthens and sustains.
He guards and He guides.
He heals the sick.
He cleansed the lepers.
He forgives sinners.
He discharges debtors.
He delivers the captives.
He defends the feeble.
He blesses the young.
He serves the unfortunate.
He regards the aged.
He rewards the diligent….and He beautifies the meek.
I wonder if you know Him?

Well, my King….He is the King!
He’s the key to knowledge.
He’s the wellspring of wisdom.
He’s the doorway of deliverance.
He’s the pathway of peace.
He’s the roadway of righteousness.
He’s the highway of holiness.
He’s the gateway of glory.
Do you know Him?

Well, His office is manifold.
His promise is sure….and His light is matchless.
His goodness is limitless.
His mercy is everlasting.
His love never changes.
His word is enough.
His grace is sufficient.
His reign is righteous.
And His yoke is easy, and his burden is light.
I wish I could describe Him to you, but He’s indescribable — Yes He is!? He is God!
He’s incomprehensible.
He’s invincible.
He’s irresistible.
Well, you can’t get Him out of your mind.
You can’t get Him off of your hand.
You can’t out live Him, and you can’t live without Him.

The Pharisees couldn’t stand Him, but they found out they couldn’t stop Him.
Pilate couldn’t find any fault in Him.
The witnesses couldn’t get their testimonies to agree.
Herod couldn’t kill Him.
Death couldn’t handle Him, and the grave couldn’t hold Him.
Yea!!!, that’s my King, that’s my King.

Yes, and Thine is the Kingdom….and the Power….and the Glory….Forever….and ever, and ever, and ever — How long is that? And ever, and ever.

And when you get through with all of the forevers, then. AMEN!
Good God Almighty! AMEN! AMEN!

WHEW!!!  If you are not standing up in your chair, and shouting praise…I really don’t know what could possibly be keeping you in your chair!  I know that I have posted this on Facebook around Easter, but truth be told, I could listen to it every day.  There is nothing like dwelling on who God is to really put things in perspective.  Yeah, I’ve had a rough couple of days, but when I just take a step back, and look up and realize he’s ALL of that and more….my problems fade, my worries cease, my hurt subsides, his majesty shines, his words comfort, and his everlasting love sustains!!

GLORY!!!!  GLORY!!! GLORY!!!! What a sweet friend we have in Jesus.

Be encouraged readers….Jesus, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, loves you and has you in the palm of his hand!! WALK UPRIGHT and STRONG IN FAITH…HE WON’T LET US DOWN!!