His Names are Wonderful

Throughout the Bible, there are many names of God.

One of my favorite portraits of Christ is this: His Name

I remember this particular work of art was in a magazine that my grandma subscribed to. This magazine, whatever it was, featured an article about the artist and showed this print. This was in 1998 or 99...a long time ago! But it really stuck with me because my grandma had a challenge for my cousin and me- to list all the names in this portrait. There are 110.

I remember it being a big competition for us, and my cousin Emily (who is two years younger than me) beat me. I was kind of upset...ha! But now as I look back, it doesn't matter if I found all the names first, or if I even found them all...I am really glad this specific portrait of Christ stuck in my mind. Now, over a decade later, I decided to ask my grandma if she had copies of the article still...and she did! I gladly took one of the copies to school with me and now it hangs on my bulletin board, right above my desk. It is really great to look up and catch a new name that I hadn't noticed before. It has been a big encouragement to me!

Realizing that God is so multi-faceted is huge. Lately I've been kind of confused about God, in the sense that sometimes it seems like the God I worship is completely different than the God a fellow believer worships. They speak about Him differently and view Him in another light. I was worried, thinking "Does this mean we aren't following the same God?" Seeing this portrait once again reminded me how many attributes God really does have. This assured me so much and also helped me to think about what God is to me. He is all the names that you can find in the Bible to me, but some just strike me more than others. I think it is amazing how God created us each so uniquely, that some of his traits speak more loudly than others to us!

In the past school year, I have discovered what God is to me. He is and always will be the Messiah, Wonderful Counselor, Creator, Prince of Peace, Emmanuel, Abba Father, and everything else that He is. But I have discovered, that to me personally, at this time in my life, God is:

1. My Best Friend
2. My Comforter
3. My Provider

Because of what I've gone through in life and because of own unique self, these attributes of God really stand out to me. I am so thankful that He fulfills these in my life!

Patience...

You sit and watch the cars and planes hurry by, you wonder when they'll arrive.

Sometimes you try to catch their eyes,
they turn to hide and you turn to sigh.

Don't you go insane? All 6,000 years of us treating you this way?

All this time does it make you tired? I can't believe you waited for me, like it was worth your while.

We see the church and the lost.

You see your bride and your sons.

And full of hope you carry on, making us one, just on and on...

And patiently you wait, never wanting us to die if we could still be saved.

Is it so? Having all control, 

and them controlling nothing at all.

Your eyes will roam again tonight, searching to and fro to find someone who will fight. 

I wonder what you'll see; I can't believe you waited for me.

Ode to a Patient God by The Arrows band

Ladybug, ladybug, fly away home!

This is not a ladybug.

For some reason, my grandma has an awful time fighting these guys off. These guys are actually Asian beetles, which are NOT the same as cute little ladybugs. They are related and look similar, but they are not identical. Anyhow, they seem to love getting inside my grandma's house...in the bathroom and kitchen, mainly. I didn't realize how much of a problem they were becoming until I visited her a few days ago. Those darn bugs were crawling all over her bathroom window! My grandma is smart, though. She has a special way of killing the Asian beetles. She keeps a little brown jar filled with soapy water (just dish detergent) and puts them inside. It's just so normal for me to see it sitting on her counter that I don't ever think about it. But I'm sure if someone else were to see it they wouldn't know what to think!

My grandma said to me, "Do you know how many I picked off the window yesterday?"

"How many?"

"Over one hundred." She said it so matter-of-factly. (I couldn't believe she took the time to count!)

I helped her knock them off into the little brown bottle, and we probably collected at least 50 more. It would be kind of fun, if only they didn't smell...yuck.

What happened to Jonah?

I find the story of Jonah the prophet in the Bible to be a very interesting story. It's one we've heard since we were tiny kids and often gets looked over. In all actuality, though, it's a pretty amazing story. It is incredible that Jonah even survived after being inside of a huge fish for 3 days. It is also amazing how awesome our God is, that He would allow such a sinful, impossible city to be spared! (I find this to be true with myself, too- God is so amazing and so crazy patient with ME.)

But the book of Jonah doesn't leave me satisfied. After getting to know him so well, finding out his fears and doubts and learning of his adventures along the way, we are left hanging. What happened to Jonah after he pouted and got mad at God for sparing Nineveh? The very end of the book shows God and Jonah talking, after God had caused a vine to grow up and give Jonah shade, and after a worm had come and chewed the vine, causing it to wither. The very last verse says:

"But Nineveh has more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many cattle as well. Should I not be concerned about that great city?"

THE END.

What I want to know is-- what happened to Jonah after that?? Did he continue to prophesy for God? Or did he let his anger get in the way? I am curious to know what took place after this ending scene.

I don't believe it is recorded anywhere else in the Bible, but perhaps it was recorded somewhere else. If not, I guess I'll have to wait until I get to heaven to get my questions answered.

A different sort of quiz

This was a great quiz, unlike any that I have ever taken!

Shamu!

When I was little, I wanted to be a Shamu trainer when I grew up. I still do. I think it would be incredibly cool! But obviously I am not following that career path. Doing so would require A LOT of school, even more money, and I would have to move somewhere ocean-y. But I still dream. :)

I was shocked when I heard that one of the trainers at the Orlando Sea World had been killed, by one of the whales no less. I never really thought about that possibility, but they are wild animals with a lot of power. Of course they could kill someone. So sad...

Here's an article about it: 

Killer Whale Kills

I got to go to Sea World in San Diego, CA four years ago when my family went on vacation. It was amazing! I remember being in awe, actually able to see something so cool in real life! (I also remember getting so, so sun burnt.) 

This picture was my favorite- I would love to surf on Shamu!

In the Garden...

Sometimes I am weary of fighting to have my point of view understood and appreciated. There are a few people who often share the same feelings and outlooks on life as me, but they do not always. I don't like being in situations where someone doesn't understand (and doesn't try) to see things from my point of view. And I know that I don't always appreciate the opinions of others. This gets tiresome.

Even a best friend is going to have different interests and opinions than you. I know this is what makes life interesting and what makes the world go round. But sometimes I just like to be understood. I like to have my opinions and thoughts listened to...really listened to...and I like having the reassurance that the things in life I consider beautiful are indeed beautiful.

Jesus is the BEST best friend I could ever have. He is someone who completely understands the way I view something, even when I don't have the words to describe it. Jesus is crazy about me and my interests...He loves what makes me ME. He knows exactly what makes me smile and what I find beautiful in life. Like it says in Psalm 37:4...He wants to give me the desires of my heart! He knows me inside out, He knows what makes me tick. He created me with these particular likes and dislikes and treasures them! Even if it seems like no one else appreciates what I appreciate, there is always ALWAYS Someone who does! To me, the very best part about Jesus is that He is always there! He is someone I can tell my inside jokes to who will know all of them by heart. And He knows my sense of humor because He created it! How awesome is that?!


In the Garden

I come to the garden alone
While the dew is still on the roses.
And the voice I hear, falling on my ear,
The Son of God discloses.

And He walks with me, and He talks with me, 
And He tells me I am His own;
And the joy we share as we tarry there, 
None other has ever known.

He speaks and the sound of His voice
Is so sweet the birds hush their singing.
And the melody that He gave to me
Within my heart is ringing.

And He walks with me, and He talks with me, 

And He tells me I am His own;

And the joy we share as we tarry there, 

None other has ever known.

I'd stay in the garden with Him

Though the night around me be falling,

But He bids me go; through the voice of woe,

His voice to me is calling.

And He walks with me, and He talks with me, 

And He tells me I am His own;

And the joy we share as we tarry there, 

None other has ever known.