Fog.

Do you ever feel unmotivated to do anything? Because that's how I am this week. I detest this feeling, it's pulling me down, putting behind things I should be getting done, and most upsettingly, I procrastinate and leave no time for God. I hate it. As a result of this, I seem to be constantly stressed and worried about every little thing in my life. I don't really know why I am getting this feeling now, but I do know it has to stop. Please pray for me, as it is seemly getting harder to focus on my Wonderful Savior...pray for this fog to clear.

Psalm 119:109
"Though I constantly take my life in my hands, I will not forget your law."

-Emily

Where I'm From

This is a poem I actually wrote for an English assignment, but I like it so well that I decided to post it on my blog. ;]

Where I'm From
by George Ella Lyons
revamped by Emily E.

I am from pencil marks,
From Snuggles and soft sweaters.
I am from the cobwebs in the very peak of my ceiling
(Delicate, memorizing, far too high up to reach with the feather duster)
I am from the bleeding heart buds,
The White Birch Trees,
Whose bark is coated with messages
Dating back to when I was nine.

I am from strawberry floats and the trademark under my right eye,
From the Hoskins to the Eppens.
I am from the laugh-a-lots and the I-am-not-lost-I-just-got-turned-arounds,
From cut it out to are you coming.
I am from I can do all thing through Him who gives me strength,
With a joyful tune
And through my recent heartaches and heartbreaks.
I am from Waterloo and Decorah,
Deviled eggs and pickled pigs feet.
From the two twin cats my Aunt adores
and from an ancestor escaping a pirate ship.
Upon the purple wall on the right of my room
Verses are scattered
Old church bulletins angled and scattered
To create a masterpiece of precious words.
I am from a plan structured from those words of wisdom
A mysterious picture, intelligently designed.

-Emily

Joy!

Oh my. I seems as if though I have hit a writers block for the last couple of weeks. Luckily, I believe I am starting to unblock it. :)

Today, I have been thinking a lot about the topic of joy. What is joy? So many times I hear it being used in the place of happy, it almost disorients the precious meaning of the word. What is the difference between happiness and joy?

"Fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the fat portions on the altar. And when all the people saw it, they shouted for joy and fell facedown."
Leviticus 9:14

Apparently, joy must be much stronger and grand than just normal happiness. And in truth, it is. Joy is always. Joy remains even through tough times and situations in your life. Joy comes directly from God; should we choose to follow Him. Joy is so much more than just a brief time or moment of happiness. It makes you feel full, peaceful, and glad in every situation. I can honestly say it's the best feeling you could ever have. It's so amazing, I can't help but talk about it to people! It overflows from your life, right into the people you are around's lives.

Joy is given to people who put their trust in and follow Jesus with ever aspect of their lives, big or small. Joy makes you notice and realize things you have never noticed or realized before.It gives you a totally different viewpoint on life, and changes your world. It makes you really be alive, rather than just live. With something as awesome as joy out there, it's hard to believe some people don't want any part of it.

Why?

Good question. Well, think about it. It's awful hard to desire and yearn for something you have never experienced before; and even if you do, it doesn't mean you're willing to do what it takes to experience it. I think many times it has to do with fear. People are reluctant to step out of their little worlds where everything revolves around them. Did you ever consider, perhaps, that the reason people find it so hard to experience joy is because our sinful human nature is connected to negativity? For some complex reason, our sinful desire loves to wallow in self-pity and negativity, rather then experience the eternal joy that is a gift given to us by Jesus Christ our Lord. Our view is hazed by sin, giving us a false belief about what joy really is; how extremely....unexplainable it is.

So, tomorrow -or maybe even the rest of today- if you are already striving to follow Jesus, take time to find all the little gifts of joy God has given to us. If you have never experienced joy before, I urge you to give your whole self to God, believe me, it's totally worth it. :)

-Emily