Spring Is Here

So with spring officially here and no more snow, I decided to throw out some new pictures I've taken over the past month. I'm really enjoying taking pictures and am having fun with it. Whether a career or just something on the side, photography has really caught my eye. Though it seems like I'm not gonna be going into photography for the long run.(I'll talk about that next time.)

Here are some of my favorites from my latest ventures.

My dog, Oliver

The cats, Rachel, and Herbert
Waterfall in Laconia

Awesome structure thing I found near the waterfall

Some cool tracks

Puddles

What better to close with my nutty bro, Sam
(Picture taken by Beth Crandall)

Soli Deo Gloria

Of all the things in my life, amazing or painful, You Lord, are the most precious. You reach into my life and speak to my soul as you direct the ways I go. You are The Eternal Story, the Holy One, and You fulfill all my needs. You forgive me and cleanse me over and over. You wash away my sins with a mighty wave, never to see them again. You love me beyond anything, and You cherish me for who I am. Your love goes further than anything, and by your everlasting grace, I am saved. I am held back from death, and instead lifted up and brought into Your Holy place.
Time passes, and everywhere I go, it leads to You. To say that the world cries out the evidence of Your name is an understatement. You are everywhere. The universe declares your majesty, by night and day. I will not worry, for You control the world, you have the blueprints to my life and You know all that I am, and all that I'm going through. I will wait on you Lord.
I ask for Your direction, and Your guidance. I pray that I would not stray from Your word, but instead be built up by it. I ask that I would glorify You with everything I do. It's all about You. I pray for protection against my enemies, and wisdom to reach out to them.
Lord, I am so unworthy. I tremble. Your majesty is beyond words and I lift You up with the utmost glory. I want to lose everything for You. You are worth it all. Nothing else matters. You are all I ever needed, and You fill me up. You are God, and You rock my life. Praise You!
Soli Deo Gloria! Amen.

Unfailing Grace

God's grace is so good!
I recently have sorta been knocked on the head with it though. Sometimes, I go through times where I wonder if God really does forgive me for my sins, whether I'm even worth anything to Him. I feel as though He is there for anyone else, except me. Leading me to feel alone, and unworthy(Though we are unworthy of His love. Glory to Him for giving it anyway!). And though the obvious truth is that He is there for me, I almost unknowingly become blind to it. I bring God down to a level as to where I imagine He is a God that breaks His promises of total forgiveness. And when I do that, I struggle, and I feel distant from Him.
This then leads to confusion, and a more increased feeling of aloneness. I become numb to the obvious fact that He is there, whether I want Him or not. I push Him away even though it's the last thing I want to do.
But thanks to his constant reminding, and patience with me, He reveals to me His love, and how much He gives me in spite of my sin. His patience is unrivaled! He sees me continue to fall, lie, and just plain be so unworthy, and yet He forgives, and forgets, and just reminds me of how much He loves me. And man, that goes a long way. I know I'm bound to fall again in the future, but these experiences help to remind me, and get me back on track.
This leaded me to realize something. I'm blown away by the fact of how often we live our lives oblivious to the grace that is placed on us. What honestly is stopping God from throwing us all into Hell and starting over? What are we really worth? What have we done to earn His favor? The answer is nothing. We sin so much, and in such terrible ways. Yet, by His grace, and love for us, we live on. He has made us, and although we go against Him by our very nature, He blesses us, and gives us so much more than we deserve. It really is an incredible thing. Humbling to say the least. How can we boast of anything? We don't deserve a thing, let alone life itself.
However he loves us, and He fights for us. He is there when we need Him, and He is there when we don't think we need Him. It's unfailing grace, and unfailing love, and He has given it to us freely. With open arms He accepts us as we are, washing us and making us new again.
For that, I follow Him with a humble heart, understanding that there isn't anything I can do that will turn His love. Knowing that He has the blueprints for my entire life in the palm of His hand, and He remains the great Author of our lives forever. Amen.