I heart my new header and button

Did you notice something wonderfully different about Footprints in the Sand? Thanks to Maddie from 2X Design, I have a new blog header and button. I really appreciate Maddie's graciously taking the time to create a header and button for my blog. So what do you think? I think you'll love it. So go ahead, grab my blog button located on the sidebar and drop by the 2X Design site to see portfolio of the other beautiful blogs the team has given a facelift. Thanks again Maddie!

Here is the new blog button (the html code is located with it on the side bar)

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I am officially an adult...

...and wondering where the time went. I couldn't be 18, could I? Oh wait, I am. When I was younger I would complain that being this old would take forever to come my way but my mom would tell me, and I didn't believe her, that I would be a certain age before I knew it; mom was right. I'll quote a Nationwide Insurance commercial by saying, "Life comes at you fast." You see that cupcake picture on the side of this post? It has twelve candles, at least from what I can see but you're welcome to comment and correct that if you count otherwise, and six years ago when I blew out twelve candles I didn't know what lay ahead but God did and he has been there through every step of the way. There has not been one moment since my life began that God has not been with me and that is such a gift. Before I was born God had a plan for my life as he has a plan for your life too. I do not know what the future holds for my life but I do know that the Lord is always with me and he always will be. On my 18th birthday I want to thank the Lord and my parents for putting up with me all these years even though I haven't always been easy to love. I am truly blessed by the people in my life.

"Go forth today, by the help of God's Spirit, vowing and declaring that in life-come poverty, come wealth, in death-come pain or come what may, you are and ever must be the Lord's. For this is written on your heart, 'We love Him because He first loved us.'"
-Charles H. Spurgeon

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This made me smile

Even though I've had a bad day, this made me laugh. It's amazing that some people think that we homeschoolers are actually like this, little do they know. Great job to Daniel Gardner for the funny video below.

Homeschoolers at a Party from Daniel Gardner on Vimeo.

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Tissue Box Reality

Welcome to my reality, the one where the tissue box is your best friend and you wish you could start your day over again. At least I could start my day over again minus the allergies. One thing I can be glad about when I have allergy flare ups is that I can remember that God has given me one more day of life which he didn't have to give me so I can think about that and be grateful. Hmm...that last sentence reminded me of something Pollyanna would have said....ha, ha. Maybe I should play Pollyanna's "Glad game" because sometimes it's hard for me to be glad. One of those sometimes is now, when I'm not feeling well and I am supposed to have my birthday slumber party in two days.

I guess I need to learn that no matter what my present reality is, there's a reason for it and something I can learn from it. When I feel disappointed I can know that there's always the opposite which is happiness and it's more often that I experience that than dissapointment. When I am sick I can remember that most days I feel well. When the tissue box sits beside me and doesn't leave my side I can still know that we won't always be inseperable. What about you? Can you think of some ways to be content in whatever situation God has placed you? It isn't always easy but it helps on those days when all you're doing is licking a popsicle and blowing your nose.

Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content.
Philippians 4:11

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Niagara Falls is amazing!

And I have the pictures to prove it.

Standing in Lake Ontario


Me at Fort Niagara (yes, it's a bad picture) LOL.

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My bags are packed...

...for vacation. My family and I are leaving today to go to Niagara Falls, Canada and along the way we'll be stopping near Pittsburg, Pennsylvania to look at a college I am interested in attending. I would appreciate your prayers for a safe and enjoyable trip. Taking a family of nine 488 miles is always an adventure! I will not be blogging until I return so until then you can read old post or totally forget about this blog...grin. Oh, and I would be grateful if you would pray that God would give me guidance as well look at the college. Thanks so much and have a wonderful week!

Note: I wrote my last post for the Meditations of His Love blog, you can click here to read the last blog post.

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Is honoring your husband a wife's highest calling?

For weeks I have been thinking about doing a post about a wife's calling and now I am writing one. The question often arises: what is a wife's highest calling? Some have said that a wife's supreme calling is to love and serve her husband. Still other debate whether it would be to lovingly raise the children that God may have given her. Multiple ideas and beliefs abound but there is only one answer to what a wife's highest calling is or ever will be.

And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
Deuteronomy 6:5

To love the Lord supremely is the answer. There is no greater command, there is no greater instruction than to love the Lord with all that is within you. The first of the Ten Commandments is to love the Lord it is not to keep your house clean, to have a job, or to serve your husband; it is to love the Lord. Placing any calling above serving the Lord and loving him will result in an discontented life and your highest calling will not be fulfilled.

Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
Ephesians 5:22

Ephesians 5:22 is often used to establish the fact that wives are to be submissive to their husband (a truth I do not deny) but I think we overlook the end of the verse. We are to submit, "As unto the Lord." To be submissive to your husband you must first be wholly submitted to the Lord because he is the ultimate authority for all mankind. To submit without any feeling of pride you must first love the one you are submitting to. To submit to your husband as unto the Lord you must first love the Lord.

Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God; him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave...
Deuteronomy 10:20

Deuteronomy 10:20 sums it up well. Fear the Lord, serve him, and cling to him; and you will have done what he commands. To reach our highest calling we must first love the One who made us, who has called us to a higher calling, and has loved us with an everlasting love. Love the Lord and every other priority will fall into place, because when you love the Lord. you will have fulfilled the highest command and calling that you could ever have.



Note: I welcome your comments on this subject.

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What If?

"What if Heaven consisted of only those you reached for Christ?" I came across that quote and it hit me hard. My heart sank as I realized that heaven might be empty if it consisted of those that I have reached for Christ. But then I wondered if perhaps I have reached someone for Christ and I just don't know it. Maybe I have reached someone and I don't know it but that can't be my one consolation. I need to reach people for Christ so that I can be certain that heaven wouldn't be empty if I were the only one to reach anyone.

So what about you? What is your answer to the question, "What if Heaven consisted of only those you reached for Christ?"I am terribly afraid that I am not the only Christian who has not done enough to make sure that more people have the opportunity to come to a saving faith in Christ and yet we become so numb. We don't think about reaching people, it just doesn't seem to be something we think about. Maybe it's just something I don't think about, I hope it's just me and not anyone else who does this.

I answered the question and I don't want to have the same answer twice. I need to tell the lost about the redemption and eternal life thart is exclusively found in Jesus Christ. Will you commit to doing your part to advance the Kingdom of Heaven? I pray that we all will.

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Is it worth it?

I wonder if it's worth it. All the writing and all the time I have put into this blog. I wonder if what I have written has even touched anyone in any way. When I began this blog, I thought it would be worth it but now; I'm not sure. I find myself at a loss for words and I feel so inadequate. I hate this feeling because; when it comes to my writing I am a perfectionist. I judge it all. Every sentence, every phrase, and every punctuation mark; I judge and I forget that God is the judge, not me. The truth is that it is not worth it-nothing I write on my own is worth anything unless God is in it. That's where I struggle. I struggle to balance my feelings of pride with God's gift of humility. You see when I write I too often think, "I think this is a pretty good piece, everyone should love it" but when everyone doesn't love it I feel defeated because it was about me and not about the Lord. When I read what I write and see a complete failure I hear the Lord speaking me and telling me that if I would just humble myself and realize that any talent I have is from him, he would make it worth something.

I have been tempted to quit.To say goodbye to this blog and stop writing post but I have realized that if I don't learn this now I will have to learn it later: It's not so much about what I write as it is about the One who I write for. I need to learn that it's not for me, you, or anyone else; it's for the glory of God that I do what I do. I'm going to keep on writing and what I write may be a little bit more raw and a little bit more real.

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The Whirlwind that is Life

Life is crazy...as in crazily busy. I made it through an orchestra concert, violin recital, piano recital, company visiting, and Memorial Day all in the space of a week and I am tired. I guess the good news is that even though I have been busy I have still been able to write and essay for a contest and have two of my poems published in the local newspaper. Just in case you think I am a gifted poet, let me assure you that I am not. I always wanted to be a good poet but I think I may fail at becoming the next Robert Frost or Elizabeth Barret Browning. Guess what? My mom ordered one of my birthday presents and I love it already (but I have to wait 27 more days before I can "officially" have it.) What is this that I love? It's the lovely Beauty from Ashes shirt from Wild Olive Tees. And while we're talking about clothing I thought I would say that I am excited to have ordered a shirt from The Rebelution. Goodness, all this talking about shopping is making me want to go to the mall! =) Anyone for a trip to Old Navy or Macy's? I saw you raise your hand and I do wish you lived closer so that you could take me up on my offer. Ha, ha! I have now proceeded to thoroughly ramble (and become lost) on the bunny trail and will now sign off. Check back this week for a much better post!

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