Behold Our God

Daniel Renfro introduced our family to this great worship song while he was here.  This is another of those songs that you need to look up and listen to!  :)

Behold Our God
By Sovereign Grace

Who has held the oceans in His hands?
Who has numbered every grain of sand?
Kings and nations tremble at His voice
All creation rises to rejoice

Chorus
Behold our God seated on His throne
Come, let us adore Him
Behold our King—nothing can compare
Come, let us adore Him

Who has given counsel to the Lord?
Who can question any of His words?
Who can teach the One who knows all things?
Who can fathom all His wondrous deeds?

Who has felt the nails upon His hands?
Bearing all the guilt of sinful man
God eternal, humbled to the grave
Jesus, Savior, risen now to reign

You will reign forever
Let Your glory fill the earth

Hunting, Thanksgiving, and Daniel's Visit

Where does the time go!?! Such a short time ago, it was Thanksgiving 2011, now Thanksgiving 2012 is over and gone, and the month of November is slipping away so quickly!

We enjoyed having Daniel here so much! I loved watching my brothers interact with such a great friend and brother, being encouraged in godliness, playing strategy games, building awesome forts, learning how to process deer (I didn't know all of the different cuts of meat before), laughing together, discussing theology and the Bible, having meals together, learning about each others likes and dislikes, and welcoming the men home from long days of hunting. It was very sad to say "goodbye" on Tuesday, not knowing when we will see the Renfro family again.

The Lord has been so good to us and provided 6 deer for our men this gun season. Papa got one, Jeremiah shot two, Daniel shot his first last week, and the others were roadkill. :) We are so grateful for our Lord's provision and a full freezer! :)

We had our family Thanksgiving on Tuesday (the 20th) and then spent Thanksgiving in Iowa with our grandpa. It was a very sweet family time which I will never forget. While we were in Iowa, the guys built an incredible fort. I'll definitely be posting pictures later on.

I am thankful for so much this year! One of our Thanksgiving traditions is to write a list of 5 things we're thankful for and then share them around the dinner table. I am notorious for combining things and making them sound like just one thing. :)

This year has been a wonderful year of learning to trust more fully in the Lord who "does all things well". He knows the plans He has for me, and they are NOT my own (praise the Lord!). His ways are higher than mine as His thoughts are higher than my thoughts.

I am so grateful that through my life "never once did I ever walk alone; never once did He leave me on my own". HE IS FAITHFUL!

I am also so grateful for Joy (this was one of those "cheater" items on my list!) - joy because Christ has taken my sins upon Himself and borne the holy and just wrath of His Father, the judgement which should have fallen upon me; joy because our God is sovereign; joy because trials make me more like Christ; joy because I have a life to live for an eternal purpose; and joy because I will be with my King forever!

Isn't our God so good!?! How often I forget Him and His greatness, His abundant goodness to me in everyday life. And yet His mercies are new every morning! His grace is infinite! What a glorious thing it is to be a child of the one true God!

I am also so grateful that we were allowed to spend these days with Daniel. Here are a few (ahem...several!) photos from our time together.

WARNING:  There are several photos that include bits of the butchering process.  Proceed with caution at your own risk.

After church one day, I went out hunting with the guys.  I had this (super cute! - or maybe not?) full-body blaze-orange suit.  Don't I look exactly like an overgrown pumpkin!?!  :)  I can't believe I actually wore that thing, but it was awfully fun! :) 

The guys with Jeremiah's deer. 

Skinning... 

Best buddies.  :) (See Jeremiah's "bunny ears" behind Daniel.) 

Working on Rump Roasts. 

Lawbreakers! :)

They had tons of fun on the dirt bikes at Grandpa's. 

They shot bows on Thanksgiving morning. 

After they finished up shooting, they started building this incredible fort... 

Building the walls. 

And this is how it looked the next morning (it was c-o-l-d!!!) before we left.  Quite an impressive one-day project, wouldn't you say? 

On their last day of hunting, Jeremiah got a deer in the afternoon and Daniel shot his just moments before closing time.  God is so GOOD! 

After many long days and many more  long hours of perseverance and braving the cold, it was a great thing to see the Lord bless Daniel with his first deer.

Oh deer!

This was when I learned how to skin a deer.  (Don't tell anyone I said this, but it was really fun!)  :) 

Jeremiah making a snowball to throw at somebody.... 

....and that somebody got him back.  :)

It hit him right there!  :) 

We enjoyed our time with you, Daniel, and miss you very much.  May the Lord bless and keep you and your dear family.

Guys and Guns

We are SO enjoying having Daniel Renfro here for a visit!  The above photo was taken last Thursday when they were sighting in their guns for the upcoming hunting season.  Papa and Jeremiah got two does on opening day and we are praying that the Lord will also provide a deer for Daniel and Elijah.  More photos to come soon!

Holy One

I love this song!!!  You need to look it up and listen to it!  You don't get the passion or the emotions (and yes, emotions are OK when you are worshiping the Lord!) by simply reading it.  Close your eyes and just marvel at the abundant goodness of our Lord.  He is indeed enough.

Holy One
by Rush of Fools

Face to the ground, I'm not proud
Of all You must see when You look at me
I tremble at first, as You wash the dirt
The dirt from my feet and I see my need for Thee

You lift me up, Holy One, Holy One
When I but come, You're enough, You're enough
You fill me up with Your love, with Your love
To You I run, Holy One, Holy One

All other noise fades away
Like all of the fear when Your voice I hear
You're beckoning me to come and just be
A child at Your feet seeing my need for Thee
You lift me up, Holy One, Holy One
When I but come, You're enough, You're enough
You fill me up with Your love, with Your love
To You I run, Holy One, Holy One

You're enough to satisfy
When the world has left me only dry
Enough to save my life
When the world has left me here to die

You lift me up, Holy One, Holy One
When I but come, You're enough, You're enough

You lift me up, Holy One, Holy One
When I but come, You're enough, You're enough
You fill me up with Your love, with Your love
To You I run, Holy One, Holy One

Senior Photos {Happy November}

Hello everyone, and happy November!!!!!  Can you believe that this year is almost gone!?!  Life goes by so quickly...there is so much more that I should have done, less that I should have said, and I won't ever have those moments back.  A sobering thought, don't you think? 

So far, we have a lovely day here in MN to begin our new month (the only November 1, 2012 that there will ever be!)  :).  I hope that yours is just as glorious.

I have decided to share some of the senior photos that Mama took of me a couple of months ago and (hopefully!) get some feedback - which is your favorite and why; what might we improve on; what aspects of a specific photo do you like or not like etc.  I love hearing from y'all!  :)

Have a beautiful and blessed day, full of joy in Christ.  Don't live for today alone, live for eternity and honor Christ in the way you live your life today.  I'm making that my goal today, and I hope that you will join me.