What a great salvation...

An excellent word from a recent sermon at church. (<----- click here for a listen.)

God is the one that has rescued his people. He has lavished his kindness upon us. He is tender towards us, even in our sin. God has made you and me, all those in Christ, he has made us alive. This life that has flowed into our death is by God's grace, beginning to end. Those who are in him, whatever Christ has experienced, is also true of us, who are in Christ. We are no longer children of wrath, but are raised in Him. We are like signs or photographs that point to the riches of the grace that is in Christ, for all creation to see, not only now, but for future generations. God is at the center of this picture that makes sense of our lives. Why? Because of God's mercy, love, and grace. See the one who has acted to make you alive!! (Chad Lewis on -Eph 2:1-10-)

handstand.

this song.

Willie Fitz

for those of you that don't know, rosie thomas has a very endearing nickname for her pal denison witmer, "dennie wit." I decided to start calling William Fitzsimmons, "Willie Fitz." Call it copying or what you will, but I did it.

Enough small talk, let's cut right to the chase. Willie Fitz just put out a killer new album entitled, "Gold in the Shadow." I love the man and all he does, but what I mostly love about this album is the incredible use of the wurlitzer/rhodes keys sound through out. Nice touch WF.

This is my favorite track of the new album. Enjoy.

really? they know each other....

How did I not know? Two great voices under one roof, in the same song. Right here, right now. Excited?.... YES!

Raymond and Irene Kolmodin.

Sixty-six years ago two people decided to do life together. They are still going strong! Today marks my grandparents' 66th wedding anniversary. When I try to consider just how much they have done together, my mind just stops because... seriously, think about it. They met each other mid World War II. They have dear friends that endured the concentration camps. They witnessed the birth of Rock and Roll, the assassination of JFK, the Civil Rights movement, the landing on the moon, and so much more. My grandfather has come from a line of inventors and worked for CAT. My grandmother worked in a jewelery store and moved from England after marrying at the age of 19. She left her family, her friends, and all she knew to join my grandfather in a marriage which he described a few years back as "still fast and furious!" They are wonderful, loving people who have given me nothing but constant love and support. They have done an excellent job at unifying our family and keeping tradition and a sincere love for God at the forefront of every family gathering. I couldn't be more honored to know and to be loved by such great grandparents. I love you Nana and Grandpa, and couldn't be more grateful for the amazing picture of love between a man and a woman you have provided for me. Happy Anniversary!

sometimes i forget...

sometimes i forget how beautiful this song is...

oh what a night...

After a long, hard week... there isn't anywhere I would rather be than here...

pumped...

To cut a rug!

i need a photo opportunity...

this morning i was woken up a little too early, all because of this...



it was worth the 5am wake-up call from Hawaii.

Rip it up.

encouragement.

Be strong and let your heart take courage all you who wait for the Lord!

Psalm 31:24

the best.

If you find a man that is a mix of these four, send him my way.

A Hymn.

Jesus, I my cross have taken,

All to leave and follow thee;
Naked, poor, despised, forsaken,
Thou from hence my all shalt be;
Perish every fond ambition,
All I've sought, and hop'd and known;
Yet how rich is my condition,
God and heav'n are still my own.

Let the world despise and leave me,
They have left my Saviour too;
Human hearts and looks deceive me;
Thou art not, like man, untrue:
And, while thou shalt smile upon me,
God of wisdom, love and might,
Foes may hate, and friends may shun me;
Show thy face, and all is bright.

Go, then, earthly fame and treasure!
Come, disaster, scorn, and pain!
In thy service, pain is pleasure;
With thy favor, loss is gain.
I have called thee, "Abba Father;"
I have stayed my heart on thee:
Storms may howl, and clouds may gather,
All must work for good to me.

Man may trouble and distress me,
'Twill but drive me to thy breast;
Life with trails hard may press me,
Heaven will bring me sweeter rest.
O 'tis not in grief to harm me,
While thy love is left to me;
O 'twere not in joy to charm me,
Were that joy unmixed with thee.

Know, my soul, thy full salvation;
Rise o'er sin, and fear, and care;
Joy to find in every station
Something still to do or bear.
Think what Spirit dwells within thee;
What a Saviour died to win thee:
Child of heaven, shouldst thou repine?

Haste thee on from grace to glory,
Armed by faith, and winged by prayer;
Heaven's eternal day's before thee,
God's own had shall guide thee there.
Soon shall close thy earthly mission,
Swift shall pass thy pilgrim days,
Hope shall change to glad fruition,
Faith to sight, and prayer to praise.

Words by Henry F. Lyte

Give it up...

I gave up Facebook for Lent. You can reach me at lauradfiske@gmail.com.

My Jesus

Despised and rejected by men;
a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief...
we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.
But he was wounded for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his stripes we are healed.

All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned every one to his own way;
and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,
yet he opened not his mouth;
like a lamb that was led to slaughter,
and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,
so he opened not his mouth...

He was cut off out of the land of the living,
stricken for the transgression of my people...
There was no deceit in his mouth.
Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him;
he has put him to grief.

The prophet Isaiah
Chapter 53, Verses 3-10

A Prayer

Almighty God, in this hour of quiet I seek communion with Thee. From the fret and fever of the day's business, from the world's discordant noises, from the praise and blame of men, from the confused thoughts and vain imaginations of my own heart, I would now turn aside and seek the quietness of Thy presence. All day long have I toiled and striven; but now, in stillness of heart and in the clear light of Thine eternity, I would ponder the pattern my life has been weaving.

May there fall upon me now, O God, a great sense of Thy power and Thy glory, so that I may see all earthly things in their true measure.

Let me not be ignorant to this great thing, that one day is with Thee as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day.

Give me now such understanding of Thy perfect holiness as will make an end of all pride in my own attainment.

Grant unto me now such a vision of Thine uncreated beauty as will make me dissatisfied with all lesser beauties.

Though earth and man were gone,

And suns and universes cease to be,
And Thou wert left alone,
Every existence would exist in Thee.

I am content, O Father, to leave my life in Thy hands, believing that the very hairs on my head are numbered by Thee. I am content to give over my will to Thy control, believing that I can find in Thee a righteousness that I could never have won for myself. I am content to leave all my dear ones to Thy care, believing that Thy love for them is greater than my own. I am content to leave in Thy hands the causes of truth and of justice, and the coming of Thy Kingdom in the hearts of men, believing that my ardour for them is but a feeble shadow of Thy purpose.

To Thee, O God, be glory for ever. Amen.

Excerpt from "A Diary of Private Prayer."

Covers.

If you know me, you know I love a good cover. Here are a few recent favorites I have been loving...

I Will by The Beatles... Cover by Alison Krauss



Rave On by Buddy Holly... Cover by M. Ward



I Only Have Eyes For You by Dick Powell and Ruby Keeler... Cover by Martina Topley-Bird



Everytime by Britney Spears... Cover by Glen Hansard & Colm Maclomaire

I Rest Upon His Promise

Lord, I believe a rest remains
To all thy people known;
A rest where pure enjoyment reigns,
And thou art lov'd alone.

A rest, where all our soul's desire
Is fix'd on things above;
Where fear, and sin, and grief expire,
Cast out by perfect love.

Oh! that I now the rest might know,
Believe, and enter in;
Now, Saviour, now the pow'r bestow,
And let me cease from sin.

Remove this hardness from my heart,
This unbelief, remove;
To me the rest of faith impart -
The Sabbath of thy love.

I rest upon His promise, sure;
I come, I wait to prove
The cleansing of my heart from sin,
The fullness of His love.

Words by Charles Wesley

kindle my heart.

It has been awhile since I pulled out this movie, but I love it, and watched it tonight and can't stop singing this song.