Hey everyone! I've not posted the small things that happened during this year, as in concerts, birthdays and so on. Just the important stuff!:)
January
9th, I opened orientation for our orchestra. I played Beethoven's Romance.
16, I started courting Samuel Taylor, Abigail's big brother. :) It's hard to believe it's almost been a year!:)
24th David (my nephew)'s baby shower
February
1st time giving a valentines card to a guy! It took forever to find a card!!!;)
My Dad and I started our wedding website
March
12th, Katie and Justin tied the knot 14th, my nephew David M. Garner was born
April
6th, Duke NCAA camps
May
NEXT conference in Baltimore, Maryland
violin competition
Helped sell hot dogs and drinks for the Inez volunteer fire department
June
assisted the Duke's music camp
July
assisted Duke's music camp
August
Abby's bridal shower
Abigail's recital
photographing my 1st wedding September
family Beach trip
photography trip with my Dad to Wilmington for Crystal's bridal pictures.
October
Got a job teaching violin
Photographing Abby's and JohnPaul's wedding
Taking Meredith's bridal pictures
November
Thanksgiving
December
photographing Meredith's wedding
a couples engagment picgtures in the snow
Getty's concert
Tomorrow to start the new year, we will be photographing a wedding, 1-1-11
Total books read this year -60, but I forgot to write down a few ;( Favorite Subject of this year- anything to do about the Amish lifestyle Most books read in one month - 13
My 15 favorite books from 2010
(All titles are linked)
Since reading the book Worship Matters by Bob Kauflin, I've struggled with the above question. I have a habit of listening to music, that's not bad, but is fluff. Kinda like reading a fluff book, you don't get a lot or anything out of it. A couple months ago, I decided to only listen to *strong Christian* and classical music. I only lasted a couple weeks until I fell back into listening to secular music. Now, the secular music I was listening too, was not the best music, but it did not involve, language and so on. It was just fluff music. ;)
*I said strong Christian music, cause there are lots of bands out there that say their Christian, but there music does not really have anything to do about God. A little like Britt Nicole's song Headphones.(Video.)I did not see anything bad about the song, but it's not like one of Chris Tomlin's songs. There is something so powerful with all of Chris Tomlin's music, that other bands lack. Kinda, like Pure NRG, they are Christians but how does dancing on stage singing footloose glorify God? God gives us talent so that we can give back by glorifying Him.*
I think what you listen too and sing, really matters! You might not think it bothers you and it's just music it won't influence me. But you are wrong. Everything you read, listen too, and watch will influence you, it's just a matter of time before you notice. If you even notice at all.
"Every time we open out mouths, we're leading others. Not just when we're in front of people, but all the time. We're counseling them. Communicating what's important and what's not. Letting others know whose words matter more - ours or God's. God wants our speech to be sound, gracious, truthful and edifying, no matter where we are or whom we're with." ~Worship Matters
From reading the above, I would say going around singing, songs like "Whiskey Lullaby" or "I told you so" aren't going to be showing to others I love God and He is my king! Do we want God's words flowing from our lips or the world's?~Worship Matters
" Too often we can be tempted to choose songs because of the music rather than the theological content. We need to realize that when words are combined with music we can be deceived. Music can make shallow lyrics sounds deep. A great rhythm section can make drivel sound profound and make you want to sing it again." ~ Worship Matters
"It's a source of profound encouragement to realize God gave us music to deepen and develop our relationship with him. The Father sings, the Son sings, and the Spirit sings. How can we keep from singing?"
I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. - Psalm 34:1
My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises ... Psalm 57:7.
I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to You among the nations ... Psalm 57:9.
O my strength, I will sing praises to You; for God is my stronghold, the God who shows me lovingkindness ... Psalm 59:17
So I will sing praise to Your name forever, that I may pay my vows day by day ... Psalm 61:8.
Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips will praise You ... Psalm 63:3.
My soul is satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth offers praises with joyful lips ... Psalm 63:5
Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth, sing praises to the Lord, Selah ... Psalm 68:32.
. I will also praise You with a harp, even Your truth, O my God; to You I will sing praises with the lyre, O Holy One of Israel. My lips will shout for joy when I sing praises to You; and my soul, which You have redeemed ... Psalm 71:22-23.
So what do you think?What are your views on/about secular music?
*In saying it's wrong I'm not saying it's a sin. Unless you are cursing or are singing songs that say sin (immoral things there is no God. so on.) are OK. It's just saying fluff Christian music it's not really God honoring.*
5. Issue you are working on learning how to defend to a non-Christian.
a) Like Abigail, I'm trying to memorize more scripture.
6. Top thing you are looking forward to.
a) Spending the weekend with the Taylor Family!!!!:)
7. Latest accomplishment.
a) Finally Church music is going well and I have found out what songs we can sing and what we can't sing;)
8. Next accomplishment you hope to ...accomplish! :)
a) get back to spending two hours on violin.
9. Tell me what you think of this tag.
a) It made me think of Abigail and what she will do to me when I come over ;)
10. Tag 6 other people: Benny, Lily, Abby K., Coy, Oliver, and Morgan.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
So I feel like it's been a long time since I posted something other then a video or a short post!
I have been really busy the last month!
Here is a update on what's been going on.
1. It turned out that Grandmother did break a bone in her back when she fell at the end on May. We have had a really rough two months with her, but thankfully she is getting back to normal. She is still unstable and we have to be with her whenever she moves. We have started Physical Therapy and that seems to be helping her. She has started wetting the bed every night. So she needs a sponge bath every morning. (We are not able to get her in and out of the tub.) I have gotten that I can get her out of bed, bathed and dressed in 10min.(unless she is having a bad day, then getting her dressed may take more time.) It use to be really hard in the morning having to wake up and help her. But after thinking about it, I decided that it's good training for when I get married and have a baby. That Baby will wake me up in the morning wanting food and will probably be wet. It's defiantly really hard sometimes taking care of her, but I am thankful God has me and my family taking care of her! I have learned so many helpful things from her and am thankful for the time with her.
2. Since we started school late because me the planing for my brother's wedding in September and then having to take some time off to help Grandmother, I am still finishing this years school. I am planing on doing school all through the summer. I am still praying and thinking about whether to start college in the fall. I am really interested in CNA, but I would also be interested in doing something with kids.(Early Childhood Education.) I also LOVE teaching violin and would love to have more students!!Why is it so hard to know what God's plan is?
Random things I've been up too:
Since my Mom has been working a lot, I have taken over a lot of the cooking. I'm really enjoying being in charge of the house when Mom's gone!:) I am also trying to plan my day better and get more stuff done. Next week I have a music camp. I get to be the teacher's slave for a week.;) We are trying to get the Word out about my Dad's photography wedding website. Spending lots of time on my Church's music. I am in charge of the music and picking the songs out and all that wonderful stuff!;) I'm trying to stay a month ahead so that I have plenty of time to think about the songs. I'm also trying to send the song lyrics out each week so the families can go over the songs together. This past Sunday we had a little kid who knew one of the songs we sang really well, so he yelled it out! It was super cute!!!!
Well I'm going to end this post and go talk to my best friend! =)
We have a family in our Church (Trinity Baptist Church.) that the husband and wife sing and write songs together! They write their songs from scripture passages and put them word-for-word, to music! Anyway, I LOVE their music and the idea that it's all scripture! It's so easy for me and my family to memorize something if it's too music. So, I'm hoping that listening to their music will help me memorize scripture better!:)
Here is thelink to their music and here is the linkto their blog.
Behold Him there the risen Lamb,
My perfect spotless righteousness,
The great unchangeable I AM,
The King of glory and of grace,
One in Himself I cannot die.
My soul is purchased by His blood,
My life is hid with Christ on high,
With Christ my Savior and my God!
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