Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Mood Music

Have you ever heard the statement, "The music you listen to will decide what kind of mood you're in"? I read an article in a magazine last month that said just that. It caught my curiosity so I decided to do an experiment.

I have a lot of time when I'm just riding in my car; 20 minutes to school 3 times a week ( an then again headed home), 15 minutes to the church several times a week, any other time I do stuff during the week usually involves at least a 15 minute ride down the mountain.


So, I separated my Christian Artist CDs from my Secular Artists CDs. For one week straight, I listened to only the secular artists during drive time. Artists such as


FM Static
Plain White T's
Linkin Park
Jordin Sparks
Hello, Goodbye

I must say that I had a very depressing, emotional week! As I listened to these songs all these emotions would start popping up. My heart was heavy with hurts, I was irritable with my family, I hated school, and my life centered around my hurts.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So, the next week I listened to all Christian Artists. ( Too many to name them all, so I'll just mention a few that I listened to)

Casting Crowns

Brandon Heath

Newsboys

Fireflight

Jeff Johnson

Chris Tomlin

It was amazing how much of a change there was! I had such an encouraging week. My heart was light, I couldn't wait 'til my family got home in the evening, I looked forward to going to school, and God turned the hurts into JOY!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The secular songs were all about heartbreaks, relationships failing, hurt, depression, and so on. But during that second week God reminded me how much HE loves me. I don't need to rely on the things of this earth to make me happy. People will fail, hurts will come, life will not go how I planned it, and yes...that anatomy homework will still be waiting for me when I get home.....but God never fails! He is my Constant.

So the next time you go to pop in that CD or turn on that ipod, think about the message of the songs. Will they bring you down, or will they remind you of the love of God and give you a Christ centered day........

Friday, November 14, 2008

Last Chance

This is how my friends and I spend our Sunday afternoons. Five of us, all on one four-wheeler with a cart attached to the back :-) It was quite fun until we ran through some groundhog holes in the field....Elizabeth and I (who happened to be riding in the cart at the time) didn't think that was too funny. Ow!


We also managed to rake up a huge pile of leaves in the backyard. Can you find the brother in the leaf pile? :-)




The next day we woke up to find this. Over night our world had turned from a sunny fall day to a day that was filled with snow. We're all happy we took advantage of that last warm day before winter arrived.

Sunday, November 9, 2008

The Joy in My Life

These are the three little people who remind me daily of the joy in life. I've been through some weird times lately, and when I feel my world crashing around me these little creations always pick me back up......funny how God will use such tiny people, huh?



Cosette Elise


Elias Jacob


Noah Shaun
Thank You, God, for Your smallest of people!

Saturday, October 18, 2008

The Heart of the Issue


Anatomy is not an easy class....in more ways than one.


Reason One:

My advisor/instructor allowed me to skip the pre-requisites for the class since I'm trying to transfer next fall. I've had to work extra hard to be able to keep up with the rest of the class. Not an easy thing to do in anatomy.


Reason Two:

The first day of class I ended up sitting at a lab table with two other girls. They seemed nice, so we just made it habit to sit together. Not long after, when I found out they weren't really interested in the class, I was labeled the 'girl who doesn't party on the weekend and never uses the F word'.


Reason Three:

I talked to my professor, and we decided I could move tables....for the sake of my finding some people who cared about the class and would study with me. I never made it that far though....

One of the girls from my table confided to me several health concerns she has:

She has cancer...shes pregnant...she already lost one child in January...Shes worried the cancer may have spread to other parts of her body.

She asked me to start studying with her because she really wants to pass the class. How could I not? It was like God was opening the door of opportunity for me.

I was having a hard time focusing in class that day; trying to figure out how I'm going to pass the class if I don't move tables and find a serious study partner. My professor then handed me my exam paper from that day...I received my highest grade yet on that exam.


His Grace is Sufficient.......


A Spooky Scene

On a chilly fall day I look out my back door to see two specters wandering through my yard. What are they?





Two ghostly haunts, in search of their legs?





Or two young hobbits, looking for Gandalf's wagon

of fireworks?



No...its Cosette and Eli in Aunt Deka's Sweatshirts :-)

Friday, October 17, 2008

God is Good!

Have you ever done something that took a lot of your time and energy and wondered later if it mattered to anybody? A year from now will anybody even remember anything from this event that took over my life for months?

I had been wondering that for a while after July 2007, when I hosted the Secret Keeper Girl conference. I had been praying all that summer that the conference would make a difference in someones life....their life on earth, and their eternal life in Heaven.

Summer 2008 came and I hadn't really heard any testimonies from that night.....after a while, I became a little discouraged. Over 100 people at the conference and I hadn't heard one word about it.
Then recently, a lady approached me and asked:

"Are you Kristin Skidmore? The one who did the Secret Keeper conference?"
"Yes I am, why?"
" My daughter and I attended that conference, and I wanted to tell you how much we loved it. My daughter learned so much from it! Now when we go shopping she's always looking for Secret Keeper clothes. Every where we go she finds a reason to bring up what she learned that night. My husband and I are so glad you did the conference."

Thanks God....I needed that!

Then, a little while later, I found out that two of my former SKG students started a bible study with some of their friends. They're studying the same subjects that you will find in the SKG book. And, the friends that they started the group with are two girls that had wanted to attend my SKG summer camp, but for one reason or another were unable to! How cool is that?

Galatians 6:9
Let us not become weary in doing good,
for at the proper time we will reap
a harvest if we do not give up.

Friday, October 3, 2008

Ruin Me!


Ruin Me
--Jeff Johnson--
Woe to me I am unclean
A sinner found in Your presence
I see you seated on Your throne
Exalted, Your Glory surrounds You

Now the plans that I have made
Fail to compare when I see your glory
Ruin my life the plans I have made
Ruin desires for my own selfish gain
Destroy the idols that have taken Your place
'Till its You alone I live for, You alone I live for.

Holy Holy is the Lord Almighty
Holy is the Lord!
Holy Holy is the Lord Almighty
Holy is the Lord!
Be Ruined for Christ!