More musical stylings of Sid Weakly, future rockstar.
Random Thoughts Thursday
The spirit of Michael Jackson lives on in my 5 year-old nephew, Sidney, future rockstar!
Inspirational Sunday
You're the only one that knows me.
Love it when you hold me.
I'll never find a love like this.
Now I'll never be lonely.
Look at what you've shown me.
I'll never find a love like this.
Natasha Bedingfield
Rae's Thought: This week's quote comes from one of my favorite songs, Love Like This, by Natasha Bedingfield. Although it's actually a secular song, I think it describes perfectly the love God has for His children.
You're the only that knows me. In John 10:14, Jesus describes himself as the good shepherd who knows his sheep. Second Timothy 2:19 tells us 'The Lord knows those who are his.' Now, you may say, "Sure God knows me, but is He really the only one that knows me? I mean, my family/friends/significant other knows me too." They may know you, but God knows you. He knows you down to the very fiber of your being. He knows every cell, every DNA strand, every hair on your head. Psalm 139:15 (Msg) says, "You know me inside and out. You know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, how I was sculpted from nothing into something." God knows you even better than you know yourself! He knows how you think, what you're gonna do years from now...God knows EVERYTHING about you. He even knew you before you even existed.
Love it when you hold me. So, you may wonder how on earth can the Lord hold you? Psalm 73:23 tells us that He holds us by our right hand, meaning He guides us. But He does so much more than that. Isaiah 66:13 says, "As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you." When God comforts His children, it is equivalent to Him taking us in His arms and holding us. There's just something about being able to rest in God's arms.
Now I'll never be lonely. Once you join the family of God, He's with you forever. He promises, in Joshua 1:5, that He'll never leave us of forsake us (forsake: to leave someone who needs or counts on you). That means He'll be a constant in your life. Friends and family may leave you, but not God. He's there through good times and bad. Feeling lonely? Well, have you asked God to fill that loneliness with His presence? Try it and watch Him do just that.
Look at what you've shown me. Taste and see that the Lord is good (Psalm 34:8). Being children of God opens our eyes to things that nonbelievers don't get to see (unless, of course, God gives them a glimpse). We look at the world differently, seeing it through God-inspired glasses. And when we look - I mean, really look - we notice how the Lord truly is good.
I'll never find a love like this. As much as your family, friends, spouse, or significant other may love you, their love can't touch the love of God. In her book, Praying God's Word Day By Day, Beth Moore states "The child of God who trusts God's love possesses security in salvation. We can know the Father will not reject us." I believe if people really knew and understand how much God loved them - if they truly experienced His love - we'd have a lot more people experiencing true freedom. He delights in His children. Out of all His creations, we're His most cherished. God is so in love with us, y'all! He longs for us to be in relationship with Him. 'How priceless is your unfailing love!' (Psalm 36:7) Unfailing, meaning He will always love us, no matter what. We may disappoint God with our actions, but we can never make Him stop loving us. Absolutely NOTHING can separate us from His love (Romans 8:38-39). You know what's awesome? He knows you - the real you - and He still loves you. He loved you enough to sacrifice His only Son so that you may have eternal life. He knew you'd sin and hurt Him - knowingly and unknowingly - yet He chose to love you anyway. I agree with Natasha Bedingfield: we will never find a love like this!
Fitness Friday
So, I've decided instead of checking my progress every week during my 50/50 Challenge, I'm gonna check once every 5 weeks.
This is the end of week 5. I should've lost 5lbs...but, I didn't. I lost 3lbs, though, so I'm not complaining. I also lost a total of 4 inches, including 1.5 in in my waist!
Hopefully, the next 5 weeks, will be even more successful.
Random Thoughts Thursday
This past weekend, I went to Chicago to celebrate my 33rd birthday (which was this past Monday). I had an AWESOME time! For those who don't know, Chicago is my hometown - lived there the first 8 years of my life. When we go back to visit, we usually don't get a chance to visit and enjoy downtown. This weekend, my sister and I were able to do just that, as well as relax and not think about issues or problems we may have faced at home.
First of all, our friend and her hubby live in one of the downtown high-rise condos. The view was SPECTACULAR!
So, Friday night, we went out to a restaurant called Roy’s Hawaiian Fusion Cuisine. Since we were celebrating my bday, the menus at our table had this:
Cool, huh? I definitely felt special. I ordered one of the Prix Fixe meals: appetizer was Thai Spiced Shumai Meatballs on a sugar cane stick; entree was the Pulehu Sirloin, Potato Croquette, and Cauliflower Gouda Gratin; and dessert was Roy’s Melting Hot Chocolate Souffle. The meatballs weren’t really appetizing to me, but the entree and dessert were mouthwatering, delicious, tasty, & whatever other good adjective you can think of. My meal is the one pictured in front of the woman with the red dress (me).
Here’s another pic of the first night.
Our Saturday schedule looked like this:
- wake up at 8:30
- eat breakfast (pancakes, bacon, pineapple chunks, orange juice)
- walk to the Navy Pier
- go to yoga class
- get a 30 minute massage (heavenly!)
- manicure/pedicure
- spend hours walking downtown, enjoying the sights
- go home and rest
- go out to eat dinner
Sunday, we went to church, ate White Castle (a MUST when we go to Chicago), then went to the airport.
So, yeah, I enjoyed my time in Chicago!
More Chi Town pics:
10 Things I learned in Chicago:
10. Airplane seats are NOT made with curvy chicks in mind. If you happen to have hips, sitting on the airplane can be quite uncomfortable.
9. Roy's Melted Chocolate Souffle at Roy's Hawaiian Fusion Cuisine is the best chocolate cake EVER! The cake was flourless and the melt-in-your-mouth kind. OMG, I've gotta find that cake! Sadly, the closest Roy's to Houston is in Austin or close to Dallas. Might have to make the trip!
8. The sounds of downtown Chicago are oddly calming. We went to sleep every night with the patio door opened (she lived on the 53rd/54th floors) listening to those sounds.
7. Despite the cool weather, you may still see women wearing short skirts or shorts.
6. Although my sister and I look almost exactly alike, people still have to ask if we're sisters. Sometimes, I was tempted to sarcastically say, "Nope. I've never seen this chick before."
5. If you're gonna spend hours walking downtown enjoying the scene, do NOT wear flip flops. Gym shoes (tennis shoes) are more sensible. Our enjoyment of the scenes was cut short (although we spent hours walking) because my sis and I had flip flops on.
4. If you plan to have a nice leisurely lunch outside to enjoy the beautiful weather, make sure you have something to keep your food from flying away. They don't call it the Windy City for nothing!
3. I want to live in a high-rise apartment downtown 2 miles from the lake. Seriously...or at least someplace with a view of a lake or ocean.
2. Plan to buy more than one bag of Garrett's Caramel Popcorn (or the Chicago mix of cheese & caramel popcorn): one for while your in Chicago and another for when you get home. I only bought on bag the day before we left, thinking it'll last me til I got back to Houston. It did not.
1. I MUST make it a point to get a massage at least once every 3 months. Massage+Calming Music=Pure Bliss!!!
