Getting Settled

We moved into the new house about three weeks ago and are still trying to get settled in. We still have a little work to do but we are mostly settled! Yesterday we laid sod in the yard and this week we will finish landscaping the yard. Several people have asked to see updated pictures so I took a few and wanted to share them.

Give Me Your Eyes

Give Me Your Eyes by Brandon Heath

Looked down from a broken sky
Traced out by the city lights
My world from a mile high
Best seat in the house tonight
Touched down on the cold black tile
Hold on for the sudden stop
Breath in the familiar shock
Of confusion and chaos
Are those people going somewhere?
Why have I never cared?

Chorus:
Give me your eyes for just one second
Give me your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me your love for humanity
Give me your arms for the broken hearted
Wasnt it far beyond my reach?
Give me your heart for the once forgotten
Give me your eyes so I can see
again
again
yeah
yeah

Step out on a busy street
See a girl and our eyes meet
Does her best to smile at me
To hide whats underneath
Theres a man just to her right
Black suit and a bright red tie
Too ashamed to tell his wife
Hes out of work
Hes buying time
Are those people going somewhere?
Why have I never cared?

Chorus

I've Been there a million times
A couple of million eyes
Just moving past me by
I swear I never thought that I was wrong
Well I want a second glance
So give me a second chance
To see the way you see the people all alone

Chorus

*Ok, so this song seems to be on the radio EVERY time I get in the car, and the funny thing is, I'm always changing the station between the three Christian stations in town because I don't like hearing advertisements and talking. When I'm in the car I want music and when the song ends and talking begins, I'll change the station. So, when I started hearing this song I thought that it was just because some stations play new songs over and over. Then, I realized it's always on different stations but I'm still constantly hearing this song. That's when I began asking God, "Are you trying to tell me something here?"

At first, I thought very briefly about the words to the song and then kind of dismissed the idea that God was trying to speak to me. That was, until this weekend. This past weekend I had the opportunity to be around some people that are less fortunate than I am in several ways and I really got a small glimpse into their world. Most of the time I get way too busy with my own life and issues, that I don't realize there are others around me hurting, struggling, and feeling forgotten.

This weekend I was thinking about ways that I could help those people and that's when it hit me. That's what God was trying to get me to realize for several days now. I sing that song all the time because I really love it and I love the message behind it. But, I was failing to really grasp the message. I need to see others through the eyes of God, I need to see them the way He does! Too often, I don't even give others a second glance because I'm so caught up with my own life. Lord, open my eyes to those hurting around me so that I may be a help to them! Help me see them through your eyes, and not my own!

Unexpected Blessings

In the past two weeks, our pastor (David Rogers) and some of the other pastors at out church have had the opportunity to go up to the Atlanta area and meet with pastors from different churches to get ideas for when we move in to our new building. While in Atlanta, they visited Eagle's Landing First Baptist Church which is the church that Mark Hall (Casting Crowns) is the student pastor. During their visit, David was telling them about our church and what God is doing in and through the church. Through this visit, God blessed our church in a big way. Their church donated stage equipment for our sanctuary and game equipment for our youth/college game room. Our youth are SOOO excited about the donated equipment (nice air hockey table, pool table, and several other arcade games). All total, they donated several thousands of dollars worth of equipment and all we had to do was go pick it up. So, this past Monday, Labor Day, Michael and several guys from the church borrowed a semi truck and went to get it! When they got back in town Monday afternoon, it was amazing to see how many church members came out to help unload it! What a blessing this donation is and will be to our church! Praise the Lord!

We're Moving On Up

We are surely gonna love that tub!!
The kitchen isn't finished in this picture. We have a tiled backsplash up now! It looks so good.

The floors aren't that dirty now!!



We moved in the house this past weekend, although it's not 100% complete. There are still a few little things here and there that need to be done. We have to do some touch-up on the painting inside in a few places. We need to finish up the laundry room tile and trim, but other than that, the inside is DONE!! As far as the outside, we just have to landscape the yard. We are so excited to be in and I haven't stopped thanking God for this new house. We had several friends come out to help us move and then a friend and my mom and dad came the next day to help us clean the old house. We are so blessed with amazing friends and family that helped us this weekend and we are so thankful for them all!! God is good!

We do not have pictures yet of us moved in. I don't want to take any until it's all put in place. Right now we still have many boxes to unpack. Hopefully in the next 2-3 weeks we will have those pictures up. In the meantime, there are some updated pictures of the house from right before we moved in. Check them out: http://picasaweb.google.com/apb4jc/OurNewHouse