I was going through my photo albums and came upon all these pictures of flowers. We don't have any coming up yet, but looking at these pictures makes me feel like spring is actually here.

"See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you?" Matthew 5:28-30

Isn't it rather epic how much He loves us?

~Jasmine

Life means so much

Random thought here:

You know how people say that something's only worth as much as someone is willing to pay for it? Do you realize how valuable that makes you and me? The very highest price has been paid for our souls! I hope you are acutely aware of just how valuable your life is. 

~Jasmine

Doesn't knowing how much Jesus values you make you want to jump, and dance, and scream...

...and sing, and shout, and get really, really excited??

I'm not completely technologically handicapped!

You have no idea how excited I am about the changes I made to the blog layout. Finally- my big pictures can be seen as more than a thumbnail! For those of you who know things about technology, my breakthrough with my blog design may seem elementary, but this is a big deal to me. I shall endeavor to continue to tweak and improve my little blog, but for now, I am quite pleased. For the time being, if you would like to read an archived blog, simply scroll down to the bottom of the page. I'm pretty stoked people! Weekends are for technological breakthroughs!

~Jazzy

Sooooo excited for Heaven!

On Sunday night I fulfilled a life-long dream and saw my favorite singer of all time in concert. I have been listening to the music of Michael W. Smith since I was probably three. I grew up on it. My love of other bands has come and gone through the years, but I have always loved Smitty. Needless to say, I was just a teeny bit excited to finally see him in concert and cross yet another epic thing off my bucket list. You know what's totally exciting? Looking up to someone for years and then finding out they are actually as cool as you had hoped all along.

The first half of the concert was like walking down memory lane. As the audience sang along to all the oldies/goldies, I remembered dancing around to this music in my living room, driving around with my dad, the windows down, Michael W. Smith blaring from the speakers, and even the times when I've cried in my bedroom and God used this music to comfort me. I'm constantly amazed at the way that music stamps our lives and can instantly take us back to another place or time.

Now while the first half of the show was just lovely, it is the second half that I wish that I could relive and share with everyone. The sounds of worship music filled the auditorium as over 1,200 people closed their eyes, raised their hands, and lifted their voices to praise the Savior that we all love so dearly. I could have stayed in that place for several hours, just listening. As I sat there, basking in the sounds of my brothers and sisters singing, I couldn't help being excited for Heaven. Can you even imagine? It'll be like Sunday night's experience- times a billion! Is there anything more beautiful than the family of God joining together to sing the praises of our Jesus? Oh my goodness! I can not wait for Heaven!!!

Wish you could have been there, dear reader. But most of all, I hope you will be there, when we finally make it to the other side. I for one, am super excited! Please tell me that you're on your way too!

~Jasmine

Summer, where are you?

I think it would be a fair statement to say I'm obsessed with thoughts of the ocean. It's spring break here, but instead of warm, fresh spring days, it feels like an invasion of winter's last forces. Cold winds have been whipping around the house all day, and it's taken several cups of cocoa, a very hot bath, and some hard core snuggling with my comforter to take the edge off the chill in the air. For the past hourish I have been trying to warm myself with thoughts of sunshine, beaches, and the sting of summer on my shoulders. I sit here in the kitchen with cold toes wishing I was digging them into the hot sands of a beach. Summer where are you??? Why do you tease me with hints of warm and then run away leaving me to shiver? *Sigh* I shall have to content myself with my Kenny Chesney music and my pictures from the beach... Is anyone else as antsy for summer as I am?

~Jazzy

Kinda wish I was back here again

Happy St. Paddy's!

In honor of St. Patrick's Day and my Irish heritage, here's the greenest picture I have.

~Jazzy

Chill Out and Puzzles

It's been two weeks since I finished school, and I must say- it feels rather strange. I guess after all that work, I sort of expected trumpets from the skies, or a parade or something. (Call me egotistical...) Anyway, I kind of had a tiny, baby breakdown after school finished. Freaking out at my dining room table, I silently wondered, "what now???" Yes, for all my goals of deeper trust in God, I am still freaking out when I shouldn't be. But over the past two weeks, I have been slowly adjusting to the idea that I don't always have to be running in a million different directions. And once again, I am reminded of the fact that I don't have to know the ultimate plan for the universe, or even the ultimate direction of my life. "Hi, my name is Jasmine. I am a control freak. But thankfully, Jesus is patiently weening me off my addiction." If I could sum up God's instruction to me these past two weeks in two words, it would be: Chill Out. Not overly divine sounding I know, but I really do feel that this is my task for now. Sometimes I feel as if my life is made up of a bunch of puzzle pieces... from different puzzles. And when I can't see immediately how they're all going to fit together, I start to panic. Frantically I start grabbing pieces and trying to force them to connect. It's so easy for me to run away with that thought. The other night though, I was able to take a breath in between my hyperventilating and hear the words of Jesus "Chill Out. I've got this under control, and it's really not necessary for you to know where the next piece goes. Aren't you happy my dear, I've given you a break from your crazy schedule. So enjoy it, and chill out." I didn't hear this audibly, but I'm pretty certain that was the gist of the message. 

If you, dear reader, have ever felt the panic that I do when surveying an uncertain future, or felt the anxiety and restlessness of a waiting period, then I hope you will be encouraged by my simple lesson to not scorn the times of rest. Take it a day at a time, and be thankful for the break. 

Just some late-night musings... I think I'm off to find a puzzle, and a glass of ice water...

~Jazzy