Catching Up On....LIFE!!!

Wow!!! Where is the time going!!! Camp was week before last...really and truly I'm glad I went, had some fun. Yes, even though the dirty, lack of a clean dorm and drama :) But from the beginning, me going there was not for the fun. It was to take a step closer to God; to say work, my cellphone, and facebook weren't before God. And that might be the reason why I staid, but I'm glad I did! :) Because the services were all life changing! Thursday night was my life changing night and now...I think I'm 'Running With A Purpose'! There are so many things I could say about that one night, but there is so much. I don't know that I could cover it all... If I could have sat down by myself and wrote everything down that I thought...I would have written a whole book! That's just how awesome God is!!! :)

Then last week was camp-meeting. What an AWESOME camp-meeting we had in Natchez, MS! That is the fullest I've ever seen our church!!! Friday night I think they said we had to put out folding chairs to seat everyone. And not only were there many, many people there, God was there! He was so powerful in every service! Bro Larry Booker preached Wednesday night through Friday night and Bro Crawford Coon preached Thursday and Friday morning. They are both just awesome preachers! I loved hearing from them both! I also had like three of the services where it was life changing. Again, I couldn't begin to tell everything that went through my mind. I need to sit down and gather my thoughts about all of this!

Between the two, it was so awesome to experience the works of God. I don't think I have ever had that much time with God, and really and truly cherished, deeply every minute of it! And it didn't stop there! I've posted a blog about cell phone addiction a few days ago and I've been feeling like God wants leading me to not just cut down on my time using my cell phone. I felt it was I should take a break and fast from it. So...yesterday, I notified everyone not to text me, and post on facebook that I would be disconnected from it. And this morning at a little past 12 A.M. I told texting and facebook goodbye for two week...Saying goodbye to Coop and plugging up my phone last night was the hardest thing I've done since getting rid of the twillight saga! But I will make it by the Grace of God! Because Jesus is my Masterpassion!!! :)

So that brings us to today, not only the beginning of a 2 week fast, but I started today off by going to church...Now I have to tell the story that I almost didn't go! I feel asleep in the den last night with no alarm clock and by a miracle from God I JUMPED out of the chair not know where I was or what time it was at 7:30. The only thing that went through my mind was 'CHURCH!! I'M GOING TO BE LATE!!!' So I go get my phone from my room, see the time, and realized I felt horrible!! So I decide I should lay down for just a little while longer to see if I was going to feel better. And I must have been still half asleep, because I went back into the living room to the same chair with my phone, didn't set the alarm, went back to sleep and woke up 2 hours later at 9:29 and said the exact same thing!!! Except this time, it was true! I had 31 mins to not only get dressed but drive to church; which is a 20 min drive. So I said I wasn't going at first, but something kept saying you need to go...and so I went?? I was totally a mess but I went and about 10 mins late :)

And it turned out to be another great service! Bro Tim Hadden preached. I love to hear Him preach for one, but this message really woke me up...literally and figuratively! He talked about pushing yourself to worship even though you don't feel like it and having a relationship with God rather than just experiences with Him, because to know and have a lifetime experience with God is MUCH more important than every one time thing! This was really right on time for me after all these life changing experiences, because how horrible would it be to experience all this and not have a relationship with Him! It just wouldn't make sense?!?! It'd be just taking the gifts from God for granted.

All this ties together in some weird but powerful way! It's just amazing how God works! To how He has worked in my life! He's taken me from dark times (a few months ago) to restoration and learning and moves I've never experienced before!! And most of the moving has been in the past 2 weeks!!! I just hope you can understand the power and the greatness that I'm trying to explain! It's so awesome, I can't contain it all inside! :)

It Feels Like Fire!!!

One Sunday morning, the praise was hot, I felt a presence that I couldn’t describe

It wasn’t my emotions, It wasn’t my fears, but something strange started burning inside

I asked my neighbor what was happening to me Could it be that I’m going insane

She said relax and receive the gift And then she began to sing

It feels like FIRE ! Fire! Fire from the Holy ghost

It feels like FIRE ! Fire! Fire from the Holy ghost

It’s in my hands It’s in my feet

It’s in my tongue – ga It’s in my soul

I found it hard to stand still and listen, It was on me from my head to my feet

Love, peace and joy all bundled up inside Releasing so much energy

I’m talking ‘bout a spiritual high that makes you wanna’ float above the sky (- high)

I started dancin’, I started to sing in a language unknown to me

It’d make you holy (3X)

It makes you wanna’ dance , It makes you wanna’ shout, walk right, talk right, live right

Been baptized in Jesus name, spoke in tongues when the Holy ghost came,

I don’t want to be the same my friend, Lord, I wanna’ be filled within.

Fire, fire, fire----------------- fire

He Wants It All

Just a disclaimer before I start...Do Not Try This At Home!!! :)

I was driving home from church Sunday night. I was on a road not a lot of people go on. It was two lane-ed but a one way. No one was around and I started driving in the middle of the road. I tried to stay perfectly in the middle but I soon found, it is impossible!! While I was doing this, I was listening to He Wants It All Today by Forever Jones and I started thinking...If you use the road as a mental picture of life, with the left side being the world and the right God's side and you are the car going down the road. Where are you??? Are you riding with the world??? Are you riding with God??? Or are you trying to ride with both??? It's impossible to ride symmetrically equal on both side of the road. You are either more on one side or the other, but you can try really hard.


When your drive on a particular side of the rode, you have two lines of boundaries. One is a solid line and the other a broken. The broken meaning you can go through it but be precarious of the things on the other side. When driving across the middle, your stepping of that warning boundary. Your taking a risk of running into things on either side now. And now matter which way you go, it's your responsibility. Most of the time your moving from one side to the other when you cross that broken line. But there are some who just try to run right down the middle. And when your doing that, your falling into a dangerous place, because sooner or later there is going to be something on one side of the road or the other. When your driving on one side of the road of the other, it's like being wholeheartedly for that one side.
That's the way we should be, because as long as we are alert and going the right speed there is no way we can run into anything unless it's impossible to dodge whatever it is.

Now that we're wholeheartedly for one side, lets drive on the 'RIGHT' side! :)

The left lane is for fast life, you never know or enjoy anything as your going through. Your just trying to get to the end. And when you're going so fast, when you come up to something there is no way to stop in time before you run smack into it! In life if your running with the world, you don't see things as clear and you just act on impulse or even worse....not at all. You just run right into it, because it is too late. And even if you get lucky and don't get hit hard enough, the end of that side of the road doesn't lead to happy place...

But the right lane, you go at a constant speed that is slow enough to catch the view. Your able to be alert of everything around you. You can catch things you come upon in enough time to slow down or go around it. In life with God, He is there to help you. You can see much more clear and you are able to stop or slow down before you get yourself hurt. Sure there might be times things slip up and knock you down, but not nearly as many as it would if you were riding with the world. And most of all of the time your able to at least slow down to enough where it isn't as bad as it would be if you were in the left lane. Then once you finally get to the end, your rewarded. Your driving on Streets of Gold! :)

And to tie everything together...being wholehearted for God is the best way to go! :) You're headed in the right direction, you're alert and can see clearer, and you are able to slow down, stop, or go around whatever the circumstances are. You have a much better chance of being happy through life. This is where the song comes in. It talks about people who are looking for someone to just love them. And the world my seem like it loves you, but when it all boils down to it...it doesn't. But God, He is searching for someone who is desperate, who is willing to give it all. He wants you to give up everything you have in order to take care of you. And there is nothing to boil to find out that He loves you so much. All you have to do is read your Bible to find He died on a cross with your name in His mind.

And the good part about the road of life is that it is your choice. You have a choice to live for God or live for the world. You get to make the decision, but at anytime you can change your mind. And every mile down your road, every moment of your life God has His arms wide open waiting on you to drive on the 'RIGHT' side of the road. :)



He Wants It All
Forever Jones

There's a voice that cries out in the silence,
searching for heart that will love him,
longing for child that will give him their all,
give it all, he wants it all

And there's a God that walks over the earth,
he's searching for heart that is desperate,
And longing for child that will give him their all,
give it all, he wants it all

And he says, love me, love me with your whole heart
he wants it all today
serve me, serve me with your life now
he wants it all today
bow down, let go of your idols
he wants it all today (x3)
He wants it all

There's a God that walks over the earth,
he's searching for heart that is desperate,
longing for child that will give him their all,
give it all, he wants it all

And he says, love me, love me with your whole heart
he wants it all today
serve me, serve me with you life now
he wants it all today
bow down, let go of your idols
he wants it all today (x3)
He wants it

Oh oh oh, all of you, more of you
wants it all today oh oh oh (whole thing x3)
Today, today

he wants it all today, he wants is all today
so give it all

There's a voice that cries out in the silence,
searching for heart that will love him,

longing for child that will give him their all,
give it all

He wants it all

Cell phone addiction!!

Last week I went to a youth camp with some of my youth group. I haven't gone in the past two years, because I didn't like the fact we couldn't take cell phones. Yes, that is bad. I know. But I went this year...mostly under conviction for a different reason. That is a different story, but I gave up my phone for 4 days....In this time I realized that I am/was addicted to my cell phone....

Yes, I said it! :) But they always say, "admitting you have a problem is the first step to fixing it."

So I've been dealing with this for a few weeks now...I was worried about this before camp was even a week away. I have been preached to a few times, and I've been listening believe it or not :) I've been told 'talking to people is more important than texting' 'you need to talk and touch people' 'anything that is more important than God is an idol' and so many more. And they've all started to work on me. So I've decided to do something different. I'm keeping my mind off my phone by doing a host of different things. (reading my Bible, praying, reading books, writing, blogging, exercising, communicating with friends more, and just having a REAL social life!)

So here I am...starting today by blogging on "Cell Phone Addiction" in hope of stirring someone else up. Because from someone who does know, It is a bad habit, and it does take away from your communication skills. You may say things in a text that you would NEVER say in real life, but when you texted it, it reflects on you, on your life. But you feel comfort in that because you see the other person reaction and you never think about it. And when you hold constant conversation with someone saying, hey, what's up, nothing much you, nothing. There really isn't a point in saying all that and most all conversations don't even start like that in person. And it seems to me that ever time these things happen, it takes away from your ability to talk to someone in person.

All this is just my point of view. It's what I've been dealing with for a few weeks and now...I'm going to strive to do better! I hope someone else does the same! :)






And by the way, for those who are wondering, my phone is no where near my reach, it's on the couch I've got my back toward it while I'm on the computer! :)

No God, No Peace. Know God, Know Peace!

I've come obsessed with reading Reader's Digest. I was looking at these two jokes. They weren't really that funny to me as much as they were disturbing.

'A woman stopped by our customer-service desk and asked me for a copy of the book that has Jesus in it. After much back-and-forth, I determined that she wanted the Bible.' ~collegehumor.com

'When I asked my friend if she was planning to attend church, she just shook her head. "I haven't gone in a long time," she said. "Besides, it's too late for me. I've probably already broken all seven commandments.' ~Nandiara Hentges

Even if these are only jokes and maybe not really true, this isn't a laughing matter. This shows that there are people who don't know God. Think about it for a minute...How much different would your life be without God? I can't even imagine it. After 17 years, I don't know any better. But think of those who don't...

There is a song, Voice of a Savior, by Mandisa. It talks about how people really aren't that different. We're just trying to fill a void with anything that will fit, but really the only thing that fits is God. And we would give anything to hear the Voice of a Savior. If everyone is trying to fill this void, how much more should we, who know God, reach out and try to help those who don't know Him.

I'll Stand For You ~Cloud 9

Everyone must choose to follow someone
Even if they're going their own way
Everyone must choose to stand for something
Otherwise you'll fall for anything

So who you gonna stand for
When the going get tough
Who you gonna stand for
When the ride's too rough

'Cause I'll stand for You
I'll stand for You, God
I'll stand for You
I'll stand for You, God

I will choose to believe
You'll give me what I need
In everything I do
I'll stand for You

You never said it would be easy
But You said I would never be alone, No
When it's hard to do
What I believe is true
I don't have to face it on my own, No

So who you gonna stand for
When the going gets tough
Who you gonna stand for
When the ride's too rough

I'll stand for You
I'll stand for You, God
I'll stand for You
I'll stand for You, God

I will choose to believe
You'll give me what I need
In everything I do
I'll stand for You

I will listen to
And I will follow You
I will trust when I'm afraid
I will share my faith
I will praise Your name
I will give and I'll obey

Reader's Digest Quotes and Jokes

Quotes On Sleep: 'How blessed are some people, whose lives have no fears, no deads, to whom sleep is blessing that comes nightly, and brings nothing but sweet dreams.' Bram Stoker

'All the sleep I ever needed is five minutes more.' Wilson Mizner

'A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor's book.' Irish proverb

'You can hit my father over the head with a chair and he won't wake up, but my mother, all you have to do to my mother is cough somewhere in Siberia and she'll hear you.' J.D. Salinger

'There's a new type of alarm clock on the market. It makes no noise. It uses lights and gets brighter and brighter until you wake up. I already have one of those. It's called a window.' Jay Leno

Jokes: 'I quit my job at the helium gas factory. I refuse to be spoken to in that tone.'

'A helicopter loses power over a remote Scottish island and makes an emergency landing. Luckily, there's a cottage nearby, so the pilot knocks on the door. "Is there a mechanic in the area?" She thinks for a minute. "No, but we do have a McArdle and a McKay.' Stewart Franics

'My father was telling his young nephew about fighting in Vietnam. "Are you a hero?" Jose asked. "Nah," said Dad. "Did you ever shoot anyone?" "No. All I did was aim at 'em." Pause... "Who's Adam?" Margarita Bemis

'An applicant said she was a 'people person,' not a 'numbers person,' in her interview for an accounting position.'careerbuilder.com

After searching for a particular book on dinosaurs in the science section without luck, a customer looked for me for help. She showed me a piece of paper with the titile written on it: Thesaurus.' collegehumor.com

'I got talking to a couple at the supermarket and subsequently missed my bus. As I walked home, a car pulled up. Seeing it was my new friends, I jumped in and told them where I lived. "This was great-thank you," I said when we reached my house. "Do you have much farther to go?" "Not really, they replied. "We ere outside our door when you got in." Doreen Conner

'There was a typo on a test I was taking. Instead of "(D) none of the above," it said "(D) One of the above." So I circled it. mylifeisaverage.com

Amazing Facts!!!

I was randomly looking on the internet today and I found this page of just random interesting facts. I'm going to post the link at the end if you want to look at more. I just wanted to share the ones that were most interesting to me.

1. 101 Dalmatians and Peter Pan (Wendy) are the only two Disney cartoon features with both parents that are present and don't die throughout the movie.
2. A cat has 32 muscles in each ear.
3. A company in Taiwan makes dinnerware out of wheat, so you can eat your plate.
4. A dragonfly has a lifespan of 24 hours.
5. A giraffe can go without water longer than a camel can.
6. A hippo can open its mouth wide enough to fit a 4 foot tall child inside.
7. A hummingbird weighs less than a penny.
8. A monkey was once tried and convicted for smoking a cigarette in South Bend, Indiana.
9. A Saudi Arabian woman can get a divorce if her husband doesn't give her coffee.
10. A shark is the only fish that can blink with both eyes.
11. A sneeze travels out your mouth at over 100 m.p.h.
12. A toothpick is the object most often choked on by Americans!
13. According to a British law passed in 1845, attempting to commit suicide was a capital offense. Offenders could be hanged for trying.
14. All 50 states are listed across the top of the Lincoln Memorial on the back of the $5 bill.
15. All porcupines float in water.
16. An ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain.
17. Armadillos have four babies at a time and they are always all the same sex. Babe Ruth wore a cabbage leaf under is cap to keep him cool. He changed it every 2 innings.
18. Babies are born without knee caps. They don't appear until the child reaches 2-6 years of age.
19. Ben and Jerry's send the waste from making ice cream to local pig farmers to use as feed. Pigs love the stuff, except for one flavor: Mint Oreo.
20. Chewing gum while peeling onions will keep you from crying.
21. Columbia University is the second largest landowner in New York City, after the Catholic Church.
22. Dolphins sleep with one eye open.
23. Donald Duck comics were banned from Finland because he doesn't wear pants.
24. "Dreamt" is the only English word that ends in the letters "mt."
25. During your lifetime, you'll eat about 60,000 pounds of food, that's the weight of about 6 elephants.
26. Every person has a unique tongue print.
27. Every time Beethoven sat down to write music, he poured ice water over his head.
28. February 1865 is the only month in recorded history not to have a full moon.
29. Fortune cookies were actually invented in America, in 1918, by Charles Jung.
30. Goethe couldn't stand the sound of barking dogs and could only write if he had an apple rotting in the drawer of his desk.
31. Honeybees have hair on their eyes.
32. Human thigh bones are stronger than concrete.
33. "I am." is the shortest complete sentence in the English language.
34. If a statue in the park of a person on a horse has both front legs in the air, the person died in battle; if the horse has one front leg in the air, the person died as a result of wounds received in battle; if the horse has all four legs on the ground, the person died of natural causes.
35. If NASA sent birds into space they would soon die; they need gravity to swallow.
36. If you have three quarters, four dimes, and four pennies, you have $1.19. You also have the largest amount of money in coins without being able to make change for a dollar.
37. If you toss a penny 10,000 times, it will not be heads 5,000 times, but more like 4,950. The heads picture weighs more, so it ends up on the bottom.

This is a very short list compared to the 327! I stopped reading at 127. And I realized about half way through that it was in alphabet order?! But I'll probably read the rest later? Maybe post more of the most interesting on here. But if you want you can go check these out for yourself. Hope someone see this and gets as amazed as I did on some of these ! :D

http://www.tealdragon.net/humor/facts/facts.htm

PoemHunter.com!!!

I've had an account on Poem Hunter for EVER now!!! This is a website that you can publish your poems and anyone can look at them and tell you what they think of vote on them or whatever.

And I only have 10 poems on there right now, and some are pretty old and don't make sense now. I don't even remember why I wrote half of them? But I'm telling you about this website, because I have a goal of writing more poetry and publishing them on this site!

And just to let more know about this website and maybe you'd want to look at some of my upcoming projects?! Or you may want to even create one for yourself?? If you sign up, you can get poems sent to your email almost everyday for you to read! I love reading the poem of the day! Just don't get behind! It take forever to catch up!!! :D Ha ha! And I'll post the link to get to this web site also! :D Hope ya like it?!

If you want to find me on this web site just search for me by my name 'Shelby Smith' (not sure if that's on my profile or anything???)


http://www.poemhunter.com/