just some pictures

So, I had my camera with me on Sunday, so I decided to take some pictures...Here they are!

Amanda laughing at James, who is hiding under the blanket.

Here's me and Amanda, with James in the background.

James being....James....

the enemy

Don't we do this with our sin nature, sometimes?! "The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." (Matthew 26: 41). We give in to our sin nature, to temptation, which is then "fed" by our submission to it. The more we submit to it, the more it dominates in our lives. But if we submit to God and the "spiritual" nature, then God will dominate in our lives. We just have to make sure that we yield to the right nature.

"Yield Not to Temptation"
Horatio R. Palmer

Yield not to temptation, for yielding is sin;
Each victory will help you some other to win;
Fight manfully onward, dark passions subdue,
Look ever to Jesus, He’ll carry you through.

Shun evil companions, bad language disdain,
God’s Name hold in reverence, nor take it in vain;
Be thoughtful and earnest, kindhearted and true,
Look ever to Jesus, He’ll carry you through.

To him that o’ercometh, God giveth a crown;
Through faith we shall conquer, though often cast down;
He Who is our Savior our strength will renew;
Look ever to Jesus, He’ll carry you through.

Ask the Savior to help you,
Comfort, strengthen and keep you;
He is willing to aid you,
He will carry you through.

Psalm 81:13-16

"Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways!
I should soon have subdued their enemies, and turned my hand against their adversaries.
The haters of the LORD should have submitted themselves unto him: but their time should have endured for ever.
He should have fed them also with the finest of the wheat: and with honey out of the rock should I have satisfied thee."

If Israel had followed God, what blessings He would have given them! I wonder how often that happens in our lives...God would do so much for us if we follow Him and do what He wants us to do. We miss so many blessings and triumphs when we try to do things our own way. This is something that stuck out to me the other day as I was reading. It made me think.