Saturday, April 3, 2010

"For I am His and He is mine, bought with the precious blood of Christ."

First of all, Easter break is going much better than spring break did...even if it isn't much of a break with all this homework I have to do. Oh well--such is college life! At least the lack of classes still applies.

So. Things have been a little crazy lately in pretty much every area of my life, but I'm surviving, and I think I'm getting myself back on track. It's funny (only not) how easy it is for me to lose my focus, especially when it comes to God. That's never a good thing--as if my life needs to be anymore weird and complicated than it already is to begin with!

Last weekend was a lot of fun (which was much-needed!), albeit completely random and spontaneous. Basically, Kristi and I decided we would go hiking at Chilhowee since we've been dying to go and the weather was gorgeous. Instead, we randomly ended up driving down all these back roads, when all of a sudden...

Kristi: "Umm...we're definitely 20 minutes away from my house."

We ended up in Knoxville. Awesome. We decided to go to her house for dinner, then went to watch the sunset (our "hike" of the day...if walking up a paved 0.4-mile path counts as hiking). After we finally made our way back to Cleveland (7 hours later), we worked on our presentation for Sociology, then met up with Mike at midnight (which, if you put it that way, sounds kinda sketch, now that I think about it). We proceeded to get back in the car, with Mike in the driver's seat. Every time we came to a turn, Kristi and I took turns deciding whether to go left or right. This turned into a 3-hour adventure on more random back roads that landed us in Athens, TN. It was so much fun though. They are two of my favorite people on the planet, and the perfect ones to have that sort of adventure with.

Oh! Random discovery. My brother told me about this earlier, and it is seriously one of the most amazing things ever.


Is that incredible or what?!? I can't even comprehend having enough patience to do that. Just thinking about attempting it stresses me out.

Anyway. Since tomorrow is Easter, I thought it might be especially appropriate (and perhaps especially cliché, but in this case, I really don't care) to share a song that has coincidentally been on my mind a lot lately. I was only going to post one verse of it, but then I realized that the whole thing is way too applicable to my life. It has been stuck in my head all day long, and really--it's incredible.

In Christ Alone
"In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My comforter, my all in all
Here in the love of Christ I stand

In Christ alone, who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save
‘Til on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ

No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life’s first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
‘til He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand."

Ahhh. So good. Really, what else can be said?