Yearning.

Hey Bloggies!
I totally was going to start this blog earlier! Uuggg!
ANYWAY, do you know what yesterday was?
Our anniversary :)
I have been blogging for 5 months and 1 day :)

Tonight we are going off of Psalms and skipping a few chapters into the book of Proverbs.

Proverbs 84:1-2 NIV
{v1} How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty!
{v2} My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.

Look up this Scripture in at least one different translation.
Have some quiet time with Jesus later whether for the first or zillionth time.
Think about how lovely heaven really is.
Learn the desire for the One true God.
Cry out to Jesus. please.... :)

How lovely is His dwelling place? Notice that in Scripture this isn't a question.
It is telling Him what He already knows. When you tell God He's awesome...He delights in it. Not that He is an insecure God, but He desires for you to desire Him. When I was little I used to get confused...Why do we pray if he knows everything anyway {?}, praying to God at the end of the day...is
time extremely well spent. It's the most important time really. You seriously feel relieved. Just like when you are just chomping at the bit to tell someone this very thing that happened today. The way that person made you feel. The way they talked to you. The things you accomplished, but then your best friend can't talk what are you to do? Pray. Simple as that. It really is simple. You just think to Him and he listens as if you had a microphone that went straight to heaven.
 Tell Him how you feel.
I always end up discussing prayer. I will never do the subject justice.

My soul yearns......
Yearning. {That would make a great book title, but a blog title will do.}
I believe that every soul is yearning......for satisfaction.
But, true satisfaction is only fulfilled with the living God. {Read it again, go ahead...}
He is not a fairytale. He is FOR REAL!
Here the author is longing for heaven.
Longing to feel His presence.
Yearning...for time to spend away from distractions.
From his Facebook and Cell Phone {Okay, so maybe that would be the case today, but do you get where im goin' with this?? :) }...

My heart and flesh cry out for the living God.

The flesh crys out...

Beautiful message. Gorgeous prayer.
I read it tonight and just HAD to share it with you.

I love you guys.
Thanks for coming to hang with me.
Love, Your Blogger,
Emilee <3

Task Accomplished.

Mambo {hi} my Bloggies :)
Habari?
{How are you?}

This afternoon I have been listening to music and accomplishing the task of my closet...and my bed is made. I am always in a better mood when I have made my bed :)
I knew you would be proud of me. O.k. so it really was super easy {with the help of Sanctus Real of course}, but that closet has been bugging me. I will give Mom the credit, though. She told me to :)

ANYWAY, I wanted to share with you some new and old songs I have been listening to this afternoon.

Oh...wait! I have something else to tell you! I am going to camp in...Let me see...12 days! Oh yeah!
The smell of camp {wet clothes}, carpet ball, the rolls, old camp friends, memory verses, and amazing skits. Enough said, my friend.
Can I tell you something that I also love about camp? No cell phones. No laptops. No iPods. Just
electricity and air conditioning.
So, that means I can't blog, but you know I will most likely write you notes from time to time while im there.
Also, it is my ''5th year anniversary'' with this particular camp {The Oaks Christian Camp}.
I have been going there since I was 8! It seems like so long ago.
Camp is amazing {period} and since you are probably getting bored with this conversation...I will move on...For now :)

Finally, music!

AnthemLights is a new Christian band I  ''discovered'' like...yesterday...I will share this Behind The Song and then play it for you. {Not literally, but they will :) }

Sanctus Real! So, today I realized I have been talking about Sanctus Real's Lead Me for a long time, but I have never shared it with you. Anyway, if you had forgotten to look it up on your own, here it is:

~Sanctus Real -Lead Me

~Hillsong United -Search My Heart

Another Sanctus Real song...In case you didn't get the memo :) - its called Forgiven.

I would like to point out my new gadget to your left and up a little. The Blogs I ''Follow''
Check them out!
To highlight a few:
Jenny B. Jones- a hilarious Christian fiction writer for teen girls.
Cloverton- the group I met back in March...they are from the Little Apple. I wrote a blog about it. Remember?
The Revolve Tour- Only one of the greatest ways to spend your weekend! It is an event for teen girls with speaking, concerts, and drama {like the acting kind ;) } They share devos and pics every once in awhile.
Living Proof Ministries: Beth Moore's blog :) Enough Said.
and...Pfizenmaier Tales, The Petersons at New Hope Uganda, Britt Nicole, and Mandisa's Blog.


I can't blog tonight, because I have it written on the calendar in my mind to practice for BibleQuiz.
Ok. I could stay and visit longer, but I need to go get ready and I have taken to much of your time :)
Oh, {one more thing! hehe. }and I forgot to tell you, Mom made us some sweet tea if you want to come over and have some!!

Love,
Emilee <3

Seeking, Recounting, and More :)

O dear Bloggies,
How I have missed your presence. You don't know how much better I am going to feel when I go to bed pretty soon, because I have blogged. 

Well, this evening {time} we will be dicussing Psalm 119:9-13.
Let us begin!

 Psalm 119:9-13

New International Version 1984

   ב Beth

 

 ⁹ ''How can a young man keep his way pure?....''

   Let me stop right there. When you are at church...or in a Christian group and someone would ask you this what would you say? You would say by reading the Bible most likely, right? Or this answer:
   ''...By living according to your word.''

It is the true answer, but do we listen to our own answers? To our own suggestions?

To our words? It says by living according to Your word. By taking into consideration what His word means and living by the Word's example.

This is ANOTHER example of the ''boring'' Sunday School question turning into a brilliant way to live.

Here is what a study note in my Bible says on this verse.

We are drowning in a sea of impurity. Everywhere we look we find temptation that lead to impure lives. The psalmist asked a question that troubles us all: how do we stay pure in a filthy environment? We cannot do this on our own, but must have counsel and strength and wisdom? By reading God's Word and doing what it says.

¹⁰ I seek you with all my heart;
   do not let me stray from your commands.

That word seek again!

This verse resembles Verse 8 in alot of ways, remember?

It said I will obey your decrees;

do not utterly forsake me.

To give you more perspective on this verse lets read the definition for the word seek and for the word heart.

Seek...To:

• search for something
• strive for something
• ask for something
• head for something
• attempt something

with all your heart 

1. completely 

2. sincerely

Do you strive for a sincere relationship with God with all that you are?

Ask yourself and ask God to never let you ''slack'' in your relationship with Him again.

¹¹ I have hidden your word in my heart
   that I might not sin against you.

This is a verse that you most likely have heard before, but you wouldn't have known the verse  before it.

Well, this is a popular verse, but more than that...it is a precious verse. It is the Word of the living God!

Hello! :)

Read it again--go ahead.

Hide His Word, meditate on these things that glorify Him.

¹² Praise be to you, O LORD;
   teach me your decrees.

Declare His name, Praise Him. Learn about Him.

 {Love ya Jesus!!}
¹³ With my lips I recount
   all the laws that come from your mouth.

In verse 13 I think of it as my ''memorizing'' verse. Especially since as of this last week I have memorized Hebrew Chapter 1 through 6...and I am now in the middle of chapter 7. With my lips I recount {Sort of like counting blessing :) } all the laws that some from Your mouth.

Everything that comes out of the Lord's mouth is sacred and the fact that we get to say, retell, recount, and share His words  is nothing short of magnificent. Even if we are grumpy about it sometimes.

                                                          ~ <3 ~ <3 ~

Ty Bloggies!

I appreciate the time you take to spend with me.

In His Abounding Love and Awesomeness,

Emilee <3

P.S. Also, Ty {Thank-you} for helping me reach over 1,000 pageviews! It blows my mind! I remember when it was at like 300...and that wasn't very long ago :) Thank you followers :) You are just so precious to me.

The Fourth.

Hey my PT's!
How did your fourth go?
As I type to you I am still hearing fireworks here in town.
I figure I probably won't be able to go to bed if I did now anyway...
So im blogging, but sadly im not blogging about Psalm 119.
Has anyone read the whole chapter? Guess what! Me neither.
I have read what we will blog about soon, but I don't have any idea what is next!
This morning we went to spend time with friends from church to hang out and cook Luper.
{Late Lunch, Early Supper}

Since it is Independence Day I thought I would share one of the most gorgeous signatures I have EVER seen...


John Hancock.
Is anyone else in love with their handwriting, but me?
Love it!

Hey, well, the Walton's are calling my name. So, celebrate this last hour of July 4th with me...By sleeping...watching fireworks...or whatever it might be.
After that I will read up on our Psalm 119, ok? :)

Thanks for coming to Peculiar Treasure Ave.
Come back soon!
Love, Your Blogger,
Emilee

Seriously, You Were Expecting One Title For This Blog?

Hello my bloggies! I hope all of you are enjoying this summer! Can you believe over half of this year is over?

So, I gotta tell you something.
A few days ago I was flipping through my Bible to decide what I was going to start reading and most likely blog about. I came across Psalm 119 and decided that this was the right chapter, book, passage, etc.
I started making little notes in my Bible to bring to your attention when I actually did write about it. So, I knew obviously it would take me more than a day to blog my way through this chapter. Anyway, I had to wait until July 1st to start it so that they would all be together in the Archive :)

By the way, are any of you familiar with Psalm 119? If so great, but either way I encourage you to read each passage with me.

Lets start in!

Psalm 119^[a]

    א Aleph
 ¹ Blessed are they whose ways are blameless,
   who walk according to the law of the LORD.
² Blessed are they who keep his statutes
   and seek him with all their heart.
³ They do nothing wrong;
   they walk in his ways.
⁴ You have laid down precepts
   that are to be fully obeyed.
⁵ Oh, that my ways were steadfast
   in obeying your decrees!
⁶ Then I would not be put to shame
   when I consider all your commands.
⁷ I will praise you with an upright heart
   as I learn your righteous laws.
⁸ I will obey your decrees;
   do not utterly forsake me.

{All ''boldness'' made by me}

There is so very much to talk about in those 8 little verses I don't know how much I am going to accomplish :)

{v1} Blessed are those who are blameless. I looked up the definition of blameless and it is what it says. Blame-less. I love whenever that word is used; the same with with the word blessed.
As you will find out in Psalm 119 is that the Anonymous author {I {obviously} don't know if it is a he, but for now on a will say he is. :) } talks alot about the Law of the Lord. He talks about taking delight in the law.

Next paragraph taken from Emilee's Bible about v1. { } written by Miss Emilee.

This is both the longest psalm and the longest chapter in the Bible. {Wouldn't ya know this is the chapter I would choose to write about!! :) } It may have been written by Ezra after the temple was built (Ezra 6:14,15) as a repetition meditation on the beauty of God's Word and how it helps us stay pure and grow in faith. Psalm 119 has 22 carefully constructed sections, each corresponding to a different letter in the Hebrew alphabet and each verse beginning with the letter of its section. Almost every verse mentions God's Word. Such repetition waas common in the Hebrew culture. People did not have personal copies of the Scriptures to read as we do, so God's people memorized His Word and passed it along orally. {Aren't you glad we don't HAVE to do that now?} The structure of this psalm allowed for easy memorization. Remember, God's Word, the Bible, is the only sure guide for living a pure life.



{v2}
Now, I have said it before and will say it again my Rafiki {friend in Swahili}.
We can never keep all God's laws, statutes. BUT we truly do seek a blameless and sinless life.
If we seek to be in a ''my God'' relationship instead of a ''our God'' and ''her/his God'' and tell Him that...He will change us. We will find Him. He will ''make'' and stir a desire in us to delight in His Word and our time with Him.

This is our verses in The Message.
Psalm 119:1-8
    You're blessed when you stay on course, walking steadily on the road revealed by God.
   You're blessed when you follow his directions,
      doing your best to find him.
   That's right—you don't go off on your own;
      you walk straight along the road he set.
   You, God, prescribed the right way to live;
      now you expect us to live it.
   Oh, that my steps might be steady,
      keeping to the course you set;
   Then I'd never have any regrets
      in comparing my life with your counsel.
   I thank you for speaking straight from your heart;
      I learn the pattern of your righteous ways.
   I'm going to do what you tell me to do;
      don't ever walk off and leave me.
{v3} ''....They walk in His ways.''
Ya know, as Christians we will all be made fun of, tempted by others {if we haven't been already},
but they notice something different in you. Trust me, I don't believe this most of the time, but if they didn't notice you were different would they make fun of you?
They know you have something sacred, but they just don't know what.
I want to be labeled...if nothing else, a God-lover. A person who walks-the-walk in her relationship with the only Living God.

{v4} You have laid down precepts that are to be fully obeyed. I needed to type it again.

The definition of precept is:

pre·cept

[pree-sept] 

–noun

1.

a commandment or direction given as a rule of action or conduct.

2.

an injunction as to moral conduct; maxim.

3.

a procedural directive or rule, as for the performance of some technical operation.

 

 

A {commandment} direction given as a rule of action.

He has laid out the plan for your life, He has prescribed the way for you to live. He is willing to direct you. He has been down this road you are on.

You just have to stop and ask for directions. {and obey them!!!}

 

{v5&6}

Oh, that my steps might be steady,
      keeping to the course you set;
   Then I'd never have any regrets
      in comparing my life with your counsel.

 

In keeping His direction, our steps might be steady...at ease.

Keeping the course and plan the Lord had laid out for you.

 

⁶ Then I would not be put to shame
   when I consider all your commands.

When you consider ALL His commands you do feel sorta lousy. Maybe you feel embarrassed when you read a Scripture or you feel that the Pastor is talking to you as if your the only one in the room. You might feel like you are not worthy, because you are not capable of all this ''churchy'' stuff.

 If you follow Him. If you seek Him and follow His plan, you don't have to fear not obeying His commands.

That, by all means, doesn't give you permission to read your Bible at night and in the morning forget about what you talked to God about {or vice versa the day and night}.

It means, you walk with God as He shows you how He wants you to act.

{v7}

         {The Message}

I thank you for speaking straight from your heart;
      I learn the pattern of your righteous ways.

          {NIV}

⁷ I will praise you with an upright heart
   as I learn your righteous laws.

I thank, I praise.

Straight, upright.

Ways, laws.

{Breaking down this verse in Emilee's ''way''}

I praise you with the right attitude. A tender and open heart.

Father, I thank for speaking straight from your heart. Help me to have a heart more and more like yours as I learn the pattern of your righteous ways.

{v8}

{NIV}

⁸ I will obey your decrees;
   do not utterly forsake me

 {The Message}
 I'm going to do what you tell me to do;
      don't ever walk off and leave me.

I will; just DO NOT leave me!!

Sounds like most of us Christians, doesn't it?

God, listen...I love you. I do. I want to live for you, but I CAN NOT do this. You have to help me. As if  you didn't already know that.

Do you ever feel scared when you say ''I will God'', because then if you don't...you have to realize you are no better than Peter? Don't be afraid. God, already knows you aren't better than him :)

Its true, but when you say it...when you surrender...AGAIN {!} mean it with all that you are, because God knows when you are lying anyway.

So, I believe this is an appropiate surrender prayer ya know? Confessing that aren't all that...That we are a little peculiar.....and telling God that we will do whatever He wants us to do. With is His help of course.

Thanks for your time.

I hope ya took somethin' from this :)

Below, or on Facebook, comment and tell some of your favorite points and verses from this blog.

Your Blogger,