White As Snow

The Lord was so amazing this morning! I had a couple of "ah ha!" moments.

"ah ha!" moment #1: We ended worship today by singing "Jesus Paid It All." If you recall, there is a place in the lyrics that says "My sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow." What an AMAZING word picture when just last night the sky dumped 9 inches of snow on us! I couldn't help but take a picture of the whiteness of the snow this afternoon.


While I was taking the picture all I could do was think of my sin leaving a crimson stain in the purity of that white. Thank you, Jesus, for washing away the stain of my sin!

"ah ha!" moment #2: So, my church has been praying for revival during the month of March and our pastor has been teaching the congregation of the importance of praying and fasting. Today he told us a story about monkeys that was just like the raccoons in "Where the Red Fern Grows." (PS...LOVE THAT BOOK!) I'll tell you the story that I remember reading.

In "Where the Red Fern Grows" the little boy is trying to catch a raccoon so he can have a pelt to train his dogs to hunt. He learns how to catch his first raccoon without a dog from his grandfather. Apparently raccoons love shiny things. So, the boy made a trap out of a log. At the bottom of the log he put a little something shiny to attract the raccoon. Then he made a hole at the top large enough for the raccoon to get his hand through to grab the something-shiny. BUT when the raccoon stuck his hand in, grabbed his shiny treat and began to pull his hand out, he was stuck! The opening of the trap wasn't big enough for the raccoon's fist to go through (and now his hand was in a fist b/c he was grasping his something-shiny). The point is this -- the raccoon could get out of the trap and be free. All he had to do was LET GO.

Goodness, this is something I have struggled with the last few months -- letting go of the one thing I wanted so that God could be in control and I could live in freedom. It made me remember the lyrics of a song ("Let Go" by Lindsay McCaul) that has touched my heart these last few months.

I want to let go
I’m weary and bound
I’m giving it up
I’m laying it down
Take it away
Out of my hands
Out of my reach
Safe in Your plans

Cuz I need to know
That You can hear me
Fill me with Your peace
And cover me gently
Like only You can

So take me, hold me
Break me and mold me
Take me, hold me
Break me and mold me
I want to let go

Cradle my hands
Knuckles so white
Open them up
And say its alright
Show me a plan
Call it Your own
Make it a journey
leading me home

Cuz I need to know
That You can hear me
Fill me with Your peace
And cover me gently
Like only You can

So take me, hold me
Break me and mold me
Take me, hold me
Break me and mold me
I want to let go

Anyway, God is SO good. I'm learning to let go of my life and let Him mold me into the masterpiece He intended me to be. It's amazing how God uses random stories about monkeys and raccoons to remind you of a lesson He's been teaching!

Lauren