through the eyes of a nomad

If You Want Me To
By Ginny Owens

The pathway is broken
And the signs are unclear
And I don't know the reason why You brought me here
But just because You love me the way that You do
I'm gonna walk through the valley
If You want me to

Chorus:
Cause I'm not who I was
When I took my first step
And I'm clinging to the promise You're not through with me yet
so if all of these trials bring me closer to you
Then I will go through the fire
If You want me to

It may not be the way I would have chosen
When you lead me through a world that's not my home
But You never said it would be easy
You only said I'd never go alone

So when the whole world turns against me
And I'm all by myself
And I can't hear You answer my cries for help
I'll remember the suffering Your love put You through
And I will go through the darkness If You want me to

When I cross over Jordan, I'm gonna sing, gonna shout
Gonna look into your eyes and see you never let me down
So take me on the pathway that leads me home to you
And I will walk through the valley if you want me to

Yes, I will walk through the valley if you want me to

Hallelujah
By Bethany Dillon

Who can hold the stars
And my weary heart?
Who can see everything?

I've fallen so hard
Sometimes I feel so far
But not beyond your reach

I could climb a mountain
Swim the ocean
Or do anything
But it's when you hold me
That I start unfolding
And all I can say is

Hallelujah, hallelujah
Whatever's in front of me
Help me to sing hallelujah
Hallelujah, hallelujah
Whatever's in front of me
I'll choose to sing hallelujah

The same sun that
Rises over castles
And welcomes the day

Spills over buildings
Into the streets
Where orphans play

And only you can see the good
In broken things
You took my heart of stone
And you made it home
And set this prisoner free

Hallelujah, hallelujah
Whatever's in front of me
Help me to sing hallelujah
Hallelujah, hallelujah
Whatever's in front of me
I'll choose to sing hallelujah

I have a picture I want to share with you. It is of a family I met while I was visiting Lebanon (I want to go back so bad!). I think I may have blogged about them before...

A friend and I were walking down to the Mediterranean Sea when we saw this family having a picnic lunch by a rock. My friend asked if he could take their picture. They said yes, and then invited us to have tea with them. We refused a couple of times (as is true Arab culture I am told) and then agreed to sit with them for awhile. We had three cups of tea with them. We talked religion, politics and just life in general. After our third (or was it fourth?) cup of tea, the man (who is a taxi driver, but came to Beirut for a doctor appointment) invited us to his family's home in southern Lebanon. We had to catch a plane the following day, so we were forced to refuse. He told us that we were family, and welcome to their home anytime we were in Lebanon.

This family was the highlight of my trip. I still think about them often.

April 4 was my wonderful roommate, April's birthday. Eight of her close friends and I surprised her by taking her to The Melting Pot for dinner. It was amazing food! Expensive, but amazing. It is one of those places that you must go to at least once and do the 4-course meal. From now on, I'd just like to go there for cheese fondue and chocolate fondue! YUM!


My beautiful roommate April and I!


Lovely ladies: Mary Frances, Erin and Jules


Most of the ladies who joined April to celebrate this special day!


This was one of the chocolate fondues we ordered: half dark chocolate and half white chocolate. They they bring you strawberries, bananas, brownie bites, cheesecake, rice krispie treat bites, marshmellows, etc. for dipping!

Love you roomie! :)