Why Praise God?

     A friend once said that he doesn't need a 'god' who wants to be praised all the time. He said who would need a vain and selfish being, obsessed with glorifying himself.  So why praise God?  

     It is but natural for us to give praise or thanks for the things that satisfy us - our family, nature, beauty, a good deed and the like.   Praise is an overflow of happiness, contentment or joy.  It is something we cannot contain inside us.  We just have to let it out.  Such also is the reason why we praise God. 

      In his book Desiring God, John Piper said  "We praise what we enjoy because the delight is incomplete until it is expressed in praise. So if God loves us enough to make our joy full, He must not only give Himself; He must also win from us the praise of our hearts - not because He needs to shore up some weakness in Himself or compensate for some deficiency, but because He loves and seeks the fullness of our joy that can be found only in knowing and praising Him, the most magnificent of all beings."1

     God doesn't need us to praise Him for the sake of vanity.  We need Him to complete our joy. Have you ever felt a joy so deep that no circumstance can alter it? A joy that can be felt in our hearts and soul... a joy that penetrates our innermost being.... such is the joy that comes from God and He  is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him. 2.   He Himself causes us to rejoice. (Ezra 6:22)

     

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My 2nd to 4th week layouts for Project 52 - Gratitude

Week 2- This week, I thank the Lord for giving us time 

to spend with relatives who we did not see for a long time,

for bonding time with my brother (Desi andJoyce) and his family, 

for a chance to show our love to our dear friends from 

our Dgroup, for the joy we see in our kids' faces when they 

accomplish something new and when they conquered their fear 

as they rode the 'Surf Dance' and 'Jungle Splash'. 

I thank God for the week long prayer and fasting 

and for reminding us about stewardship - 

that everything we have is from Him and for Him.

 

Week 3 - Thank you Lord for our D12/Dgroup,
for homeschooling and for TMA

Week 4  - is week, I thank God for :
1. our dgroup being able to meet at the CCF center.
This is an answered prayer for us
2. a wonderful weather - love the cold breeze
even if all the eggs in the house got frozen 
3. ALL HIS leadership seminar. Learned valuable lessons on
stewardship, giving, and tithing.
Blessed with Pastor Robert Morris' testimony.
I praise God for CCF, our church, for giving us
no excuse not to grow and multiply
4. homeschooling. I always thank God for this
 - it's a gift He gave our family.

My first week layout HERE:


Credits:

1- Desiring God, 2003 ed., John Piper page 49
2.  Desiring God, 2003 ed., page 10

Layout Credits:
Week 2 WA by joyful expressions, designs by helly - the story of us, numbers by Sueli Colbert, template by Honeybees Creative HIve, stitches by ginger scraps

Week 4  Unforgettable by A Little Giggle Designs and template 824 by Andrea Gold 

Week 3 was created using Leaving a Legacy Designs Snips and Snails. It's a fun boys kit that has 50 elements, 20 pattern papers, 8 solid papers and a full alpha with numbers and symbols. Grab it HERE.
     Here's a preview of the kit: 
     

     and the layout I made with it:
      

Fresh Start - Project 52

Happy new year!!!

So excited to start scrapping this year.  I just joined PROJECT 52 at Scraps and Pieces. It's a year-long weekly project where I would have to scrap my life - weekly! Yay! I have always wanted to do this but never found the time. I  will be doing a gratitude album where I would scrap the things I am grateful for.

The Bible says, "Give thanks to Him, bless His Name, for the Lord is good, His lovingkindness is ever lasting and His faithfulness to all generations". (Psalm 100:4b-5)  We give thanks to God not just for the blessings we receive everyday but simply because of who He is ... His goodness, lovingkindness and faithfulness are enough to generate praises that would last our lifetime.

I also truly believe that grateful people are joyful people.    I love this quote from Ann Chan, "Joy is a grateful response to God for who He is -- our loving, faithful Creator. It is a deep contentment in God such that no matter what happens in life, there is every reason to give thanks". This year, I will choose to see the beauty in the 'simple everyday-things' that happen in my life.  I will choose to thank God  in everything. (Phil. 4:4).  I will choose to be grateful.

created using ALL WRAPPED UP and LIFE'S A BEACH by
Leaving a Legacy Designs

This week, I want to thank God for:
1. Family ties, Vacation, fun - We enjoyed every minute of our stay in Ate Aileen's house. I thank God for the chance to rest and enjoy this vacation with our kids.
2. I thank God for giving the kids a lesson on faith.  It was Michael's first time to ride the Super Viking. He was terrified but he was with his Dad & for him, that was all  that mattered. I call that faith.  Michael trusted his Dad because he knows he'll take care of him and he won't let go.  In the same way, in the midst of fear or problems, we need to trust God because He will never leave us nor forsake us.
3. When we were back home, the kids were a great help to me.  They helped me cook, wash clothes, clean the house, etc.  And they did this joyfully (with my eldest even whistling all the time). I thank God for giving me two wonderful, obedient and joyful boys.
4. I thank God that we were finally able to get a follow-up x-ray on Alvin's back. I thank God that we found friendly doctors near our place who patiently and clearly explained possible reasons for Alvin's back pain. I thank God for Alvin's health card. We didn't have to pay a single cent.

created using FRESH START
by Leaving a Legacy Designs

Praise God for a FRESH and wonderful START!

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p.s. very timely .... Leaving A Legacy Designs has a new kit  - FRESH START - perfect for scrapping P52 projects, new year's resolutions, and special everyday moments. Get the pieces for $1 only  until January 7.  Full kit with solid papers will be in the store by January 8 and will be 30% off until January 12, Sunday.

My son, Michael, 7 years ago

created using FRESH START by 

LEAVING A LEGACY DESIGNS

The Paper Packs:

The elements

Grab them HERE - FRESH START