Happy Thanksgiving!!!

I just want to say: 

Thank you, Father, 

for all the blessings You've bestowed upon us. 

For the food to eat, 

clothes to wear, 

and homes to live in. 

Thank you, 

for our families and our friends,

 for putting people in our lives 

who love and cherish us. 

Thank you, 

for providing safety and healing.

Thank you, 

for sending Your Son to die on the cross for us.

Amen.

                                                          

Hope you all have a blessed holiday!!

~ love me

Six Reasons to Smile

If you are hurting today, if you feel like there just isn't enough good things in life, or that you're not strong enough to make it. Then this post is for you.


Today is a good day and this life is a good life. There are ups and downs, laughs and tears, happiness and sorrow, but if you look hard enough you can always find at least one reason to smile!! So if you need a reason today here is a list of six things that I've come up with that'll hopefully make you grin =) 

*

 
1. If you go outside and look up at the sky, no matter where you are, the sun is up there in space smiling down on you. Whether or not you can see it through the clouds. And it will come out in due time, just wait!!

2. Did you know you're an amazing person? Why yes, yes you are and don't let anyone tell you otherwise ;)

3. Whatever dream you have, you should follow it with all your heart. No matter what anyone says, give yourself a chance. Because you deserve it and you can do anything!! 

4. You're strong. Even if you don't feel like it, you are. Whatever you're going through right now you have the strength to face it and handle it.

5. When you think you can’t go one more step, when you think you can’t take one more hit, please know this: you are capable and you will make it!! Your circumstances may be difficult now but this shall pass and you will come out stronger and better on the other side.          

6. There is a God in Heaven who loves you so very much that He sent His only Son to die in your place. You are loved and appreciated and cherished. You're so special!! 

 

 

There is always a reason to smile =)

A New Adventure

Hey y'all,

    Long time no see, I know, but unfortunately life is crazy, lol, and there are just not enough hours in the day. But this isn't what I have on my mind tonight! Tonight, I want to tell you about this cool site I've been following.

*

One of my closest friends has recently started a blog, and he is doing the "Ultimate Blog Challenge", which is going on this month. Soooo, I thought I would share about it with you, and invite you to check out his blog!! He's a good poet and storyteller, and he writes about a lot of neat things. He's also a big fan of YouTube and includes fun videos in his posts. I highly recommend you go see what he's talking about! Here is the link:

 

Charles' World

Everyday is a new adventure!

http://biblicalme.com/

 

Anyways,

Happy reading y'all,

and I hope to talk to you again

really soon.

 

:-)

 

Remembrance; a Prayer for the Fallen

Would you please bow your head and say a prayer with me for the victims of 9/11?

 

*

 

Lord,

Bless the families of our fallen heroes

and our loved ones who were lost.

Heal the wounds and dry the tears,

which this tragedy inflicted.

Bless the heroes who put their lives on the line

daily for our safety, protection, and freedom. 

And bless our nation; help us to continue

standing strong and united.

Even though we have suffered,

 Our future is brighter than

What has happened in the past.

Thank you for bringing comfort and healing,

and leading us into new beginnings.

Amen

 

*

 

 They will never be forgotten;

They're forever in our hearts.

Heeeeeeeey Y'all...

    Wow.

    I knew, I hadn't posted in a loooooooooong time but I didn't realize it's been this long. I’m sooooooooooooo sorry!! The last few weeks have been really crazy for me and my family; we've had some complicated things going on, including an unexpected move we had to make right before school was about to start.

    So yeah, it's been quite an interesting summer and some of it didn't really go how I had hoped it would. But the Lord has a plan for everything and He has brought some very good things out of these difficult situations.

    I'm happy to say that my life is slowly returning to it's regularly scheduled craziness, lol, and now I can start making posts again. I have so many things to share with you!!

    Anyways, I've missed you all and I hadn't stopped thinking about you. I can't wait to continue our journey together!!

 

So I'll talk to you very soon,

 Until then,

Lots of love,

From me :)

   

Spirit of the Red, White and Blue

 

        Hey y'all!!
   I know I've mentioned in past posts that this is my favorite holiday, and it is! I just love the festive colors, the fireworks, and the togetherness of family and friends joining to celebrate such an important day. So this year, here is my 4th of July prayer for our nation. You're welcome to pray along:

Father,
 

Bless the leaders of our nation.

Please give them the wisdom and guidance,
 To lead us in the years to come.
 

*
 

Bless our troops; the men and women,
Fighting for our freedom.

Please keep them safe, send angels to protect them,
 And bring them home soon.
 

*
 

Bless the firefighters and policemen,
Who face danger every day.

Please protect them as they lay their lives,
On the line for our safety.
 

*
 

Bless the nurses comforting patients in the NICU, 
And the doctors saving lives in the ER.

Please give them the energy and strength,
To keep performing their daily miracles.
 

*
 

Bless the stay-at-home Moms and the hardworking Dads,
Providing for their families.

Please give them the rest and strength they need,
To raise the next generation.
 

*
 

Bless the cancer patients fighting for their lives.

Please give them the comfort, bravery, and the strength, to keep fighting. Please provide a cure.
 

*
 

Finally, please bless our nation on this special day. Remind us, as we celebrate, that today is more than BBQs and fireworks. It's about family, about friends, and about freedom.

Amen.

* God bless America *

Happy Fourth of July Everybody!!!

 

A Walk of Inspiration; the Man who Defied the Limits

     So let’s talk about inspiration.
    What is it?
    When someone does something amazingly well? Or when something unexplainable happens and changes everybody’s point of view? Things can be inspiring (like a nice piece of artwork) and places (like a Cathedral) but people can be even more inspiring. Acts of kindness, acts of faith, or acts of talent that make history; all of these are inspirational.

    Well, Nik Wallenda is one of those inspiring people. He made history Sunday when he completed his high wire walk across the Grand Canyon, and I felt compelled to write about him and his feat because I found it very moving.

    Nik comes from seven generations of high wire performers,

So his talent for areal feats is in his genes.

He began training when he was a kid; now that's dedication!

He is truly a master of his craft.

   The whole world was watching with bated breath as he defied gravity. He was practically walking on air 1,500 feet above the Little Colorado River Gorge on a cable only 2 inches thick. He faced winds that were over 20 mph, battled the dust and the heat, all without a safety tether or a net to catch him if he fell.

    But what amazed me most was his attitude. Before his walk, he gathered with his family and preacher Joel Olsteen to pray. Then, the whole way as he was walking, we could hear Nik praising God and calling out to Jesus; all he wanted was to bring glory to the Lord. When the winds rose and the wire shook, Nik began praising God's name to calm his fears. It reminded me of Peter walking across the water; he did not look at the danger but turned to God instead. It was a magnificent thing to see someone with such great abilities also with such great faith. He put his body and his life into the hands of the One who truly can keep him safe.

It says in Philippians 4:13:

"I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me,

[I am ready for anything and equal to anything,
Through Him Who *infuses inner strength into me;

I am self-sufficient in Christ's sufficiency]."

(amplified version)

    Nik's feat was an inspiration. The strength of his faith and the depths of the confidence he has in himself and in Christ is what sets him apart. He proved that if you set your mind to something, you really can do anything.  

    There are many different kinds of artists. If you have an undying passion for something (whether its computers, writing, painting, dancing, singing, performing, sports... anything!!) and you put 110% of your heart, your soul, and your life into that one thing, then you are an artist. And Nik is definitely an artist.


Click here to relive parts of Nik's amazing walk across the Grand Canyon!! 

 

To Daddies World-Wide:

Happy Father's Day!!!

 

To all the awesome Dads out there,

Who taught their sons to throw a baseball,

Who were their daughters' first dances.
 

From the new Daddies to the Grandpas,

Thank you for all you do,

For all you've taught us,

For loving us,
And protecting us.
 

We love you very much,

And hope you have a blessed day!!
 

 <3

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall...

    Want to know a secret? Sometimes, I stand in front of my bathroom mirror and all I see are the things that I hate about myself. It's like my imperfections just jump out at me and I'm like: "Oh gosh, does everyone see this, too?" and then these hurtful thoughts start running through my head and it makes me really sad.

    I don’t know, perhaps I'm the only one who does this. Or maybe we've all felt insecure about ourselves at sometime, or have been convinced of things about ourselves that aren’t true. Tell me, do others' opinions ever make you feel like this?:

I shouldn’t smile; crooked teeth need to be hidden.

Scars are ugly; skin needs to be flawless.

I’m not hungry; my waist band says so.

I should wear makeup; flaws must be covered up.
 I should wear contacts; glasses make me look weird.
 

    Why do we put so much pressure on how we look? I mean, we're meant to be snowflakes, not Barbie and Ken dolls; we aren't all made from the same mold! We look like us, unique and imperfectly perfect. We have frizzy hair, zits, braces and freckles; we don't look like the models in the magazines. And that's okay!

 

   Why would we want to? We shouldn't have to measure up to anyone else's standards. We shouldn’t be judged by what number is on the tag of our clothes or the color of our eyes, our skin, or our hair. Please forget what they've said; their words do not determine you. The truth is you look awesome just the way you are and that's fact!
 

    We shouldn’t judge ourselves, either. Why do we stare at our reflections and criticize every little thing? We don't deserve that! We should love the person in the bathroom mirror; that person looks great just the way (s)he is!

*

So to the girl hiding her smile:

Go ahead and grin, princess,

You never know who might fall in love with it.

*

To the kid who hates his glasses:

You know what, handsome?
Clark Kent and Peter Parker wore glasses, too.

*

To the young woman who hates her body:

Don’t listen to what the scale says, sweetheart,

It does not weigh your worth; you're beautiful the way you are.

 *
 

    Let’s stop judging and hating how we look. We only have one body and it's perfect just the way it is! So the next time you walk by a mirror, why don't you stop and take a look at yourself, find three beautiful truths about you, and give yourself a smile. And remember:

 

 

Learning to Fly

Hey,

    Can I ask you something?
    Do you have something that you really, really want to do but something else is holding you back from doing it? Do you have a dream you want to see fulfilled, but there's just something standing in your way? I do, and I know very well how it feels to want something with all my heart but to have fears and doubts keep me from trying.
    Maybe we all experience this from time to time; having something hold us back (whether it's pain, fear, doubt or whatever else might hinder us). Maybe we all have this war going in within our minds:

*

What if it goes wrong?

But what if it goes right?

What if I get hurt?

What if it's worth the fight?

What if I make a mistake?

What if you don't?

What if I can't?

How will you ever know if you don't try?

*

    I believe that we are each born with a pair of wings, but for many, fear clips our feathers and we can't fly. Whether it's the fear of rejection, of getting hurt (physically or emotionally), of the unknown or trying new things, these fears fuel those "what ifs". They hold us back and they become chains on those wings we've been given to fly.
    So, please, let's not build those walls so high we can't climb over them. Let's break the chains. Time is really, really short and we only have today. We can't let another moment pass us by without at least trying to see what we can really do. Think about it:

*

What if the person you really like,

likes you back?

What if that trip you're leery to take,
turns into an amazing adventure?

What if the opportunity you're not sure if you should accept,

will transform your life?
What if that dream you want to chase,
will make you the next Picasso, Tolkien or Astaire?

*

 

 

   You could be anything you want, but how will you know what you're capable of if you don't step out and try?

   We need to take a chance this summer. We need to risk the unknown. We need to throw caution to the wind because life is much too short to put our dreams on a shelf and just let them be, simply because we're scared. Fear is hard to overcome, but it can be done!  How else will we know what we're truly capable of?

 

Believe in yourself,

Because you deserve to soar.

J

 

There is Nothing Wrong with Us

Words can really hurt. Tell me, do you ever think like this sometimes?

There is nothing special about me.
I look weird.
I'm fat.
I'm boring.
Nobody would want to spend time with me.
No one could ever love a person like me.
I can't do anything right.

Or maybe you ask questions like this?

Why am I so strange?

Why am I so different?

Is there something wrong with me?

*

    Sometimes, we hear these kind of lies whispered deep inside us, or maybe we hear them from the people around us like our classmates, our peers, or bullies. Even though we try to hide from them, a little part of us starts to wonder if they might be right and these lies begin to tear us down inside. We start to dislike or even hate ourselves and we begin to think like this: 



I wish I looked like her or was as thin as her.
I wish I could wear those clothes.
I wish I could dance like her.
I wish I could sing like him.
I wish I could do what they can do.
I wish I were better...
I wish I were smarter...
I wish I was someone else...

*

    Those lies can really hurt, they do damage, even though they are only words. They should be harmless, but they aren't, and the more we hear them the more we start to believe them. But the thing is, none of it is true! We really, really need to hear the truth about ourselves. We need to answer the questions which all those lies press upon us like: "what's wrong with me?" Well...

   

Nothing.

Absolutely nothing.

There is nothing wrong with the way we are!

    Did you know that there is Someone who loves you, right now, just as you are? Yep, with every quirk, every freckle, and every scar! He loves you with the lines around your lips, the acne on your face, your voice, your laugh, your weight, your height... Jesus Christ loves it all.

He says in Jeremiah 31:3

“…I have loved you with an everlasting love;

I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.”

This is what He thinks of you:



You are special.
You are made perfectly.
You are beautiful.
You are exciting.
People want to spend time with you.
I love you very much.
You can do anything.

 

 

You are unique!

You are perfectly made!

There is nothing wrong with you!

You don't need to look like her; you're beautiful the way you are.
You look great in those clothes.
You can dance how you want to dance.
You can sing how you want to sing.
You can do what you want to do.
I wish you loved yourself how I love you.
I wish you believed in yourself like I believe in you.
You are exactly who I made you to be!

And that's the truth about beautiful you.

   

    The words and opinions of jealous or mean people shouldn’t destroy the beautiful souls we have been made to be. I felt compelled to post about this subject because this kind of abuse and bullying is abundant and it is wrong. We shouldn't feel guilty for being ourselves. The Lord made us each unique; we are who we are and we are awesome, just the way we are!

    Here's a link (below) to one of my favorite music videos by Britt Nicole. It has an amazing message about being happy with who you are, because who you are, is truly an amazing person. I hope you'll check it out!

"Gold" by Britt Nicole:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9PjrtcHJPo

Keep smiling! J

 

This Post is Dedicated to All the...

Amazing,

Hard working,

Life changing,

Moms out there who have raised each generation.

Who have dried our tears,

Hugged away our fears,

Taught us how to live,

And how to give.

You never require anything in return.

Never take a sick day.

And never give up on us.

You are heroes.

You are inspirations.

You make a difference!

And we just want to take today to thank you for all you do and have done.

We love you so very much!!!

Happy Mother’s Day!!

 

I love you, Mom, more than words can describe!
Thank you for changing my life and making me a better person.
You’re my hero! <3

Hi, I'm a Letter; Go Ahead and Read Me

Hey y'all,

 

    I know, I know, it’s been a loooooooooong while since I’ve posted and I’m sorry for that. This last semester was a little harder than I anticipated it would be. But it’s over and done with and now I’m free to post again and we have a lot of catching up to do!! This summer is going to be absolutely awesome! Let me tell you some of the things I have in mind. Let’s see…

*

 

    Remember last fall when I took my painting class? Well, this previous semester I took a creative writing course (which was awesome!! I had the best time in that class) but we wrote a lot of poetry and short stories. I just can’t wait to share with you this summer all the new pieces I've been working on!

*

    Not to mention that I've recently begun writing a novel (which I'm really, really excited about) but we'll talk more about that later this summer.

*

    And, of course I have some new artwork to share. I didn’t get to do a lot of drawing or painting last semester so I’m just bursting with new ideas (some of which are pretty "junkyard chic" and have thrifty solutions for creating on a budget).

*

    But I have lots and lots more ideas, including new book and movie reviews (speaking of which, has anyone read "The Host" by Stephenie Meyer?)

*

    Anyways, this summer is going to be about rediscovering passions. It’s going to be about chilling poolside, making sand castles, getting covered in paint and reading anything we can get our hands on. It's going to be about having fun!! Because that's what summertime is supposed to be about. I don't know about you, but I just can't wait!!!

WELCOME 2013!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY!!!! 

    Gosh, it’s 2013 already; does anyone else feel like 2012 just flew by too quickly??? Time really is an elusive thing. But it was such a good year! Let's see:

We stood in the storm,

Tested the atmosphere,

Learned the true meaning of art,
And we discovered the hero within ourselves.

The Lord truly blessed it! I thank Him especially for the new, wonderful friends I've made over the past 365 days J they sure made the year special.

    Now, this is also the perfect time not only to reflect on the past year, but to look forward to the future with anticipation. It says in Jeremiah 29:11:

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Our future is bright and 2013 is going to be a rockin' year; I can just feel it! Think of the new adventures just waiting for us! The places we'll go, the people we'll meet, and experiences we'll have... it's going to be awesome! I can’t wait!!!

So farewell 2012, you've sure left us with good memories.

And hello 2013!!! Let’s go make some new ones!