Okay friends, I am going to be painfully honest with all of you. I couldn't fall asleep until I got the thoughts out of my head last night. So here is the poem I wrote.
"Untitled Poem"
Where do you begin for advice?
Something that makes you feel isolated.
“Trust God,” they say.
“You can’t worry about that yet”
“You aren’t that far yet”
“You don’t know what He has in store for you”
Or worse yet,
“Everything happens for a reason”
And the worst,
“Just pray about it”
All of these things linger in the air,
Loom in my mind,
And puncture my
heart.
I feel inadequate.
Unworthy.
Broken.
Defective.
I mean,
Who would want me anyway?
I don’t even want me.
I try to not
think about it.
I try to not
worry.
I try to put my
trust fully in God.
I try not to
put myself down.
I try not to
let myself think about it.
I try to remind
myself that I don’t know for sure,
I have been thinking a lot tonight, in avoidance of starting one of my many projects for one of my classes. What have I been thinking about you ask?
Well, a little bit of everything, but mostly about coffee. Why? Well, because I have a slight obsession with it. But anyway, I have been thinking about coffee, and not just the good, God-given, liquid substance that gives me the stamina I need each morning to put the words together to make sentences, but the general idea of coffee and coffee dates.
When I ask someone to grab coffee with me, I am not asking that we just get coffee together-- I am in it for relationship building. In fact, sometimes I have a coffee date with someone without getting coffee. Coffee dates are about relationship building.
At most coffee shops the barista will ask you if you want your coffee for here or to go. If I am going to sit in the coffee shop and have a coffee date, I want a real mug. I want to be able to hold the ceramic mug between my cold hands. I want the warmth to entrap my fingers from the bitter cold. And I want the mug to engulf my nose with the smell of coffee when I take a sip. I want to sit and have a conversation with someone over our mugs. I want the sense of home when I am in a coffee shop. In fact, that is one of my favorite parts of a coffee shop. The homey atmosphere is what catches my attention. There are so many different things to say about the ceramic mugs. I love them. Each has it's own character, and has the power to tell a story.
The reason I am slightly against Starbucks is the fast pace. Starbucks, by default, will give you a paper to-go cup for your coffee even if you are staying. You have to piratically beg them for a real mug, and even then they do not have enough mugs for a full cafe. Or so I have heard. I haven't asked for a real mug when I am there because when I go to Starbucks it is usually when I am on the run. I avoid the place when I am having one of my many coffee dates because I am pushed away by the fact that the barista never asks if I would like my coffee for here or to go.
When Starbucks neglects to offer real mugs, they are encouraging the autonomy of this society. It is neglecting the need for real and meaningful relationships. I mean, what is homey and comforting about a cardboard cup and a plastic lid? Boy, that really says, "I want to have a meaningful conversation with you," doesn't it?
I don't think that this is going to change how Starbucks does coffee, or even to change any one person's mind about going to Starbucks for meaningful conversations-- I mean, I am just a simple girl who treasures the little things in life, and has a great need for relationships, but this blog is called 'Just A Thought...' because it is a place that a bunch of my thoughts are able to come together in one place.
And don't get me wrong, I love going to Starbucks when I am in a crunch to grab a quick coffee when I am on the run, but when I am choosing a place to get to know someone, or to have a meaningful conversation with a colleague or with a friend, I am not going to head to my nearest Starbucks. this was just some food for thought for all of you!
Sending my love! And wishing you good conversations over coffee! <3
I was sitting here thinking about how sometimes I can feel like I am being defined as a test grade. And as I am not a good test taker, you can see why I am bothered by that...
But I am trying to remind myself that I am not defined by a grade. So I came up with this version of "God Is Bigger [Than The Booggie Man]" from Veggie Tales.
The lyrics that I made go as follows (it works the best if you listen to the song and sing/ think of my lyrics while it is playing!) Enjoy and remember, you are not defined by your test grade. Study hard, but it does not define you!:
You were lying in your bed, You were feeling
kind of sleepy, But you couldn't
close your book because the chapter wasn’t ending
Were those standard
deviations in the book? Was it the mean
after all? There was something
big and scary putting numbers in your brain.
Now your heart is beating like a drum, Your skin is
getting clammy, There's a hundred word
problems jumping right onto your test!
Bob: What are you
going to do? Junior: I'm going
to quit college Bob: No. You don't
have to do anything! Junior: What? Why? Bob: Because...
[CHORUS:] God is bigger than your
test grade. He's bigger than statistics
or chemistry. Oh, God is bigger than
your test grade, And he's watching
out for you and me.
Junior: ..So when I'm lying
in my bed, And my anxiety starts
creeping, I'll just laugh and
say "Hey! I’ll figure it out!"
And get back to my working.
'Cause I know that God's the biggest, and He's watching all
the while, So when I get
scared, I'll think of Him, close my eyes and smiiiiiiiiiiiiile!!!
God is bigger than
your test grade. He's bigger than statistics
or chemistry. Oh, God is bigger
than your test grade, And he's watching
out for you and me.
Problem #1: So are
you confused? Junior: Just a
little. Problem #2: Are you
worried? Junior: Not a bit!
I know whatever's gonna happen, that God can handle it!
Problem #3: I'm
sorry that I scared you when you saw me on the page. Junior: Well that's
ok, 'cause now I know that God is taking care of me!
In the Bible we are called to do the Lord's work and to spread the gospel. This can be done in many shapes and forms from preaching in a church, sharing the gospel with a friend, or going on a missions trip across states or across seas. Each of His disciples are being called to share the gospel with our neighbors and with the world!
We are not being called to save everyone, only Jesus can save, but we are called to plant seeds. To plant seeds everywhere we go. With our every action and our every word, We are called to do this as an individual, but more importantly, we are called to do this as the Body of Christ.
In Mark 16:15 we see God's call on us to spread the gospel, "And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation."
We also see this being played out in the Bible in the book of Acts when Paul takes his three missionary journeys.
At church on Sunday we sang the hymn, "Leaning on the Everlasting Arms." Singing this song has kind of gotten me on a streak of old school Christian songs!
I think I have gotten stuck on these songs because they remind me of the seldom times that my gram would take me to her church, and my pap playing them on the piano for me when I was younger and showed him my precious masterpiece of randomly slammed keys! (:
Some of the songs that I have been stuck on are: "There Is Power in the Blood" "By and By" "The Lily of the Valley" "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus" "Victory in Jesus" "Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus" "I've Got Peace Like A River" "Just a Closer Walk With Thee" "Hallelujah What A Savior"
For more songs, check out my Spotify playlist here
What are your favorite old school Christian songs?!?!
I have learned a lot in the past, usually the hard way because I have tendencies to do certain things by trial and error after I have given them much thought. Some of my life's little musings are as follows:
Smile. Just smile at people-- at strangers. When we skimp out on the smile, especially with strangers, they can walk away with the perception that we are mean and miserable. And your smile can make all the difference in their day.
Take everything with a grain of salt.Good things are great and bad things are bad, but there is always something in the in between.
Refrain from your complaining. Seriously. When you complain (especially about other people) it brings everyone else around you down to your level. Venting is necessary, but have vent sessions with one person, maybe two if you're having a particularly bad day-- and make sure you ask them if you can vent first. Complaining is detrimental to yourself and others. Make it a habit to say three positive thing about the person or situation or thing that you are complaining about. It will make a big difference in your life.
"And if not, He is still good." (He is referring to Jesus Christ). He is good no matter what, even when He tells you 'no.' His no is better than anything you could dream up for yourself.
Not everything that feels good is good for you and not everything that hurts is bad for you.
Coffee and good conversation will fix almost anything.
And if coffee and good conversation can't fix it, peanut butter will. If peanut butter can't fix it... well... I don't know what to tell you.
Be intentional. With everyone you meet. Ask your professors to lunch or to grab coffee, they are humans too, and they love when you treat them like they are a real person. Just get to know them more than the person teaching you sociology in the front of the classroom. Be intentional with the cashier or the person making your sub at Subway-- just say hello and thank them.
Patience is a virtue? Yes it is, but it is a virtue that you should and need to learn. I can't stress this enough. Be patient. You will be happier and less anxious.
Be calm. Don't overreact to the little things-- don't sweat the small stuff! The sooner that you realize that a mess is just a mess and can be cleaned up, you will feel better about who you are, and the people you interact with (your children, spouse, parents, co-workers, friends, etc) will be less likely to live in fear of making a mistake around you.
When something happens to you, it is not the end of the world. I was diagnosed with PCOS (poly-cystic ovary syndrome), does it suck? Absolutely. Will it affect me? Absolutely. Is it the end of the world? Definitely not. The glitter on the sidewalk always shines. Grieve it. Accept it. Live with it. But DON'T let it control you or your life.
You can't fix everyone, and you don't have to try. You should be there to listen and support those you love, but you aren't expected to fix their problems.
Find value in every single person that you meet. We are all created in the image of God and we all reflect different parts of Christ (including those who are not saved). We were all given dignity and worth when God created us. Before we did or didn't do anything. God loves you just because He made you. He is proud of you.
Send encouraging notes. Anonymously or signed. People love getting them and it can make their whole day a lot better than it was before!
Cleaning isn't everything. Relationships are more important. A lot of things are more important than a sparkling kitchen floor. Name your dust bunnies and move on! No, I'm not saying to be dirty and live in filth, I am just saying that everything doesn't have to be perfect.
Don't worry, don't hurry. Do your best, and leave the rest.
Make sure you have time to take God and I time (aka: devotionals) daily. You won't fall a part as easily.
Make sure you are taking the time to feel something painful and not just stuffing and numbing it. Let yourself feel the pain, if you don't it will all build up and you will explode.
Life is too short to be under-dressed all of the time. Can you have a t-shirt and jeans day? Sure! But dress up sometimes!
Fight for what you feel is right. Specifically those of human concerns (pro-life, modern slavery, human trafficking, domestic and child abuse (physical, sexual, emotional, mental), health care reforms, etc.)
"Spirit, lead me where my trust is without borders
let me walk upon the waters
wherever you would call me
take me deeper than my feet could ever wander
and my faith would be made stronger
in the presence of my Savior"
Today I read a blog post on this song. It is a really good read about why we should stop singing this song. It made me stop and rethink my own motivation of singing this song over and over again in church, in the shower, in the car, walking to and from classes, and when I am just jamming out on Spotify.
When I first started singing this song I believe that I was singing it and only meaning the lyrics when I was in church on Sunday morning, but this past summer something changed. I suddenly started living these lyrics.
I made the decision to ask God to use me for His glory. I asked Him to send me. I wanted Him to lead me where my trust is without borders. And He did.
It was uncomfortable and at times I wanted to quit. Sometimes I still want to, and some days I do. But, I am learning that letting The Spirit lead you is one of the best things that you can do. It is the best and the worst thing that we can experience.
I have been doing some soul searching these last couple of days after my Foundations and Calling professor asked us to really look at our lives and determine if we are truly relying on God and asking Him to lead us in the way we should go, while the doors that are being opened in our lives don't quite make sense or are we letting our own wants and desires lead our calling? Are we making decisions based on the outcomes we want to happen? She challenged us to really think about that and be in prayer about it.
I came to the conclusion that I am fully trusting God in parts of my life, but that I am holding on to what is safe and what I want in other parts. I need to let God have all of me because through Him and His salvation over my life I am no longer my own. I am His. And so why should I question the God of all gods, over all nations? Who am I to say no if He is calling me to minister to the stranger behind me at Target? How can I say no to a God who is all good and all merciful? Who am I to say no to Him who died for ME?
So, no, I don't think that we should stop singing 'Oceans,' but I do think that we need to mean it when we sing it. I think all of us need to think about why we are not trusting God fully and letting Him lead our every step? Why are we not truly asking Him to lead us where our trust is without borders?
I have trouble with trusting fully, even with God, and so I know that it is a lot easier said than done, but I also know from experience that when we ask Him to lead us to that place that it gets easier to trust Him. You are being so pushed to move past your comfort zone, and if you obediently follow, you will trust Him, because you simply have no other choice.
So friends, brothers and sisters in Christ, let's ask to be led where our trust is without borders and mean it. Ask God to use you for His glory and be obedient in what He asks you to do. I will be praying for all of you.
This post is going to be one that hits close to home for me, and it is very hard for me to write right now. It is something that I often struggle with, but am slowly learning that it just isn't true.
For most of those that know me know that my life isn't all about rainbows and unicorns-- whose life is?
If you don't know me, I have witnessed two divorces between my parents, and my dad and step mother. Neither divorce was easy for me to get through, both of them were sticky and messy. Those of you who know me probably also know that I am the only Christian in my family and the struggles that have come along with that; there are also things in my life that I have been through that have been really hard on me. More recently, and something not everyone that knows me knows is that I was diagnosed with PCOS (poly-cystic ovary syndrome) a few weeks ago.
I tell you all of these things not for sympathy, but because the sum of all of these things can amount to me feeling like I am too broken to ever be loved. By anyone. It can often make me feel like I have too much baggage for anyone to even want to think about helping me unpack. I have wounds that cut deep, and can make me feel like I am not worth it. Like I am not enough, but simultaneously too much at the same time.
Not thin enough. Not tall enough. Not pretty enough. Too clingy. Too emotional. Too sensitive. Not worth anyone's time. Not worth anyone's love.
I even struggle with Christ's love at times. I know that He loves me unconditionally and that He forgives me for all of my sins, but sometimes I struggle to forgive myself. It is a hard concept for me to grasp that Christ can love me that much. That God of all the universe loves me enough to send His one and only Son to die for me. To die for ME-- for my mess ups, my sins. That anyone could love me, in all of my brokenness and all of the places that I fall short, that He would die for me.
Now it isn't that I don't know that all of these things are a lie and not true at all. No, I am well aware of this. I know that I need to think more positively of myself. That I need to believe that I am lovable and that I am worth it and that I am enough. I have the knowledge, oh, do I have the knowledge. But it is the believing it where I struggle.
I know that all of these feelings date back to a self-worth issue that needs to be dealt with to receive any healing at all; I also know that the only true healing can come from Christ.
Now that I have said all of that, I want to tell you all that you are worth it and you are loved. Did you hear me?
You. Are. Worth. It.
You. Are. Loved.
After reading all of what I shared with you, you are probably saying that I am calling the kettle black, and I would agree with you on some level. I am telling you that you are worth it and that you are loved because I know that it is true and I am working towards believing it about myself. AND, you should do the same. Know what is true and work to believe it. So yes, I am calling the kettle black, but I am also working towards the same goal.
It's not easy, I know. You are going to struggle; you are going to get angry, and you are going to cry,. It will take a while. But it is the only way to start the road to healing. Fully.
So know that you are worth it. Know that you are loved. And nothing that you have ever gone through, nothing that you will ever go through will change that. Nothing. Not one thing can change how much you are worth. Nothing can change how loved you are. You are a child of the One True King. You are loved beyond your comprehension. And you are worth so much through Christ. He knit you in your mother's womb. He created you in all of your beauty in His image.
I had a conversation tonight, and I thought that I was the only person who felt this way, but I'm not so I thought I'd share with all of you!
When I am struggling with things and I call someone in need of an ear to listen or a shoulder to cry on and they just tell me that I need to pray about it... I mean, come on! That is the LAST thing that I want to hear in that moment. All I needed of that person was to listen to me and to let me cry.
Don't get me wrong; prayer is a wonderful thing and it works and I couldn't live without it. And I know that it is in these moments when I need to turn to God in prayer the most, but when I am in my brokenness I don't want someone shoving scripture in my face! All it does in that moment-- when I feel I have reached rock bottom-- is push me away from prayer. When I am in that place I don't need to be told to pray about it; I need you to stop me and pray with me.
I am not saying that praying by ourselves can't work-- because I KNOW that it can, I am saying that we are called to share our struggles with each other and to pray with each other. To lift each other up in Christ. Simply telling me to pray about it or read my bible, when in that moment it can be the last thing I want to do, and then just leaving me be isn't drawing me closer to Christ and lifting me up in Him, it is pushing me away and pushing me down. Pray with me. Read the bible with me. Direct me to a certain scripture. Share my struggle with me.
It is then, in those moments of brokenness, that I need you to love me the most. It is in those moments that I need you to be there to listen to me the most. That I need you to pray with me the most. It is then that I need my focus to be redirected back to Christ, but in a gentle and loving way. It is in those moments that I need you to show me the love of Christ like we are called to do and gently help me turn my eyes back upon Him. Not shove it in my face and make me want to push away, but to lovingly pray with me, and to gently listen to me, and to freely let me cry.
And although, it is the most important thing i need to be doing; I also need someone to listen to me, and to pray with me. I sometimes just need that encouraging word or a safe place to cry.
Well hello friends! I know that it has been a while and I wanted to write every week, but working at camp kept me very busy, and I am now back at college, so I haven't had a lot of time to sit down and write. But I am taking a minute to write something.
I learned a lot this summer at Camp K; God stretched me and grew me in so many ways. I am not the same person I was when I left for camp and I am thankful for that each and every single day! I feel a lot closer to the Lord and I am trusting in Him more than I ever have before! (:
The thing that has been on my mind lately is how I can sometimes feel like I am too sensitive. The last week I was working at camp my supervisor and friend said that I was sensitive. She didn't say this in a bad way, but I took it and made it personal when I shouldn't have, but I knew that it was a "me thing" that I needed to work through myself. When I came home from camp I read a few more chapters of "Becoming Myself" by Stasi Eldredge. She mentions in one of the latter chapters that God chooses our name and our parents do not. She encourages her readers to look into the name we have and see what God intended us to be from our name.
My first name means 'princess' and my middle name means 'butterfly.' What I took from that is that I am a daughter of the One True King; I am His princess. And butterflies are very fragile and sensitive creatures. When you look back at the life that I have lived it would only make sense for me to have a hardened and bitter heart, but I have a sensitive and tender heart and it is only by the grace of God that that is possible. God intended me to be His tenderhearted princess. (:
Like Stasi does in her book, I also encourage you to find out the true meaning of your given name. (:
Well, hello friends! I feel like it has been a really long time!
As I mentioned before I am working at a summer camp this summer and that doesn't leave me a lot of free time.
I just wanted to take a minute and share with all of you! When I applied to this summer camp I had applied for a counselor position, but the director offered a kitchen position. When I was first offered I had a few moments of uncertainty. But after taking a few days to pray about it, I felt like I was to be at Camp K this summer, even on kitchen staff, so I accepted the position. As the day that I was set to leave inched closer and closer I was getting more and more discouraged about leaving, but still felt like I was supposed to be there and had already committed.
After my first full day at camp I realized that this is exactly where I am supposed to be! God has really blessed me. By the second full day of staff training, if I wasn't fully convinced that this is where I am supposed to be, again, God was leaving little assurances everywhere I turned.
Today is the last day of our first week of campers, and I have been crazy busy with working kitchen, the snack shop, and co-counselor, my days consist of many many hours without much time in between, my heart has felt overwhelmed at times, and my body hurts in almost every inch possible, but I wouldn't change a thing!! Working with the other kitchen girls is great; I already feel like I have known them forever! All of the Camp K staff is truly great! We are all a family here and I love every second of it. And my heart jumps with excitement when I think about the work that God is doing in the youth that come to camp.
I cannot wait to see what else God has in store for all of us over the next few weeks of the summer! I am growing stronger in my faith every day while I am here!
But I am asking that you keep myself and all of the Camp K staff and campers in your prayers! Have a wonderful week and remember that God is AWESOME!!! (:
Hello friends! I know that this week's post is a little early, but I am leaving today to work at a summer camp where I will not have cell phone service or much internet! (Don't worry, I will be able to write on Saturday's for the rest of the summer!)
I read something in a book around this time last year; I read that when you want something from someone to just ask for it. If they say "yes," and they didn't really want to, then they need to learn how to say no. And if they say "no" to not be offended, and to ask someone else if you really want it. When I first read this I was a little taken aback by it and thought to myself, "But I hate asking for things! And when someone asks me for something I feel compelled to give it to them whether I want to or not." Am I the only one who thought that?
Well, I have grown a lot since this time last year, and I am a different person now than I was then. This is something that took a long time for me to learn, but I finally got the depth of it in these last few weeks. I have learned that if I want something (a hug, ride, advice, their time, etc.) that I can just ask; if the person I am asking doesn't want to give me what I asked for then they will say no and that IS okay. I've learned not to take "no" so personally anymore. Just because someone says no doesn't mean that they don't want to spend time with you or that they don't want to help you. It simply means that they cannot say "yes" at the time you asked. Think about when you've said no to someone, 9 times out of 10, I can guess that it is because you had something else and just couldn't help at that time, yes?
But before you are going to be able to be at peace with someone else's no you are going to have to believe that you are the only person who is responsible for making you happy. No one else is responsible for your happiness, just like you are not responsible for anyone else's happiness. Once you learn this you will be living with less stress (which we all need!)!! By learning that you are the only person who can make you happy, you are relieving yourself of the duty of making others happy, and them of you. This isn't the easiest thing to learn and accept; it can be tedious and hard at first. But we must remember that even babies are capable of making themselves happy, so it is, in fact, possible for a grown adult to do so. Let me clarify something, letting someone else make themselves happy is not neglecting them of their obvious needs. An example of letting someone find their own happiness would be not picking your baby up every single time he/ she cries. We have all seen the toddlers whose parents picked them up every time they made a noise. In this situation we could give the baby a toy to play with to make themselves content. (This is not neglecting the baby of food or care or nurture). When you are able to accept and make peace with the fact that you are only in charge of your happiness you will have an easier time accepting someone's "no." I wish you the best! And I will be praying for all of you! Well, I am heading off to church very soon and I will talk to you next week! Take care!!
"Can I offer you some advice?" Something that we can often find ourselves thinking when we see a stranger struggling or have a friend that is 10 feet under because they refuse to stand on their own two feet. It has been something that we as humans have struggled with for as long as we can remember.I know that I have thought it myself, and I also know others have thought it about me and my life. It wasn't until this past semester of college that I got it. I was sitting in my 11:15 Human Diversity class taking notes when my professor spoke a few words of her wisdom. She looked at all of us and told us that with any person we have to earn the right to speak into their lives. She explained that she had to earn it with each of her clients in the past (she was a counselor and parole officer before she stood in front of us) and that she has to earn it with each of her students now. This hit home for me on several levels. It hit home on the level that we do not have the right to just be spitting out advice as we see it is fit, and that we should not be offended when someone doesn't want our advice. Think about it: who are you more likely to take advice from? Your best friend who you know you could call in any emergency and they would be by your side as soon as possible, or from the stranger behind the register at your nearest convenience store? I am almost positive that each of you answered your best friend, and that is not to say that the cashier cannot offer logical and relevant and good advice, but only that your best friend has earned the right to speak into your life and the cashier has not. Because we have to earn the right to speak into a person's life we cannot go into a new relationship (any relationship) with the mindset that we can judge their actions or tell them what to do. We have to earn that privilege, and we do that by earning their trust and always showing love no matter what. By showing love no matter what we have to be willing to be there in the hard times and we cannot only love them when it works for us. Showing love means not judging a person on the actions they make or how they deal with the pain. It means standing beside them no matter what and being there through the hard times (author's note: standing beside someone is not the same as standing behind them. Standing beside indicates that you are not going to leave them just because they make bad decisions. It does not mean that you advocate or agree with their choices. Standing behind usually indicates that you support their choices and encourage them). Showing love means reaching out to strangers by just being that ray of light in their dark day. An example I have of this is from when I worked at a convenience store. We had a lady come in after getting gas, she was limping and looked like she had been crying. She came in on the verge of tears and asked to use our phone because her dogs stepped on the lock when she was pumping gas and locked her out. My co-worker handed her our phone while I waited on another customer. This woman laid the phone on the counter and limped back out to the pumps and leaned against her car. From where my register was I could see her and my heart hurt for her. We had a break in customers, so I walked out and told her that she didn't have to wait outside and invited her to come sit at the small table inside. She gladly accepted. When she sat down she was holding back tears and set her leg gently down. She told me that she was having a bad day-- her boyfriend just broke up with her, she sprained her ankle and now this happened. I couldn't do very much for her on an emotional level, but I offered her some ibuprofen and my extra water I had brought from home. She thanked me and I went on to continue working. Sometime later when I was organizing the counters, the locksmith came to unlock her car. I backed up to let a customer get to the register and this woman wrapped her arms around me and hugged me tight and thanked me again before I even knew what happened. To this day, I still do not know her name, but I will never forget how thankful she was; I will never forget this day. That is showing love when you do not have the right to speak into someones life. And I am almost sure that she will remember how I made her feel whenever she thinks of that day. Knowing that I made her day just a little bit brighter lets me know how showing love at all times is most important. Well friends, I will talk to you next week! Remember not to be offended when someone ignores your advice. You may not have the right to speak into their life yet, and even if you do, remember that you cannot live their life for them; we all have to make our own choices and our own mistakes to learn the best way for ourselves as individuals. And remember that no matter what to always, always, ALWAYS show love to everyone you encounter! Sending much love for the rest of this week!!
Hello friends! So there have been a lot of changes happening on my end of the computer, and I can guess that there has been just as many, if not more, on your end as well. And I am not one that despises change. I grew up in constant change. I have gotten used to change. I am okay with change and I can adapt just fine. But lately, I have been growing weary of change. And weary of no change. Have you ever experienced a season of your life that seems like there is constant change, but at the same time no change at all? If you have then you know exactly what I am talking about. And if you haven't, try to imagine that it is winter and there is snow covering the ground and ice on the pools and rivers, but it is 95 degrees outside and you are sweating (and the snow and ice are not cold like the normally would be). You want to walk outside and feel the sunshine on your skin and you want to feel that still cold splash of water that hits your face as you first jump into the pool, but no matter how hot it gets the snow and ice won't melt. You can only imagine how quickly you would get tired of trying. Yes that may defy all the rules and sound like I am crazy, but that is the best way I can explain this feeling to you. The feeling of so many things changing on a daily basis, but the underlying foundation stays the same. And here is the place that I wish I could write my great revelation, or solution on how to get past this point of your life, but the only thing that I can come up with is that you have to keep on keeping on; that you have to keep adapting and overcoming. And that you have to remember that you cannot control the actions of another person, or how they treat you, but that you can change how you reply. You can reply in two ways: react or respond. When you react you loose control of your words and your actions, but when you respond you are able to control your words and your actions. So my friends, hang in there and keep on keeping on! I will be praying for all of you! And just a song to lift up your spirits!:
Okay friends, so I have to be real with all of you
and that means sharing some things I wish I could forget forever.
Women, what is the worst question someone can ask
you besides your weight?
“Oh, you’re pregnant!?! When are you due?” When you
are in fact are NOT expecting.
To all the ladies that have been asked this
question, I am sorry for bringing up the memories. I know what it feels like to
be asked this dreaded question. More than once. And to the ladies that haven’t
experienced this, I am glad that you have never been asked this, but please don’t
judge the ones who have.
And men, what possesses you to ask such questions?
And I apologize to any of the men reading this that wouldn’t even think to ask
such a question! You are smart men. Very smart.
When I was first asked this question it was by an older
man, who was married and had kids, he came up to me and just asked bluntly, “You’re
not pregnant, are you?!” I answered with a quiet no and escaped to the bathroom
to take a deep breath and try to figure out what happened. After I returned,
this man couldn’t just leave me alone, and had to come find me to apologize,
but his apology only made things worse. I still don’t even know his name, and I
hope to never see his face again. I got asked the question again when I was
working at a convenience store. This one came about because my sister was
pregnant at the time, and she also worked at the store. This customer wasn’t a
regular, but I recognized his face from seeing him from time to time. He was
standing around talking with some regulars about when my sister was due. And he
asked me for the exact date knowing she was my sister. I gave him a date and a
short while later, he was in my line and I cashed him out. He then said, “I thought
only your sister was pregnant?” I ignored him and told him his total. While he
was looking through his wallet he asked me when I was due; I stared at him
blankly and told him that I wasn’t. He apologized, but I wanted nothing more
than for him to be gone. So I quickly handed him his change and asked if I
could help the next customer. (Take a deep breath ladies. Your story that may
be similar to mine, or completely different, does NOT define you. You are beautiful.)
After each of these cases I had to hold back the tears,
and they sent me into a “slump” for the next couple of days. I wasn’t happy
with the way I look, and I’m still not thrilled. But I am learning to love me
for what I look like right now, and that my worth is not based solely on a few comments,
how I look, or a few numbers on a scale.
I don’t tell these stories to ask for sympathy, and
PLEASE do not leave any nasty comments below. I tell these stories to let the
other ladies know that they are not alone. To tell you that you are BEAUTIFUL.
Exactly how you are. Right now. You are not a comment someone has said, and
your beauty is beyond compare. I want you to know that you have a purpose that
is not defined by a few numbers. You are worth so much more than you could ever
know. I want you to know that I love you and that the Heavenly Father loves
you. Just the way you are. So go ahead, look at yourself in the mirror and tell
yourself that you are beautiful. Right now-- how you are. Tell yourself that you
do not need to change to be beautiful!
To the men (or women) that have ever asked this
question to someone they did not know was pregnant for sure… oy vey. You should never ever ever EVER
ask a woman when she is due if you have not been invited to a baby shower, or
until the baby is in her hands. Please think about what you are about to say
before you say it, and think about how your words will affect the recipient.
Because not everyone is a size two or four; other
women struggle with their weight for a varied number of reasons from stress to
hormonal imbalance.
Hang in there ladies! You are amazing and loved and
beautiful and you are NOT alone!<3
It seems like in the world of today that everyone is
talking about their favorite day… FRIDAY! Constantly you hear things like, “I
cannot wait until Friday,” or “Is it Friday yet?” or “Thank God it’s Friday!”
Everyone’s favorite day is Friday because it is the
start of most people’s weekends; the start of the time that most people don’t
have to work. For some it is the night that they get to go out and have a drink
or a few, or for others it is the night that they get to keep the kids up a
little bit later just to have the little head resting on their chest while the
television glows gently in the background with some Disney movie that you’ve
see a million times, but would watch a million more times if it means that you
get to spend time with your little one. Friday is the favorite day because most
people can go to bed knowing that they don’t have to set an alarm the next day
even if they will wake up with their internal alarm clock.
But what if I told you that Friday is not my
favorite day of the week. What if I told you that the day I cannot wait for
every week is none other than Sunday! The day most people who love Friday
dread.
I love Sunday’s because I know that I get to go to
church! Which is by far my favorite time because I get to spend uninterrupted
time with my King!! And yes, I can have quality time with Jesus any time I want
to have it, but when I am at church I am surrounded by people who want the same
thing as I do— time to spend with the one and only Perfect King! I get to forget
about the world and sing songs of praise to my Father! Because no matter what
is happening outside of the church, I do not have to think about it! I get to
take the time and just spend it with Jesus! And I don’t know about you, but
that is my favorite thing to do! It is the one thing that I love more than anything! Because regardless of how I feel that day or how low my
spirits may be, or how disappointed I am in myself, Jesus still loves me and is
never disappointed in me! And He wants to spend time with me. He doesn’t need
me, but He WANTS and LOVES me, AND all of my baggage and brokenness!!
And so as each new week approaches I cannot wait for
it to be Sunday again so that I get to spend quality time with my Maker, with
the only one who can love me unconditionally.
And so my friends, happy Friday! But I cannot wait
for Sunday!
So, there have been a lot of things that I have wanted to share with all of you, and just wasn't sure how to do it because what I want to share is a lot of random odds and ends of my thoughts. I don't want this to be a formal blog, and it won't be confinded to any certain subject matter or tutorials!
Like I said there is a lot of odds and ends of my thoughts that I would like to share with all of you, so this is going to be a place where I can do that!
For those of you who do not know me, here is a short introduction:
My name is Sadie, I am a daughter of the One True King Jesus Christ. I am currently enrolled in college; my major is human services with a minor in psychology. I enjoy a big cup of coffee whenever I can get it. And I am always up for a good read! You can most likely find me listening to music at any time of the day. I enjoy hanging out with friends, reading, writing, and on occasion you can even find me painting!
There will be another post soon! G'night friends! (:
