The "LIST"

I'm reading this book called "the list" by marian jordan...(ladies, GREAT book I recommend it to YOU!)

It's talking all about girl's hopeless life "lists" and when we all stop and admit it, we all have life lists.
Things we wish to accomplish in our lives by certain milestones or birthdays or markers.
Or we make lists in our future spouses.. whether its a physically written down in black and white or on our hearts minds we have done it at one point in our lives. I mean is it wrong to aspire for high standards and qualities. We are called to not settle. I agree. But are you looking for Christlike qualities OR just looking for a perfect mr. superman. I believe we're ALL human and that we are all God's masterpieces, that are STILL being worked on.
Another LIST in my life is a "I WANT" list.

I want this, I want that.

Top of my list right now is a road bike. then a car.
These things all have one thing in common. MATERIAL possession. Selfish ambitions.
Somehow I think if I have that next great thing then I'll be happy. BUT WILL I? Have you ever wanted something for a long time and when you finally did get it, it wasn't as exciting or great as you thought? You thought that just this ONE more thing would make you happy. That one pair of shoes, that one set of clothes, that one BIKE.....always looking ahead to find joy. I often think when I'm in better shape i'll be happy....loose those few more pounds...be faster...be better at that sport....THEN i'll be HAPPY. But God does not want us to always live for tomorrow. A lesson I have yet to learn!! We can have JOY now! Joy is not found in this world or in any material possessions! That the lie that satan wants us all to believe. If we could cross ONE MORE thing off our list our lives would be better. IT'S ALL LIES!
great quotes..

JOY is not found in some future state; it is available now for those of us willing to make the exchange! The secret of life is not found in consuming but in being consumed by a passion for God- marian jordan

My Mamie

Beauty is in her experienced eyes, which have seen years of joy, pain, war and life.
Beauty is in her golden hair with its sun kissed look of year’s outdoors
Beauty is in her age spots representing a life of hard work and toil.
Beauty is in her hands, which have comforted and cared for others before herself.
Beauty is in her smile, which has light up so many lives with its radiance
Her beauty has only increased with time.
All she may see is imperfections, wrinkles and lines but all I see is a woman who has seen more of life then can be measured and made more of a difference in this world then she could ever know. But more important than the impact she has on this world is the impact she has on my life. She has taught me more then she could ever know and I can see her beauty everyday.

Fantastic Four

It's been a long time since I last wrote in here.
Months have past. Many things have happened.

Camp has always been an amazing experience and as always it seems to fly by in the blink of an eye.
2 months. Gone
This summer was different.
All my summers at Whitesand have been awesome but this one was unforgettable. I made friendships that I hope will never end.
We were inseparable. We were joined at the hip. If you found me you found her. If you were looking for her you found me. Chiara.
Best Friends.
We are the three best friends that anyone could have! Fantastic Four.
This summer was so full of laughs and inside jokes, they'll last a lifetime. It makes me want to jump on a plane and fly back today but I know that no one would be there. Camp is an amazing place but it's about the people! The people are what I miss. What leaves me with a tear stained pillow thinking i'll never see these people again. So I look to that blessed day. That one day when there will be no more goodbyes. When best friends will never have to be distance and grow apart with their own lives. A place where I can be with the Fantastic four forever and my very best friend in the world; Jesus Christ.
DO NOT get me wrong, I am ecstatic to be home with my family. The airport was such a joyful reunion and I did miss my family a lot. I love them to pieces and I love this place. They are some pretty awesome people.
There is however a place in my heart for Whitesand. Leaving it is never easy. The tears flow and the hearts break. Especially when there is no hope of a reunion next summer. It hurts all the more. The days go by in a blurr, just wishing I could see them again, make jokes with them again, laugh till I cry again, just be at that perfect place again.
As I was at the beach yesterday with my little cousins I had some time to think. Here my little cousin is laughing her head off trying to jump and avoid all these waves. She's smiling and laughing, enjoying her time. I thought "I need to do the same." There were three people this summer that had a huge impact on my life. Chiara, Angela, and Jared. These three people are the COOLEST people you will ever meet. As I watched my cousin it reminded me of them and one of the big things they taught me this summer and that was to Just enjoy life in the moment. Don't look forward at what's to come but enjoy where you are right now! Enjoy God in your life right now. Laugh at the jokes. Don't think about leaving or parting but enjoy the time you have with each other RIGHT NOW. So I ran over to my little cousin, took her by the hand and joined her in her wave jumping. Laughing and smiling and making memories. Enjoy today. Enjoy your family and friends today. So while I miss those people with all my heart I will enjoy home. I will be leaving again soon and I really miss my family during the year away. So I'm enjoying my family now:) They are my life.

God calls us to a life of enjoyment. I'm sure he puts people in our lives to enjoy and create everlasting bonds with. May my friendships from this summer not fade out as they have in the past but remain strong and constant. Fantastic Four.



If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Phillipians 2:1-4

Kindness and a Kleenex

"ACHOO!"

I shielded my face from the sneeze of the man in front of me on the escalator. "Bless you" said a woman behind me. He then continued to chat on his cell phone.
This happened three or four times in the span of time I spent behind him on the stairs.

It happens every day. A sneeze and a polite response. "Bless you"
But what the lady did in the next few minutes let me know there is still kindness in this world today.
Reaching the top of the escalator the man quickly began to go on his way still chatting on his cell phone. He seemed to be in a bit of a hurry and frazzled. The lady behind me called out to him, "Sir" and he seemed not to hear her. She walked quickly to him and again said "sir". He turned around and she handed him a Kleenex tissue. "Here, I thought you might need one", She said with a smile and then was just as quickly on her way. He said "thank you" and hurried on his way.

l smiled to myself. How even little acts of kindness do not go unnoticed. I noticed the woman's kind gesture that day in the airport. She'll never know that it touched my heart or that I was blessed by her ever so small act of kindness.

What act of kindness will you do today? Do you think it goes unnoticed, think again. Someone behind you on the escalator might notice and be touched. Go, be blessed:)

Airports

I love Airports.
At least the arrivals...

go to the departure gate and you're flooded with images of tears, sadness, leaving, parting, breaking up, good-byes, and plain unhappiness.
But go to arrivals and there is an sense of happiness and joy amidst the screams of excitement, hellos, reunions, hugs, and smiles. People are meant to be together.

I've had to do a few "departures" just in the last few weeks. I left my best friend on the side walk as I waved good-bye from the van taking me to the airport from Southern Adventist University concluding my sophomore year of college. A ting of sadness and loss gripped my throat and I just watched till I could watch no more. Then the next day I said good-bye to my cousins as I walked through airport security onto my plane headed for Dallas Texas to be reunited with my Aunt and Uncle for a week of fun. Then here we go again... Hugs and farewells to my Aunt as my brother and I walked through airport security onto another waiting area for out flight back home. I reluctantly said goodbye again to a someone I love.

I always seem to be saying goodbye now. Goodbye to my high school classmates as we must move on to grow up on our own and make our own lives. Our class once tight and bonded separated by time and space. We once causally chatting and hanging out now cling to the last few moments of the time we had together during our graduation. Tears stung my eyes on that last day as I watched my friends for so long cry and hug with no more time left.
I say goodbye to my parents every time they come to visit or I go home for a few days. The times at home seems so short. It never really occurred to me that I would not be living at home for much longer. I took my time here for granted. Now I know whenever I get home I will always be packing up again and leaving AGAIN. NOT a fun feeling.
Nothing seems to be sure anymore.

I hate goodbyes.

There's a reunion that I can't wait to be a part of.
One WITHOUT a goodbye.
A reunion that will last forever.
No more tears, no more airport departures, no more graduations, no more farewell hugs, no more empty feelings.
Just a hello to forever with our Lord and Savior.
I can't wait for that day, what about you?
Are you excited for no more parting. I sure am!

REVELATION 21:4 "He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."

"Car Horns"

I was just recently visiting my Aunt in Grand Prairie TX. I saw more of Texas then probably any Texas citizen as we toured around and had a blast just being tourists. We were waiting at a light and all in the car were deeply enthralled in a conversation and didn't notice immediately the light turning green. As soon as my aunt realized the light had turned and began to step on the gas the truck behind us blared a rude and impatient "BEEEEEP!!!!" I was a big taken back...

Not only did it sounds rude but it was held out obnoxiously long as if to make the drivers frustrated point.
However we brushed it off and drove on.

Next turn a car darts in front of us almost taking off our front bumper and honks loudly as he seems to claim we are the ones doing the "cutting off"

My blood begins to boil. I think to myself how can such a noise create such anger?
The Blair of a horn, the raising of a voice, a harsh gesture all create such intense emotions in a person.

What was the car horn originally made for?
www.cogapa.com says the original creation of the car horn was for safety, as a warning to help save those in danger of our own vehicle. But what has it become? More of a tool for anger and frustration on the road.
Road rage is taken out on others with the blare of a car horn.
We demonstrate our impatient moods and anger as we honk at a car cutting us off or one who seems to be too slow.
Satan seems to take everything and turn it from a good thing (saving lives, a warning) to a tool for anger (frustration, road rage)

So next time you're cut off by a car or feeling impatient at a stop light. Take a breath:) Or give a smile to the driver. Who knows what kind of impact that will have on them rather than a split second decision to blare your horn.

how are we Christians? By showing Christ in ALL we do:) So go. Make someones day a little less frustrating:)

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Php 2:5-11 (NKJV)

"Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me"

How many times have you heard that saying?
Too many I would say.
But I don't agree.
Words are powerful!!

I have talked a lot about how words can really hurt someone but until you experience it yourself you'll never know how deep words can cut a person to the heart. I experienced the way words can negatively effect someone even if you only speak them casually or in passing by this past week. There were some words I've been the recipient of that have left me deeply hurt and I don't think I will ever forget them. The person speaking was one in power above me whom I greatly respect. They probably have no idea what they said or even if I heard it, but I did.

Words do hurt. That is a fact.
no riddle or cute saying will change that.

However, how many times have I done the very same thing? Said something against someone whether behind their back or to their faces that was hurtful. They probably still remember it to this day.

So I cannot hold on to those words. I can't let them leave me scared.
I've been reading the book of Proverbs for my devotionals and as I was thinking about what this individual had said I read these passages from Proverbs chapter 11:

"From the fruit of his lips a man is filled with good things as surely as the works of his hands rewards him. The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice. A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks insults. Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up." vs. 14-16, 18, 25

Becareful what you say. Hold your tongue. Who knows who is listening?
Words can hurt or heal, What will yours do today??