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Tuesday, July 30, 2013

You Could Be Happy.


I was listening intently...
"Your value should not be determined by how someone else has treated you."
I take it to heart.
To not allow the words or actions of others toward me to sway my position.

God gives me control.
He allows me to be happy.
He also allows me to enter into trials, bad situations, circumstances
that seem never ending.
It is a test.
How will I react?
Will I feel sorry for myself?
Will I shut myself off from the world?
Will I become non-emotional?
Others may tell me..
"You should be offended."
"Doesn't that make you mad?"
"You deserve to be angry with them."
They may say I am naive.
Perhaps I am too positive.
Even comment on how I let people run over me.
....
It is not true.
Because I fully understand one thing.
It is my choice.
Happiness.
So I stand firm.
I let go of pride.
I hold my position in the light.
I will choose to be happy.
.....
And I want each one of you to understand you have a choice...
You could be happy.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Matthew 5:8

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Monday, July 29, 2013

Give Me Cherries.


You see the bowl full of beautiful cherries.
Now, see the doughnut.
and the one bite missing..

This morning I strolled intro the kitchen for breakfast.
Open the fridge, cherries,yes!
I turn around and there they lay, the enemy...
a box full of crispy doughnuts.

It can be as easy as telling yourself.
DON'T EAT THE DOUGHNUT.
Instead I choose to let my desires take over.
I know the doughnut is bad for me.
The cherries would make a more appetizing breakfast..
They are better for me.
I would feel fuller longer.
So why do I choose the doughnut?
It gives me that instant gratification.
It is short lived of course.
An hour later, well more like 10 minutes later I am looking for something
that can fill my appetite.

I think life is a lot like cherries and doughnuts.
We have a choice.
We can choose what is good for us,
or give in to what seems satisfying.

I am working on not giving in to the doughnuts.
It is about controlling your thoughts and not letting them control your actions.

I want what is best for me, and I know God does.
So I say, give me cherries.

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Thursday, July 25, 2013

They Are New Every Morning



Wow.
Seriously, wow.

Time and time again, I have read this chapter.
Never once did it fully sink in... until last night.
Sitting on my bed I casually flip to Lamentations,
looking for the verse "..they are new every morning..".
I start reading the first of the chapter.
I immediately am captured by the first words..
"I am the man who has seen affliction.."
As I read it over and over, chills run over me.
I think this is me, and
I continue reading...

"he has driven me into the darkness, without any light" 
(I've been there)
....
"he has broken my bones"
(very broken)
...
"with bitterness and tribulation"
(exactly)
...
"he has made me dwell in darkness"
(at one time)
....
"he has filled me with bitterness"
(yes)
....
"I have forgotten what happiness is"
(truth)

It all hit home, every stitch.
My heart aches.
But then I read the words of truth that carry me on.

"the love of the Lord never ceases"..
(Never!)
...
"His mercies never come to an end"
(Yes!)
...
"they are new every morning"
(Every single day!)
...
"the Lord is my portion, therefore I will hope in Him"
(Hope is my anchor!)
...
"the Lord is good to those who wait for Him,
to the soul who seeks Him"
(Waiting patiently!)
....
"I called on your name O Lord,
from the depths of the pit"
(After I fell to my knees!)
...
"you heard my plea"
(He listened!)
....
"you came near when I called on you"
(He was always there!)
...
you said, "Do not fear!"
(And I stopped being afraid!)

"Sometime the sun seems hidden for years...
We never walk alone, this is our hope.
Our hope endures, the worst of conditions..." 
words from Natalie Grant's 'Our Hope Endures'.

Lamentations 3, always close to my heart.
Thank you, God.
For you brought me out of the pit.
Every morning, a new day,
a new journey,
another chance to shine your light.
Always yours...

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Wednesday, July 24, 2013

La vita è bella

La vita é bella.
Italian for 
Life is beautiful.

This is how I feel,
at this very moment,
at this very second,
it is the air I breathe.

Trusting.
Knowing.
Believing.
Seeing.

My hope is an anchor.
It pulls me back to Him.
The waves come crashing down,
but I hold strong to the hope.

For I truly can say today,
I have faith
that no matter what,
the circumstances,
the trials,
the heartache,
that
la vita é bella.

St. Thomas Mission Trip, June 2013.



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Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Field of Dreams.


In my dreams...
there are fields of grass so tall I float across them.
They go on forever and never seem to end.

I love to dream.
I have always had big, real-life dreams.
I dreamed of serving in the military.
I dreamed of becoming a pilot.
I dreamed of traveling and seeing the world.
But I knew, no matter what that I wanted to be serving God.
Like a wheat field, the dreams never seemed to end.
Then, my when's turned into if's.
My dreams started to die and wither, like the fields in a drought.
I let roadblocks stop me, when I should have seen it just as a detour.

I have started dreaming again...
And I am back in the field of dreams.

In this year alone, God has opened the door for my dreams to take flight.
The mission trip I have been praying for, happened!
And just last week I received another opportunity to serve again in South Dakota.
I realized I had to just trust. Trust God.
I am learning to
Be patient. Be persistent. Be positive.

And so I am doing it.
I am seeing the world...
I am serving..
And it makes me happy..
To see dreams come true.



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Wednesday, July 10, 2013

St. Thomas {Part 5} Video of our trip.


Here is a video from our mission trip to St. Thomas.
I hope you enjoy seeing all those smiling faces.
Every time I watch it I want to go back!

Hope everyone is having a glorious week!
Love all my readers.

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Thursday, July 4, 2013

St. Thomas {Part 4} Reminiscing.

Happy 4th to all!
GO USA!

Look at this eye candy.
This is my Heaven.
I wish I could cross my arms and nod my head like Jeannie on I Dream of Jeannie,
and ZAP I would be back in the U.S.V.I.

Here are some fun and beautiful pictures from the trip.

View of Trunk Bay.
Taking a dip in Trunk Bay.
Megan's Beach, where the honeymoon scene from Twilight was filmed!
Megan's beach was a fave of mine.
View from the Ritz.
View from our balcony...wouldn't mind waking up to this everyday!
Sweet ladies.
The infinity pool with some of my favorite people.
Ferry ride to St. John.
At Trunk Bay.
Windy boat ride to Honeymoon bay.
Snorkeling (my new favorite thing) at Honeymoon Bay.
 Sweet friends.
 Kayak time.
 Some pretty great people.
I got to drive the boat!
In front of the Ritz.

Of course I found a hammock.
A happy me.

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