Quote of the Day 12/31/13

An excellent reminder as 2014 approaches (and my favorite quote of all)….

"People are often unreasonable, illogical and self centered;

Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;

Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;

Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;

Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;

Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;

Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;

Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;

Give the world the best you've got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and your God;

It was never between you and them anyway."

[Mother Teresa]

Quote of the Day 12/30/13

“The better part of one's life consists of his friendships.”

[Abraham Lincoln, in a letter to a friend, reminding us that friendships matter]

Quote of the Day 12/29/30

"May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears."         [Nelson Mandela]

2013: A year well lived

Hard to believe that 2013 will be referred to as "last year" in just a few short days. This time last year, I sat down to think about what 2013 would be like and what it would bring. I don't make some long list of resolutions but I did sit down and write myself a letter of hopes and desires, things I hoped that maybe it would bring, things I could work on, and people I could look out for. Rereading the letter a year later, some of things happened and turned out well, some things turned out completely not as expected, some didn't happen and some ill be resubmitting on my 2014 letter.

But overall, I can say that 2013 was one eventful year. What did I do? I guess I kinda did a lot...

I started back at Point Loma after re-adjusting back to life in America after Italy. Moved to San Diego officially into my own home sweet home. Went to the presidential inauguration. Saw Beyonce. Interviewed by British news. Celebrated with friends at their graduation. Landed an ideal student dream job (and paid internship). Had my first summer in San Diego. Explored Seattle. Arranged a secret flash dance mob. Watched free fireworks every night of the summer, courtesy of Sea World. Had the time of my life in the Mansour-Young wedding as a bridesmaid. Felt and turned 22. Surprised with the most incredible birthday party. Started my final year of undergraduate education.Went back home to my childhood land of Georgia. Was a bridesmaid in a childhood friend's wedding. Wished upon a star and woke up the next day with and internship offer by a Dining Magazine. Went to the Getty finally. Crossed the Mexico-CA border by food (just to go to dinner for the night). Ate food from about 100+ restaurants. Learned the ins and outs of the San Diego restaurant industry. Saw John Mayer, Train and Phillip Phillips in concert. Fell in love with exercise. Picked apples in Julian, CA. Ate a cronut. Participated in a swap meet scavenger hunt. Went to Mexico for a surprise family vacation. Traveled to Arizona, had a blast exploring Fountain Hills and seeing the world's largest fountain. Represented Dining Out at the San Diego Food and Wine Festival. Cooked my first 20 person dinner. Met Richard Blais and Sharone Hakman.Went to the San Diego Symphony. Best friend/roommate got engaged (so honored to be your bridesmaid!) Survived my 2nd to last finals ever. Raced in the mountains. Hiked in the mountains and celebrated the best Christmas yet with my wonderful family.

Quote of the Day 12/26/13

“The final wisdom of life requires not the annulment of incongruity but the achievement of serenity within and above it.”      [Reinhold Niebuhr]

the promise of Christmas

Every year, the Christmas Candlelight Service is a service not to be missed. There is something just so beautiful and peaceful, and despite all Christmas traffic and planning and cleaning and any other holiday madness, it brings back Christmas to what it should be.

The 4 candles lit around the center Christ candle represent Hope, Peace, Joy and Love. So as Christmas sets in here on West Coast, I wanted to take a few moments to reflect on each advent promise. Each promise made is an everlasting and unconditional gift, given without limits, expectations or liabilities. In a world where everything comes with conditions or fine lines, it becomes nearly impossible to fathom why or even how such priceless gifts could be so freely given. 

Hope, Peace, Joy and Love. I won't speak for anyone but myself but I really want more of that in my life. I want to live every day as a hopeful, peaceful, joyful and loving person.

Quote of the Day 12/20/13

"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 

And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 

If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." 

Quote of the Day 12/19/13

"Humility is perfect quietness of heart. It is to expect nothing, to wonder at nothing that is done to me, to feel nothing done against me. It is to be at rest when nobody praises me, and when I am blamed or despised. It is to have a blessed home in the Lord, where I can go in and shut the door, and kneel to my Father in secret, and am at peace as in a deep sea of calmness, when all around and above is trouble.”        [Andrew Murray]

Quote of the Day 12/18/13

"And then I will look a little more carefully with a little more love at my surroundings, to listen to what can be heard in the depths of the wreckage. The footsteps of friends on the deck. The calls on my phone from family. The texts of kindness. The emails of opportunity. The likes and the comments and the hearts and the replies from every other broken heart. When the army doesn’t come for you, when no one chooses to fight for you, when no one dives in after you with fairy tales and promises, you write a different story. You write a tale of adventure and chaos, of survival and fortitude, and instead of wishing to be saved, you save yourself. "        [Kelton Wright]

Quote of the Day 12/17/13

"A woman who walks with God will always reach her destination."             [Author Unknown]

Quote of the Day 12/16/13

"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle."         [Plato]

Quote of the Day 12-14-13

“If you want to make God laugh, tell him about your plans.”   [Woody Allen]

Editors Note: I actually laughed out loud while typing this, thanks Woody! 

Quote of the Day 12/13/13

"My mother was the most beautiful woman I ever saw. All I am I owe to my mother. I attribute all my success in life to the moral, intellectual and physical education I received from her."    [George Washington]

Quote of the Day

“We cannot rely on ourselves, for we have learned by bitter experience the folly of self-confidence. We are compelled to look to the Lord alone. Blessed is the wind that drives the ship into the harbor. Blessed is the distress that forces us to rest in our God."      [Charles H. Spurgeon]

When education gets in the way of your learning

The following is the longer version of my article that was published in Point Loma Nazarene University's publication. Because my own blog is not constrained to a 500 word limit, I wanted to publish the original version and original title. As always, thoughts and rebuttals are always appreciated. :)

Quote of the Day 12/09/13

"There is no passion to be found playing small - in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living."              [Nelson Mandela]

A post worth sharing

This link was shared with me today and I couldn't help but share it on my blog. I love the writer's open and honest remarks on what really matters in love and ultimately marriage. The post below is taken from the writter's blog. It is some serious food for thought.

Quote of the Day 12/4/13

“Be the one who nurtures and builds. Be the one who has an understanding and a forgiving heart one who looks for the best in people. Leave people better than you found them.” ― Marvin J. Ashton