Quote of the Day 12/15/14

"Our bravest and best lessons are not learned through success, but through misadventure."    [Amos Bronson Alcott]

Laughing Without Fear of the Future

I came home one evening and saw that someone had taken the time to inscribe the kitchen chalkboard. My wonderful roommate Katie had written the following in beautiful calligraphy - "She is clothed in strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future."

It's a verse I'd read many times before but never given much thought to. But lately, there's been a lot on my mind, situations I can't yet comprehend and that haven't quite added up, and those words, those words of "laughing without fear of the future," have been inscribed in my mind.  

Quote of the Day 12/11/14

"I’m not doing it well or neatly, but on days like today I can see a glimpse of where we’re going, and it makes me swoon.

Less hustling. Less proving. Less frantic. Less bone-tired.

More true rest. More connection. More prayer, more listening, more tea.

More sacred space, more blessed monotony.

More love.

I like it."   [Shauna Niequist]

Quote of the Day 12/09/14

"It is when we choose to be Christ to others, and to see them as He sees them that our perspective begins to change. Christ cares for everyone, and when we focus our lives on Him, we see how much all of God’s creation matters. We love relentlessly when we love Christ completely. But I will say this, one day someone will come into your life and you will know what it means to love without need, because loving the right way does not make us dependent on another; it makes us dependent on Christ together."     [T.B. LaBerge]

Giving thanks

Tis the season... For hectic-ness, crammed parking lots and over consumption of calories!

Or at least that's what we've made it out to be.

But really, this should be the season of gratefulness. Not that gratefulness should be for a season, or one specific reason (rhyming is maybe intentional).. But if anything, the thanksgiving/upcoming Christmas season should serve as a reminder. When the world gets overwhelming and life is flying faster then the pumpkin latte orders at Starbucks, I am thankful for the reminder to be grateful and to give thanks.

This thanksgiving, I want to give thanks for the opportunities that have come my way and the ones that never did; I want to give thanks for my Santa Barbara family but also my San Diego one; I want to give thanks for the job(s) I have; the people I have met; and as simple and maybe cliche statement, I want to give thanks for the life I am able to live.

They say that the secret to happiness is living with an abundance of gratefulness. Melody Beattie wrote the following: "Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow," and I couldn't agree more.

Quote of the Day 11/04/14

We are always falling in love or quarreling, looking for jobs or fearing to lose them, getting ill and recovering, following public affairs. If we let ourselves, we shall always be waiting for some distraction or other to end before we can really get down to our work. The only people who achieve much are those who want knowledge so badly that they seek it while the conditions are still unfavorable. Favorable conditions never come.   [C.S. Lewis] 

Quote of the Day 10/27/14

“Sometimes God’s power is shown as much in preventing things as it is in making them happen.” [Lisa TerKeurst]

Quote of the Day 10/24/14

“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.”   [Melody Beattie]

Quote of the Day 10/21/14

“To be loved but not known is comforting but superficial. To be known and not loved is our greatest fear. But to be fully known and truly loved is, well, a lot like being loved by God. It is what we need more than anything. It liberates us from pretense, humbles us out of our self-righteousness, and fortifies us for any difficulty life can throw at us.”  [Timothy Keller]

Quote of the Day 09/18/14

“To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable.”  [C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves]

Quote of the Day 9/17/14

"To become fully human means learning to turn my gratitude for being alive into some concrete common good. It means growing gentler toward human weakness. It means practicing forgiveness of my and everyone else's hourly failures to live up to divine standards. It means learning to forget myself on a regular basis in order to attend to the other selves in my vicinity. It means living so that "I'm only human" does not become an excuse for anything. It means receiving the human condition as blessing and not curse, in all its achingly frail and redemptive reality.”   [Brené Brown]

Fear

Let me tell you something about fear.

Everyone carries some form of it.

Fear of failure.

Fear of pain.

Fear of rejection.

Fear manifests itself in many different forms. And fear manifests itself in each one of us.

Fear is hard to define. What exactly is it? It's an emotion right? But why do we feel it? Why does it happen? Is it something internally that we feed until it grows into something more than nervous butterflies and sweaty palms? Is it a product of our imagination? Does it actually need to exist? Or is it a problem we create for ourselves that transitions into a reality we start to accept?

I don't actually have the answers to all those answers. But maybe acknowledging personal fears is a start to figuring how to live without them.

I have a journal that I write in every Sunday. I write bits and pieces of what is on my heart and my mind. I had gotten off track and felt compelled to write the other day. In writing, I admitted honestly that I have a fear. I have a fear of being hurt. 

Quote of the Day 9/16/14

“To love someone fiercely, to believe in something with your whole heart, to celebrate a fleeting moment in time, to fully engage in a life that doesn’t come with guarantees – these are risks that involve vulnerability and often pain. But, I’m learning that recognizing and leaning into the discomfort of vulnerability teaches us how to live with joy, gratitude and grace.”     [Brené Brown]

Quote of the Day 09/07/14

"It’s quite an undertaking to start loving somebody. You have to have energy, generosity, blindness. There is even a moment right at the start where you have to jump across an abyss: if you think about it you don’t do it."    [Jean-Paul Sartre]

The KGB's Most Wanted: My Hero

This is the KGB's Most Wanted Man and also, my hero.

There are many truths and values I hold near and dear, and they are ones I believe that I will never forget, never compromise and never be afraid to wear on my sleeve or boldly proclaim. A phrase we often hear from a young age is “Always stand up for what you believe in” or “Never compromise” or something along those lines. Those are great phrases, ones that have been told to me and ones I have told others. It’s great advice but sometimes, it sure is easier said than done. Sometimes our beliefs and values are challenged or put to the test. Sometimes these battles are easy and sometimes these battles have us a loss for our voice. We know what to say but at the given moment, we retreat, either out of fear or discomfort, or even embarrassment. I’ve been there, I am a flawed person and sometimes I fail myself. I fail my own convictions and I fail to do the right thing.

We far too often forget to remember, that at least if you’re living in America, you have the freedom is say what you want to say and believe what you want to believe. People may disagree and go as far as to argue and come up with a vast array of names for you, but despite some verbal adversary you may face, we’ve got it pretty good here…. And yet we still can’t always manage to stand for what we believe in.

But what if it wasn’t just some name calling or brief debating on the line? What if your everything was on the line? What if your education and employment opportunities, family, financial security, home and literal life were on the line? As much as I try to process that, I don’t think I will ever fully grasp the extent of what that feels like, and I all too often forget that there are those who still very much face that reality today. People are still dying, simply for the beliefs and values they hold true.

In 2009, while participating in a pageant, I was asked the quintessential pageant question of “Who is your hero and why?” My immediate response was my grandfather. And if asked that question today, I would without a doubt give the same answer today.

My grandfather, Joseph Bondarenko, will always be my greatest hero. I am fortunate beyond words that my grandpa is still alive and well today. He has this zeal and zest for life that I can only hope to one day possess. He dreams big and passionately, he lives each day full of drive and fire and joy that cannot be dimmed. You would never suspect that for many years, he was one of the most wanted men by the Soviet Union’s military police – the KGB.

My grandfather, asa young man, was involved with the Christian church and church ministry in the former Soviet Union. The label of “Christian” in the iron grip of the Soviet society put the ultimate target on your back, and since he was a pastor, that really put the gun to his head.

My grandfather endured almost 10 years of imprisonment, torture and numerous near death experiences all because he chose to stand for the beliefs and truths he held. He rejected the way of the hammer and the sickle, becoming an enemy to the communist driven state, risking literally everything to truly stand for what he believed in. A good part of his life was spent running from police, having his house searched, being denied school and employment opportunities, and enduring starvation and torture. The stories he has told are almost unreal, but yet they are very real. Most amazing of all, is despite the life he lived, he possess more joy and passion and love for life and others than anyone else I have ever met. His smile is infectious and when he laughs, there is an ever present sparkle in his eyes. He has compassion beyond measure and forgiveness that flows freely.  He has even in the past few years, reunited with the officials who formerly imprisoned and beat him, extending forgiveness and love to them. 

Quote of the Day 08/20/14

"The heart of human excellence often begins to beat when you discover a pursuit that absorbs you, frees you, challenges you, or gives you a sense of meaning, joy, or passion.”  [Terry Orlick]

the simple life

one of my favorite pictures taken in Oregon

I haven’t been doing a lot of writing, but I have been doing a lot of living. I Graduated. Started a career job. I covered 1100 miles in a one day drive to Portland. I've said goodbyes and I've welcomed new changes. I've traveled.  I've created a home. I've set some goals and realized new dreams. I'd like to think I've done a lot. 

In the process of living, I have also been doing a lot of thinking.

I think it’s hard to not get caught in the “what ifs” and “what’s next” questions when you finish one chapter and start another. I’ve have only been asked the “So what are you going to do now/what is your plan?” question 3402473832 times since graduating college.  I don’t blame people for asking, it’s really a great question. A new blank chapter is beginning and there’s a whole lot you can fill the pages with, so it might make sense to think of some kind of outline.

Heartbreak: based on a true story

It's a somewhat typical story. 

A story about a boy and a girl.

They seem to unknowingly do life around each other but not really with each other. It's the the occasional crossing of paths and the occasional lingering thoughts of attraction. No actions taken, only thoughts considered. 

Until one day. That unexplainable day when something changes. When the heart takes a detour and the mind chases after it.  Actually, let’s be honest,  it feels like everything changes. 

The walls come down, the butterflies rush in and the heart beats a little faster. We all know that moment. It happens differently for everyone, but the end result is always the same. You find yourself in total state of "like." Sometimes these feelings rise and vanish rather quickly, and sometimes these feelings are not mutual. But sometimes, in the most ideal of scenarios, the feelings align and sparks fly. You don't know what's going to happen and you don't really care, because at that moment, when the realization of mutual feeling happens, it seems as though nothing can go wrong in the world.

Quote of the Day 4/23/14

“So we shall let the reader answer this question for himself: who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed?” —[Hunter S. Thompson]

Quote of the Day 4/16/14

I've learned... That the best classroom in the world is at the feet of an elderly person.

I’ve learned … That when you’re in love, it shows.

I’ve learned … That just one person saying to me, “You’ve made my day!” makes my day.

I’ve learned … That having a child fall asleep in your arms is one of the most peaceful feelings in the world.

I’ve learned … That being kind is more important than being right.

I’ve learned … That you should never say no to a gift from a child.

I’ve learned … That I can always pray for someone when I don’t have the strength to help him in some other way.

I’ve learned … That no matter how serious your life requires you to be, everyone needs a friend to act goofy with.

I’ve learned … That sometimes all a person needs is a hand to hold and a heart to understand.

I’ve learned … That simple walks with my father around the block on summer nights when I was a child did wonders for me as an adult.

I’ve learned … That life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes.

I’ve learned … That we should be glad God doesn’t give us everything we ask for.

I’ve learned … That money doesn’t buy class.

I’ve learned … That it’s those small daily happenings that make life so spectacular.

I’ve learned … That under everyone’s hard shell is someone who wants to be appreciated and loved.

I’ve learned … That the Lord didn’t do it all in one day. What makes me think I can?

I’ve learned … That to ignore the facts does not change the facts.

I’ve learned … That when you plan to get even with someone, you are only letting that person continue to hurt you.

I’ve learned … That love, not time, heals all wounds.

I’ve learned … That the easiest way for me to grow as a person is to surround myself with people smarter than I am.

I’ve learned … That everyone you meet deserves to be greeted with a smile.

I’ve learned … That there’s nothing sweeter than sleeping with your babies and feeling their breath on your cheeks.

I’ve learned … That no one is perfect until you fall in love with them.

I’ve learned … That life is tough, but I’m tougher.

I’ve learned … That opportunities are never lost; someone will take the ones you miss.

I’ve learned … That when you harbor bitterness, happiness will dock elsewhere.

I’ve learned … That I wish I could have told my Dad that I love him one more time before he passed away.

I’ve learned … That one should keep his words both soft and tender, because tomorrow he may have to eat them.

I’ve learned … That a smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks.

I’ve learned … That I can’t choose how I feel, but I can choose what I do about it.

I’ve learned … That when your newly born grandchild holds your little finger in his little fist, that you’re hooked for life.

I’ve learned … That everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you’re climbing it.

I’ve learned … That it is best to give advice in only two circumstances; when it is requested and when it is a life-threatening situation.

I’ve learned … That the less time I have to work with, the more things I get done.

[Andy Rooney]

Dear Courtney...

An open letter to the girl turned roommate turned friend turned best friend turned sister

Dear Courtney
We often joke around that you are the reason I stayed. As much as we joke around about it, that is very much the truth. I loved PLNU from the beginning but felt that I could never truly connect with people there. Let me tell you. I was so completely, utterly wrong, just about as wrong as I was about that other thing (*inside joke, you'll get it). I developed many genuine connections and most of all I developed a friendship with you. Little did I know that I would be leaving college with a discovery of a sister and a life long friend.
After roughly 4 years, 1460 days, 35,000 hours, 2100000 minutes together and about every experience possible experienced together, I quite literally would not be the person I am today if it wasn't for you. Death, break ups, boy problems, boy crazes, academic successes, failed exam, jobs offered and jobs turned away, family misunderstands, leasing our first apartment, car problems and just dealing with life. I could write pages on the experiences we have shared and overcome together.
You were by my side when I cried for hours and poured more water than Niagara Falls. You let me tell you the same story over and over again and listened with an open heart and open mind every time. You forced me to go to the hospital and saved my life. You came to my rescue that one time my credit cards wouldn’t work. You have forgiven me for the many times I hit you in my sleep. You’ve let me into your family and you’ve welcomed mine with open arms. You can understand what's going on by a single glance and I will forever believe in our "roommate telepathy." You are a true, one of a kind, genuine, honest, beautiful, driven woman and I don’t thank God enough that I get to call you my best friend.

The amount of similarities we share is from what I have been told is “unheard of” and people often tell us that we got “really lucky,” but I know for a fact that we did not get lucky. Only God could have made our friendship possible and you are by far the biggest blessing that came from my time at Point Loma. I remember our first “roommate bonding” experiencing when we decided that walking 10 miles to get Fiji yogurt was a great idea. Since then our adventures have consisted of the most unusual places and pairings but every moment spent with you has endless potential to be some of the best moments of the day. I still laugh when I recall how you flew out of the courtesy shuttle and we ended up pretending to be old people at a 24 hour Walgreens, laughing until our eyes were filled with tears.

In my prayers, I selfishly ask that come Sunday at 5 PM, we will find out that nothing changes and I will still awake to the cup of coffee you leave every morning on my bedside table and come home to Wednesday Melissa and Joey nights. We can complain to each other about the misery of getting dressed and talk about how all we want to do is wear work out clothes every day. We will continue to spam each other with recipes and restaurant news and continue to share 4 dozen eggs, jugs of salsa and boxes of almond milk. You will continue to play “let it go” and I will put up with it. I will continue to laugh at you when you get coffee high and the fact that you save your tea bags for days.  You understand that a pound of carrots and a gallon of salsa totally qualify as a meal and engaging in a full on twitter conversation is acceptable as well.
  

When we find out whether we get to continue our heaven sent rooming set up or whether you continue to spread your love and joy in a city up north, I want you to know you will always be one of my best friends. What I don’t know is who will engage in Badunkachunk cookie runs with me or call every Fiji in town asking, “Can you tell me what your Wow-Cow flavor is today?”  I really don’t want to lose you to San Francisco but if that just so happens to be God’s plan, I want you to know that no amount of miles can ever distance you from my heart. 

Thank you for teaching me about life. Thank you for your living example of drive and dedication. Thank you for demonstrating what it means to love and care. Thank you for being an example of what it means to be a student, a sister, a daughter, a friend, a worker and a sister in Christ. Thank you for inspiring me to take on new challenges and for stopping me when my choices were not on par. Thank you for everything you have done and said and cleaned and picked up and delivered and signed for me but most of you, thank you for being the person I could ALWAYS count down. Not matter the time, no matter the day, I always know that you are there and that will never change. 

  

I love you so much and I am so excited for whatever life brings us next. There is nothing more that I want for you than to be given your heart’s desires. God knows you deserve them and than some.

 With endless love and gratitude,Your crazy Russian partner in crime

wanted: people who love

A few months ago I got an email from a reader asking me what is was that I valued or wanted in a relationship.  I stumbled across the email the other day after clearing out old messages and have been thinking about it ever since. Not sure if this was a friend relationship or a significant other relationship but I think that my answer will apply to both.

It's an interesting question. I mean, there are the basic things that we all want. We want love and trust and understanding and care and compatibility and shared values and interests. But I think what the reader was trying to ask was what I really value or just something that sparks interest and respect more than other things. 

As you grow older, you realize more and more the importance of good relationships in your life. You really do need other people; you need to be in community. There is only so much a single person can carry. Finding and growing these relationships is hard because in order to establish strong relationships, you've got to be vulnerable and you've got to trust this other person with the deepest and most disorganized parts of your soul. 

What I have been thinking about, especially as I enter a new chapter in life, is that what I have been really valuing and desiring are people who are intentionally seeking to pour love in others' lives. Most people want to love and take care of other people. I get that. But what I am talking about is those people who are truly intentional about doing so.Those people who actively and practically daily seek out ways to pour love into someone else's life. They step outside the safe zone of family,a significant other, or close friends and invest in people who aren't in their immediate circle or even those who are still a stranger. They love unconditionally and without some kind of dues. These actions don't always have to be grand measures or proclamations, in fact they are usually those little things... a kind word, an encouraging text, a follow up after a big exam or meeting, an invite to coffee, a compliment to a stranger, or even staying close to actually hear a response past "good" to the overly used "how are you doing?" question that end meaning the most. 

In the past few weeks, I have reinvigorated by the simple realization that there is whole lot of life out there to live. So many opportunities and places and people and things to be seen and done. While I definitely have travel fever, there are also endless opportunity for adventure in San Diego and California in general. These things which I may not have noticed before or even forgotten about are now clear and present on my mind. Pianist Arthur Rubinstein once said "I have found that if you love life, life will love you right back," and that is a quote that carries more and more meaning as the future unfolds.

So to that reader, what I really want is people who have a true love for others and a true love for life. Not the kinda "love" that dwindles when things get hard or confusing or boring, but the kind of love that burns bright regardless of circumstance. 

I want people who invest in others and seek out to make the best of every situation they are put in. I want people who have a passion for life and a way of making even small simple things the best of memories. I want people who are willing to join me in new risks and new adventures and try new things and find joy in the failures as much as the successes. People who build each other up and don't put a cap on their potentials as well as the potentials of others. I believe that it what it means to love life and that is what above all, what I want, and even more, what I really want, is to be that person to others and bleed love through everything I do and everything that I am.

If you're ready to be that person, come join me. 

Adventure awaits. 

Quote of the Day 3/24/14

When you come against the real message of the Gospel, you always find two things that are shocking: it demands more than you thought and it offers more to you than you ever dreamed.  [Tim Keller]

Quote of the Day 3/22/14

If through a broken heart God can bring His purposes to pass in the world, then thank Him for breaking your heart   [Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest]

Quote of the Day 3/10/14

The perfect quote as I head out to camp with a group of friends to celebrate our final spring break together. See you in a few days technology :)

Quote of the Day 3/6/14

"Life is often so confusing and full of metaphors and vague concepts. Very few things are concrete. How does anyone grasp these concepts, like trusting and believing and loving and worshiping, and put them into practice? How does anyone really apply them rather than just talk about them ?But I’m finding the deeper I think on this, that more than anything God is just saying, “Just give me your hows.” When I give up all of those "how" questions, I am no longer in control, which in this case is a very, very good thing. Placing these questions in His care is the absolute best thing I can do."

Quote of the Day 3/5/14

"Love is the only way to grasp another human being in the innermost core of his personality. No one can become fully aware of the very essence of another human being unless he loves him. By his love he is enabled to see the essential traits and features in the beloved person; and even more, he sees that which is potential in him, which is not yet actualized but yet ought to be actualized. Furthermore, by his love, the loving person enables the beloved person to actualize these potentialities. By making him aware of what he can be and of what he should become, he makes these potentialities come true."   - Viktor Frank

Quote of the Day 3/3/14

Hello March! Excited that you are here :)

"Whenever you find tears in your eyes, especially unexpected tears, it is well to pay the closest attention. They are not only telling you something about the secret of who you are, but more often than not God is speaking to you through them of the mystery of where you have come from and is summoning you to where, if your soul is to be saved, you should go to next. "  [Frederick Buechner]

Quote of the Day 2/19/14

An excerpt taken from "The Adventure of Waiting" by Endya Joy

"His words will always be filled with grace and encouragement because he will continuously wash you with the water of the Word. The favor of God will be evident on his life because his pursuit will be to go deeper into the heart of God. He will be a mighty warrior of God balanced with compassion, grace, and love. God’s glory will be displayed in his life. The Holy Spirit will fill him and rest upon him.

You will know him because he will walk in victory and integrity- a defender of Truth. He will have a servant’s heart who can humbly admit when he is wrong. There is not a prideful or arrogant bone in his body. He will put other’s needs before his own. He will have a pure heart and desire to walk in constant consecration before the Lord. He will guard and protect your purity and heart. His purpose and vision will beautifully connect with yours. He will be an amazing leader and provider. He will be responsible and mature. He will be a gentleman. Oh, and he will be handsome too.

No, he will not be perfect but he will be in the process of being perfected by Christ."

A post worth reading for ladies (and men) in waiting. Read the rest here: 

http://www.wholemagazine.org/2014/02/the-adventure-of-waiting.html

happiness is your choice

A few months ago I got a text that read: "I've learned that you have a great take on pretty much everything." Just a few simple words but they carried a lot of meaning. When I first read it, my initial mental response was "well doesn't everyone?" I guess in the context of whatever we were talking about, I didn't think I was saying anything great or deserving of such a statement. I was merely stating my thoughts on the matter. I guess I was just thinking that doesn't everyone try to find the silver lining or the good in the bad or outweigh positives with negatives? 

Whatever you want to call it, isn't it a whole lot easier to live when you focus on good things instead of the bad? If life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you respond to it, then doesn't that mean that we are somewhat in control in the way each day plays out?

In the past few weeks alone, I have heard a lot of conversations about pain, stress, confusion, complaints and the not so happy parts of life. At the same time, I have heard about joys, growth, love and general optimism about life. At the end of the day, the battles we are fighting and the problems we are facing are all the same. Problems are not unique. The details of a specific scenario might be, but there is nothing that has happened to someone that has never happened to anyone else. Hate to break it to you and me, but your problems and my problems and my neighbors problems are fundamentally the same. Pain always manifests itself through the same venues: because we are all human and we all make mistakes. And because we make mistakes, those mistakes hurt other people as an unfortunate by product. That is just the reality of the world we live in. 

Or maybe your problem isn't, per say, pain. Maybe you're just confused about life. Maybe you overloaded yourself and are really stressed out. Maybe you failed a test. Maybe you forgot to pack a lunch and now you're just angry out of sheer hunger. Maybe traffic is pissing you off or that car that just stole the parking space you've been waiting for. Maybe you're pissed off because your roommate never does the dishes or your boyfriend says all the wrong things. Maybe going to a class that has no relevance to life or working a job you aren't particular excited leaves you feeling moody and not particularly excited about life. To be honest, I don't blame you. Life can provide you with a million things to be not excited about and downright feeling really over it...

Or life can give you a million things to be excited about. It's kinda, actually, really up to you.

Quote of the Day 2/17/14

"That’s what I want my life to be, like a well-loved gift. I think life, just life, just breathing in and out, is a great gift. God gives us something amazing when he gives us life, and I want to live with gratitude. I want to live in a way that shows how much I appreciate the gift. If life were a sweater, I would wear it every day. I wouldn’t save it or keep it for a special occasion. I would find every opportunity to wear that sweater, and I’d wear it proudly, shamelessly, for days on end.”

There’s normal life, kind of day-to-day, make-breakfast, do-the-dishes kind of life, but just underneath that, like a throb of bass you feel in your chest, I feel a whole other thing going on. In the midst of taxes and email, there is something sacred, something special dipping and weaving within that same old thing, like a firefly, like a great song, and it reminds you that the dishes and the taxes are real, but so much more is real, too. The sacred mixes in with the daily when you have a conversation with someone you love, or when you read a great book, or when you do something courageous. It’s still just a normal day, but there’s something bigger, something more compelling going on, too."    [Shauna Niequist]

Quote(s) of the Day 2/14/14

Happy Valentines Day! 

Whatever your current status is and however you may feel about Valentine's Day, I think its an extra opportunity to be reminded of how many blessings and how much love we all have in our lives. Today we should be reminded and encouraged to simply give a little extra love, a little extra attention and a little extra care to everyone; to those we know and to those we don't know. Everyone can always use a little more love in their lives!

And some quotes for today:

"I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love."  [Mother Teresa]

"A loving heart is the truest wisdom." [Charles Dickens]

If you wished to be loved, love. [Lucius Annaeus Seneca]

Hope for love, pray for love, wish for love, dream for love…but don’t put your life on hold waiting for love. [Mandy Hale]

There is no remedy for love but to love more. [Thoreau]

“Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.” 
[Lao Tzu]

"Love is a force more formidable than any other. It is invisible - it cannot be seen or measured, yet it is powerful enough to transform you in a moment, and offer you more joy than any material possession could."  [Barbara de Angelis]

Quote of the Day 2/13/14

"The heart has its reasons which reason knows nothing of."   [Blaise Pascal]

Quote of the Day 2/12/14

"Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing." [Mother Teresa]

Quote of the Day 2/10/14

Today's quote of the day is actually a song. This song speaks to my heart every time I hear it and I hope it seeks to yours too.

"Architecture" 

by Jonathan Thulin

"You build me up like a city of gold

The battles rage but I'm standing tall

You formed my heart like an empire

The wind and rain can't stop this fire

If only I could see it from Your perspective

The beauty and the grace of Your architecture"

It's been my pleasure falling in love with you.

I'm in love. 

And I'm ready to get it out in into the open.

Quote of the Day 2/9/14

“It is always the simple things that change our lives. And these things never happen when you are looking for them to happen. Life will reveal answers at the pace life wishes to do so. You feel like running, but life is on a stroll. This is how God does things.”   [Donald Miller]

Quote of the Day 2/6/14

we are a funny bunch. 

"You don't choose your family.  They are God's gift to you, as you are to them."  
[Desmond Tutu]

Quote of the Day 2/4/14

"Be present in the hard moments. The lonely moments, the phone calls, the hospital visits, the vigilant prayers for friends in need, the bad dreams, the funerals, the breakups, the airport goodbyes, the job losses, the regretting, the painfully awkward moments, the failures. The sad tears. 

Be present in the wonderful moments. The sunrises, the engagements and weddings, the babies, the concerts, the stargazing, the laughing, the long hugs, the airport hellos, the kisses, the art, the breakfasts with friends, the midnight snacks, the notes from pen-pals, the best friend sleepovers, the road trips. The God moments. The joy. The happy tears. 

Be present in all of that, and the in-between too. The taxes and emails and grocery shopping and checkbook-balancing. 

Be present in all of it."  [Author Unknown]