Tone Up While You Work!

"I don't have time to work out"


I hate that statement. I really believe that if you are truly committed you can always find the time to squeeze in some sort of work out, no matter what the schedule. Growing up I have always had a busy lifestyle. In high school I took AP classes, did shows at school while I was doing community theatre, and then when I wasn't doing that, I was cheerleading. And when I went to college, I went to a pretty intensely scheduled performing arts academy. So over the years I've figured out a few tricks to squeeze in work outs whenever I can. Often times my work outs are spread out throughout the day, because I don't have the time to have one hour long work out. So, on the days that my schedule doesn't allow, I do stuff like this...

1. The brush teeth crunch. No really. Every night when I am brushing my teeth to go to bed, I do crunches. It may seem kinda silly, but hey! I get at least 50 or 60 crunches in before I have to spit =)

2. Bathroom calf raises. Every time you go to the bathroom, do calf raises while you wash your hands! I also do this while I'm washing my face!

3. This one I haven't tried yet, but I saw it on a website and I wanna do it next time I have laundry to fold. Instead of sitting while you fold, do a wall sit. Eeek! Talk about motivation to get those socks done fast!

4. Stair it. Always chose the stairs! Ok ok, sometimes the elevator is tempting. But really, unless you are about to be late for a meeting, then use those legs! I have stairs in my house, and I NEVER, no really I mean never, walk up them. I run up them every time. Ok so it's no half marathon. But its SOMETHING

Ok. None of those were ground breaking. But really, doing some crunches here and there during the day, or running up a few flights of stairs will make a difference, even if it is just a teeny one. The main thing is that it reminds you to be active. An active lifestyle, is a healthy one =) So let's MOVE!

DIY ART! (Bucket List Item #1 down!)

Hey guys!

It's been awhile since I posted, I know. But I was on our high school's summer camp with all the students this last week. I had a great time on the DELTA! It was great to try new things, relax, connect with the girls, and rough it!

While I have always been a pretty outgoing person, I definitely need my "me" time to refresh me. So after a week of being surrounded by a hundred people with no where to hide (no offense guys, you're all awesome) I had a nice evening in last night. It was just me, some music, and a lot of paint! It was glorious =)

I've been wanting to replicate this picture I saw on pinterest for a while now. So I finally tackled it. The point was to not spend any money, so while this inspiration piece has four canvases, I accomplished a similar look using just two.

INSPIRATION:


Pretty, Huh? So I rolled up my sleeves, and gave it a go! Here is my version...



TA DA!! What do you guys think? I was so happy to get this done finally. And what makes me even more happy...I put doing this painting on my bucket list! (I needed some things that I could do right away with my budget on there) So I can now go to my wall and take one item off! Woo hoo!

June Favorites! First VIDEO BLOG!

My very first video blog!

Adventure's Out There

I had an interesting realization the other day.

I've always considered myself a pretty easy going person, with a couple of things I had to figure out about anxiety along the way. But really, I've always been kinda down for whatever.

But it's always sort have been me waiting for someone else to take me on their adventures with them.

But what about me? I don't want to be looking for people to go on adventure with, I want people to have to catch up to ME!

The time has come for me to start living life to it's full potential. Right now what I feel pulled towards, is working on my ever growing bucket list. And you know what,

I'M GONNA DO JUST THAT.

Life is short. Let's start living it. I was talking about this with my friend Nikki the other day when we went on our hike.

We decided to call this awesome hike our first adventure. It may be small, but as we said "At least we aren't sitting on the couch!"

This was BEFORE we started, so we weren't disgusting-uh glistening, I mean, yet.
Check out THAT view!

Oh just a random chimney...
Big or small...adventure's out there. WHO'S WITH ME??

Great Article From The Resurgence!

I just read this awesome article on temptation on theresurgence.com and had to share it with you! It said that temptation is an invitation to worship. We either give into the devil and his schemes and listen to his lies...and act of worship, (ugh thinking about it that way really makes you stop) or take the opportunity to cling to the truth, that we are free and no longer have to live in bondange and obey our Lord and Savior...also an act of worship.

I just loved the perspective this gave and thought you might too!

JUST CLICK HERE

DIY Inspiration Board

I got a little inspired the other night to craft! And what better to make when you are feeling inspired, than and INSPIRATION BOARD?

So I got in the crafting mood and got to work! This is a great way to display verses, quotes, goals, pictures, or anything else that your little heart desires in your home. All you need is some cork, a little fabric of your choice, and a hot glue gun (crafting's best weapon).

Here is the cork board before I jazzed it up...


Then you just cut out your material so you have enough to fold over the edges. First I glued down the long edges, then folded the short edges as if I was wrapping a present. (Thanks, Kat for that tip!)

Also, be sure to remove any kittens that decide to lay down on your work =)

With some extra fabric I added a little heart embellishment and and I was done!



And here it is in my room with all my "inspirations" on it.



I started a "bucket list" and put some of the items up on my board so as I finish them I can take them off one by one. I loved this quote I found by Helen Keller too...

"Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing at all."

And one of my favorite verses seemed to fit so well.

"With your help I can advance against a troop, with my God I can scale a wall." Psalm 18:29

LET'S DO THIS!

Satan is a Big Fat Liar Meanie Face!

Ok, so may be he is a bit more than that, but I think we get the picture, yes?

This one is gonna be real short and sweet tonight. The other night I was feeling bogged down during my prayer time. I desperately wanted the Lord to "meet me" in some sort of way. A word to come to mind, a verse to jump off the page, a neon sign telling me exactly what to do to fall through the ceiling of my bedroom, you know...whatever, I'm not picky ;)

So after an extended prayer sesh, I was feeling no better. I still was bothered, and I had not been reminded of any hope. So I started to wrtie down how I felt. And immediately, without even trying, as I wrote down each lie, God gave me an infinately more powerful truth to combat it with.

I feel lead to share these with you not to gain attention, or to say "Oh look at me, feel bad for me these are the lies I combat with," but because I KNOW I'm not the only one who the devil likes to whisper these STUPID LIES to. They might be slightly more geared towards women however, sorry dudes. Anyways...here was how God met me that night.

"Single...Christ's Bride

Boring...Fearfully and Wonderfully Made

Ugly...Made in God's Image

Useless...Made for a Purpose"



I've kept the little piece of paper in my room and I look at it from time to time to remind myself how loved I am by the God who created the universe.
P.S. I'm his daughter...no big deal.

Little Good Things

"Every day may not be a good day, but every day has something good in it."

I read this quote the other day when I was in a particularly...pleasant, (yeah, that's it) mood. I immediately made an over the top "Oh please face", I'm sure, and clicked my little mouse to the next image with so much force I'm surprised the thing survived =)

But it's true.

Awe man...now I have to take ownership of that =) Life is hard. Right now life is especially hard. But life is also beautiful. I serve a God that loves to hear my prayers...even when I repeat myself over and over again. I serve a God that created music, and breezes and cheesecake. (Yes...that did come STRAIGHT from heaven. So lately I've been trying to remind myself of at least one good thing at the end of each day. Today there are a few...
A surprise visit from my sister and niece and breakfast on the patio with them in the summer sun
An awesome rehearsal with my 6th graders for their graduation
Red wine at the end of the day
New nail polish color that really makes me happy

It's Essie's "Turquoise and Caicos"
And this is exactly from today but it's still making me happy...
A great Memorial day with my good friend Katie and her adorable daughter Lily! Plus a really fun hat from Forever 21 that I've been wanting for a long time! (Only $11.99) =)

So let's open our eyes, and see the Good Things

Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. 17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

James 1:16-17

Bible in 90 Days

Hello Friends!,
I just discovered the most amazing reading plan and I wanted to share it with you! Its called the "Bible in 90 days" reading plan. I know...that sounds like a lot of reading, but really, you only end up reading about 12 pages a day which is not too bad at all. Plus, you get 2 grace days, it only ACTUALLY takes 88 days. Can you imagine how awesome it would be to read through the whole Bible in 90 days?? I have always wanted to read the Bible cover to cover and I am ready to DIVE IN and pour myself into God's word. Im getting prepared for Him to bless my socks off with this. Just to daily let his word pour over me is going to be such a blessing.

There is a Bible you can purchase, OR you can just click HERE and download the FREE reading plan and use your own Bible. Who is with me guys?? I'm super excited!!

AAAAND I'm Back

Well, that was a nice little...break. Hiatus? SABBATICAL! Yeah I like that. That makes it sound like I went traveling and ate fancy foods. And there definitely were a few times when I let my self indulge a little. OK OK...so I ate half a carrot cake and a whole cheesecake by myself. That's not the point. The point is this little break has been a wonderful time of growth as well. Though there have been rough days, there have been beautiful days as well. Days filled with lot's of time with friends, new movies, new restaurants, lot's of exercise, learning new things, lot's of prayer, bible reading, and some self discovery. I think I can call that a win? Yeah?

One of the most encouraging things has been the series we are going through at church "The Power to Change." Most recently Mike spoke on out perspective during hard times. I so many times immediately pray "Ok God do your thing and get me out of this." but Mike challenged us to have that "eternal focus" and remind ourselves that our hard times aren't just about us.

Jesus said "For in this world you will have trouble, but take heart for I have overcome the world." Isn't that wonderful? You know what's funny, at times the most encouraging part of this verse for me personally is actually the first line. The fact that Jesus says, "Hey this is gonna be hard" reminds me that in a hard time, Jesus knew this was coming, and He still has it all under control. What a sweet, sweet truth that is.

In 2 Corinthians Paul writes "We are... perplexed but not in despair." That resonated with me so much. In a time when perplexed really is the most accurate word for how I feel, I don't have to be in despair, because my father desperately loves me. and what a beautiful thing that is. As women, I believe that is really what we all want, to be desperately loved. And oh man...I AM.


"God is crazy for us He proved that on the cross" Mike Yearly

This is Not the End-Rachel

I've come to a place where I'm constantly judging my relationship with God. I'm constantly wondering do I love Him enough, have I given Him everything, have I truly been changed solely because of Him, do I even believe in Him, truly?

I refuse to believe this is the freedom God promises us in John, Psalms, Galatians and plenty more places.

What is it in me that has not let go to fully accept and enjoy the gifts God has given me? What does my heart cling on to so tightly? For one, among other things that are yet to be discovered, it's control. I want to always be in "good standing" with God so if my worship isn't fervent enough, or I don't feel moved enough when I pray, I feel that it doesn't count, or even to the point that my words aren't going anywhere. I see my self sitting in my room and the words of my prayers bouncing off the ceiling back into my lap.

My Dad recently told me a story about the man who asked Jesus to heal his son. Jesus asked him " Do you believe?" and the man said "I believe, but help me with my unbelief."

I don't even remember why my dad reminded me of that story; but I feel like it was meant for my ears. I want to have a faith that doesn't teeter with the amount of miracles I see, or tangible God reminders. (although they are constantly there, look at the world around us) I want to have a faith that stands firm in the darkest of moments, and cries "Abba, Father" and without wavering, expects an answer in return.

I know He is there, and in me but I want to know more of Him, His promises, and His spirit.

I believe that true surrender of one's life calls for radical changes. No doubt God has already done some amazing changes in my life. People who knew me a few years ago would not recognize the girl they meet today. And that is all God, because I'm telling you the girl who I was, could have never on her own turned into the girl I am today. However, I can't help feeling that there is another large growth process God wants to put me through.

Recently, in life group one of the women was recounting the day when she fully realized that her children were not her own. She referenced the story of Abraham and Isaac, and how Abraham's amazing faith in God made him willing to give His own son for a sacrifice to God. Now, most of us know the end of this story, God of course stops Abraham before he kills his son, and tells him He now knows where Abraham's true allegiance was.

I think it was Abraham's deep, intimate relationship with God that made him so willing to do what he was told to. He knew the nature of God, and knew that no matter how radical, how scary the plan seemed, that God was in control and that he wanted good things for His children.

So many times we automatically think "good things" means comfortable things. But the Bible clearly tells is that God disciplines those whom He loves. A parent who loves their child disciplines them because they see the end result. And God even says, "If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" (Matthew 7:11)

As I was listening to this woman speak, I didn't even have a chance to finish asking myself what was I unwilling to sacrifice to God before it came to mind. Anxiety had been crippling me for a while and I knew my fear was causing me to cling so tightly to the things around me.

Constant anxiety is something I have dealt with in the past. I went on medicine for a while, felt fine, stopped taking medicine and figured, "Great! I must be cured!" without ever dealing with the cause. I need to relearn how to communicate with myself, and find out what deep down I'm clinging to that is causing it.

I would sit and pray "Lord, take this anxiety from me. I give you everything." My boyfriend, Apollo, who I love, would pop in my head. A pit would fall in my stomach. "Except him." In the past, dating relationships were something that I knew obviously that I needed to give up because they were obviously sinful. I refused to believe that God would ever want me to to give up a relationship that was following God's commands and spurring each other on towards Him. And yet my anxiety ranged on. Taking over my thoughts completely, anxiety became this terrible, annoying close friend.

I believe God wants to free me from anxiety. I believe it will take work. And I believe He needs to break me just a little more, so I will truly trust him.

I love Apollo more than I have loved any one on this earth. I want to marry him, I want to be a part of his future. But a wife who is crippled with anxiety, and ignoring the promptings of the spirit is not what I envision for him.

I hope that God will bring us back together. But I'm choosing to trust that even if that doesn't happen, I will be ok. I don't pretend for a second to like, or fully understand this plan. But we both have a peace that breaking up is exactly what we are meant to do. Of course I would love to call this, "just a break" and in my head be preparing to start dating again in a month. But that wouldn't really be letting go of the relationship at all.

My hope is that this will somehow bring glory to God. I hope some of you are encouraged to look at your lives to see what God is asking you to release to Him. I think relationships are a beautiful gift from God...when we are fully ready for them. Something in me isn't ready. I don't believe anxiety is a part of the fully "healthy version" of myself.

What I need from you:

1. Prayer.

Please please pray. Please pray that I would tirelessly seek after God and remain proactive in the endeavor. Please pray for protection against spiritual attack that would make me doubt God's love, provision, protection, or even existence. When we are weakest, Satan pulls out all the stops and I expect them to come full force.

2. Community.

When I'm upset, I go into hermit mode and alienate the people around me. Even when I'm happy I've never been good at the "girlfriend" thing. I forget to call or text or schedule hang outs and then next thing I know I have no close girlfriends anymore. Please help me with this. Help push me along into community so I can receive some healing through that.

3. Discussion.

It would be so easy to fall into the trap of "well this is awkward, let's never bring it up cuz we don't want to upset her." Please don't do that. Please constantly be challenging me and asking me what am I doing to grow closer to the Father. Don't let me hide.

I'm so scared, and sad. But I'm also excited to see what God has in store for me. He must love me a lot to want to grow and mold me so much. And I believe he wants that growth for every single one of us. We just have to trust Him.

We've had some songs throughout our relationship, but we really feel like God just gave us a new one. Listen to Gungor's song "This is Not the End," if you like.

Attention Believers!

This has just been on my heart lately. I feel like it might seem a little bit like a rant. So please stick with me. This is something I really feel like God wanted me to say.


I have been a "Christian" I guess technically for about 21 years. I grew up in the church, in a Christian home, going to Christian school... basically in one big Jesus bubble.
Here is the scary part...I never got it.

I had the Bible spoken to me on a daily basis, and I never got it. It never changed me. It wasn't until I was about 23-24 years old that I feel it actually started to sink in.
The past few weeks I've been torn up inside about the selfishness of Christians who believe even more so...KNOW the truth, and have yet to let it change their lives. We are called to be different, set a part. I am not singling myself out here...this was the life I lived. I claimed to be a believer but never thought I needed to behave like one.

If we truly believe in the power and the resurrection of Jesus Christ, why has it not made a dramatic change in our lives?
I think it comes down to Grace. Now, I know this is sort of the "trendy" thing to say in Christian circles right now. With all the Gospel Centered teaching movements out there I understand this is an easy thing to say. But think about it. We believe GOD sent a HUMAN version on HIMSELF to come down and HEAL, TEACH, and SAVE us. He died, so we wouldn't have to...and rose again three days later.

WHAT?!! This kind of TRUTH calls for radical change, because we serve the GOD and the SAVIOR of the universe! I implore you to look at your life and see if it is a life that has truly been changed by the saving grace of Jesus Christ.
I promise it will bring CHANGE and it will be beautiful change. I know since I began to truly surrender my life to Christ, I was showered with blessings. I have a wondergful strong Christian man in my life, I have a beautiful home that I live with my parents in. I am truly fortunate. But the reality is, I know this is all from the Father. And no matter what happens with those blessings, He still remains.
My boyfriend could break up with me tomorrow. Something could happen to my parents. We could lose all our money and have to sell our beautiful home. But HE remains. And that is, in my opinion, the most important part of the gospel. No matter what GOD remains. He remains faithful, He remains forgiving, He remains omnipresent, He remains all powerful, and He remains true.
I hope this encourages some of you. And I hope That we can all learn what it means more and more each day to truly surrender our lives to Jesus. Because that is when life really begins.

God of Gifts

Phew! I made it through the Christmas/New Year season!

I wasn't sure I was gonna make it there for a while. I definitely let myself get too overwhelmed to easily. Something I'm continually working on. My friend Margot recently gave me this for Christmas.



How did she know? :)

Anyways, my plan this year, as many years before, was to make no New Years Resolutions. Why make some big plan that I'm just going to break? I sort of "didn't believe" in them. I feel like the last 2 years I've been on a major "self improvement" journey anyway, so why add another thing to the list?

Or I'm just afraid of failing.

So..this year I resolve to be thankful and enjoy the gifts God has given me on this earth instead of feel guilty for them. God does not want us to live lives of guilt and shame...He has FREED us!! And there couldn't have been a better reminder of this, than what I got to witness over break.

My two beautiful friends Brandon and Marianne got engaged. Apollo took some awesome shots...




If you wanna check out his blog, click here!

Watching this was a great reminder of God's amazing love for us, and how he provides tangible reminders of his love and providence for us everywhere we look. Yes, we want God to be our number one priority and for us to love Him above all else, but He also allows us to fall and love and live life a with another person? It just blew my mind to think about. Who are we that we deserve such a gift? But His glory can't truly be seen until we take off our guilt and shame and say, "Thank you Lord, you are good, this is from you. I accept your gift."

He is good.
Thank you Lord.
I accept your gifts.
To YOU be the glory!

Great Article From the Resurgence

Just wanted to send you guys an awesome article I read on the resurgence website about growth...and grace! It's great read to start off your day. I hope you enjoy it!

CLICK HERE!

Season of Saving

Cha ching!

Yeah, that's a sound I don't hear too often.
And that's OK. As long as I'm super responsible with the little money I make. Right. I'm graduating in February, so I thought it was high time to get some savings going. What I'm realizing is...every. penny. counts. No really. Even pennies. I just had to change my mind set...it's one more penny than I had before. So pick up those pennies you see on the ground! Than put it in the jar and don't think about it till it's a jar full of pennies. I have a piggy bank just for silver change.


No, your eyes don't lie...that is, in fact a TRON piggy: ready for a light cycle battle at any second. My amazing boyfriend, Apollo mad it for me for our five month anniversary. I love TRON, I love pigs, and I needed to save money. It was the perfect gift.

I also have another bowl thats just for pennies. Ok so I know with all the plastic we use today, there is very little change in circulation. But the little change I do have...goes in the jar and starts to multiply!

Here are some other ways to save/make money that I collected...

1. Make your own coffee. (Check! Some hazelnut creamer, and I'm in homemade Starbucks heaven!)
2. Brown bag it! (Most likely a healthier choice, too!
3. Hang on to that car! Take care of your vehicle to avoid nasty repair fees. (I'm working on this one...I recently went about 8,000 miles before an oil change, no bueno.
4. Recycle! (This is especially good if you drink a lot of canned soda in the house!
5. Bottle your own water. (A dollar, sometimes two for WATER? No thank you.)
6. If you are in Simi Valley, I know we have a $3 theatre. You only have to wait a little longer than normal to see the latest movies.
7. Get rid of that land line. Who wants telemarketers, anyway?
8. Grow a garden. (Ok how cute would that be? And not paying for your veggies? OK!) This site is a great guide!
1greengeneration.elementsintime.com/?p=751
9. Oatmeal...cheaper, and healthier than cereal.
10. Cut the cable. ( I know, I know..but come on, Hulu? Netflix? Movies? Board games..CONVERSATION?? The possibilities are endless.
11. CLIP Coupons! ( We've all heard of the show.)
12. Pass out fliers in your neighborhood and offer to walk dogs. (Not just for teens anymore. Exercise+cash!)
13. Do you take good pictures? There is a website called shutterstock.com (Sorry for no hyperlink, they aren't working for some reason) where if accepted, they will post your picture, any time someone downloads it, you get 25 cents!
14. Sell your crafts! Knitting, paper crafts, jewelry, it can call be found on Etsy.com
15. Take surveys online! Another website called surveyspaid.com pays members to test products, and the answer questions about them.

Alright so those are just a few...but I thought I would get the ball rolling. How do you save money?

Thank God for Grace!!

So the college group I go to at Rocky Peak Church, Soma, is going through a series called "Movement." Last night's sermon focused on spiritual discipline and how that relates to our spiritual growth. It was a very eye opening and exciting evening for me.
One of the students was mentioning how he first started out with lot's of discipline when it came to his Bible reading. Even mornings when he didn't want to read he would do it, and pretty soon that discipline...turned to desire and hunger and a want to read the word. The speaker asked the audience, how many of you are there?
I felt my hand raise.
What?
Now part of this was due to the fact that I zoned out for 1.5 seconds and was thinking "Yes I want to read" not "Yes I have this every day super thirst to get into the word." And part of it was because the speaker looked over my way and I just immidiately wanted to participate and look like a "good Christian" by saying "Yes I LOVE reading the Bible!!"

It took me a few minutes of thought to realize that was what it really was about. It's amazing how much motivation can go behind something that takes you a half a second to do.
So then I started thinking, where did that come from? I mean I have gone through times when I felt like that thirst, but right now I am actually going through a pretty "dry" spell when it comes to reading. Why do I feel so afraid to fess up to that? And why do I feel this need to pretend everything is together?

And I remembered something my boyfriend said. It's. A. Heart. Issue.
So many times as Christians (especially as women, I feel) have this need to perform or be the "Perfect Christian." (Whatever that is)And I realized that the reason the way I was reading the Bible wasn't working before is becasue I was approaching it like this quota that I had to reach for the day.
If I check reading the Bible off the list I will feel better. And if anyone asks I can say "Why yes I have been reading every day." And God will be pleased.

WOAH. Ok first off...what's up the the order of priority of those things? And second, as if me reading the Bible today is going to make God love me anymore. He already loves me daily the maximum amount available!! His GRACE is the only thing we need!!
So I decided to pray, and approach my reading in a different way. Instead of having a set amount of reading that I HAVE to get through every day...why not read and meditate on a few verses that pop out to me in the sermon? I feel like that leaves more time for reflection and learning than zooming through the books so I can check them off of my reading list.

So I cracked open a devotional book I had set aside a while back because I had decided it has you read only a couple of verses a day and that wasn't enough. So now, my devotional time is going to be based more on topics, thoughts, people in the Bible I'd like to learn from, one verse I am wrestling with that I heard in church, and so on.
I realized that I was focusing on the amount of pages I was going through, rather than the ideas and lessons God was trying to teach me. This new outlook seriously encouraged me today, and I hope it will encourage your too.
Oh and the devotional book I opened up is called "Women of the Bible." You spend a week learning about one woman, starting with Eve. I'm super excited to start this. May be you guys wanna check it out!

Je-sus Walks...

It is truly interesting being a musical theatre student, and a Christian as well. A few months ago I came to the decision that I was supposed to leave school. So I completely gave up my dreams of becoming a performer and put on my apron and made pizzas at Costco for eight hours a day. Right? I was so convinced that, that was exactly what God wanted me to do. But looking back now I see that what I really think what I was doing was running away. I chickened out. Being a Christian in such a secular world can be extremely daunting. And it was easier to just leave than to face the fear of changing because of the world around me.

Today I can honestly say I couldn't be happier with my decision to go back to school. I am doing what I love, and I truly believe I am glorifying God at the same time. God did not put us on earth to hide in our churches and Bible studies. He wants us to go out in the world. That's why it's so convinient that Jesus walks with us.

It's awesome the things God starts showing you when you start looking.

Cumcumber Council

If there is one thing you need to know about me, it's that I LOVE my niece. I could spend countless hours playing with her and watching her favorite movies. Example: Veggietales. Now if you didn't grow up in a home that watched Veggietales when you were little, first, I am very sorry. And second if you didn't, let me explain. Veggietales are animated Christian movies for kids that teach them about God's love and values. They feature of course, Veggetables. Larry the cucumber happens to be my favorite.

So the other day I was sitting cuddling with my niece watching one of our favorite Veggietales, "Dave and the Giant Pickle." At the end of the movie, Bob the tomato was explaining to Larry the verse found in Phillipians "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Larry then asked the question, "So does that mean if I wanna be a chicken, I can ask God and he will turn me into a chicken??!" As silly as it sounds don't we as Christians often have a Larry the cucumber mentality? So the seemingly older, wiser, and more level headed tomato explained "No, this verse means that whatever God wants us to do, we will be able to do it."

So many times we as Christians ask God to move mountains and wake up confused when we haven't turned into a chicken overnight. He will strengthen us to do His work, in accordance with His will. With His strength I can have a thankful heart, with His strength I can share with my non Christian friends about Him, with His strength I can walk away from my past into a bright new future, with His strength I can forgive.

Who knew a cucumber could be so profound?

Happy Place

I feel like it has been way to long since I have written to still say that I have been sucessful with my goal of "Be continuing with my blogging." Buuut, I already checked that one off in my mind so, I'm keeping it you can't take it away from me!!

This post however, I decided would have nothing really to do with my goals. This is just something that was on my mind. Yesterday, I woke up in the worst mood. Not a crabby I don't wanna talk to you mood. I was depressed. Really depressed. I was missing someone. And the hard thing is, is when you are missing someone, you can't really do anything about it. Calling them doesn't work cuz the conversation won't go the way you planned it to in your head. (I suddenly think of a certain scene in "500 Days of Summer"...if you havent seen it, stop everything and go watch it now!) And you can't take out pictures of them cuz well, that just makes it worse. But enough about missing someone, what about just being depressed in general? I noticed something yesterday as I plummented in my mood quickly ending with Ben and Jerry's and too much wine. We as humans revel in our bad moods. We love to be unhappy. I know, that sounds crazy. But look at what we do when we are sad. (or at least what I did yesterday) I thought about the specific thing that was making me sad. I dwelled upon it, I remembered details, and inspected it. Not once did I say, "This is unhealthy, let's think about something else, or at least try to." Nope, I thought. Then, as soon as I got in the car I turned on that one song that I knew would make me even more sad. And when the song was done and had completed its job of successfully making me feel worse...I hit repeat. WHY do we do this to ourselves?? We feed off of problems and phobias and broken relationships and memories that will never be. Luckily for me a revelation came, disguised as a small childrens' choir. I walked in to teach, and couldn't help but feed off of their energy. I left feeling slightly better, still sad, but I wasn't crying into my spudnuts coffee anymore. It was a start. The radio turned on. Sound waves of saddness, sweatpants, overeating, and facebook stalking came rushing out of the speakers. SO I changed it. Did I feel like singing my heart out to Ke$ha at the time? Not really. But within a minute, my foot was at least feeling up to tapping along. My point is, maybe we would be a whole lot more happy with our lives, if we actually put some effort into being happy. Chosing to be. Are my extended feelings any changed because of my mood turn around yesterday? No. Of course not. You will have ups and downs. But my immidiate feelings definitely changed. I was able to put away the sad for a little while and enjoy some good. You know Dennis Prager says that we have a moral obligation to be happy because our attitude so greatly effects the people around us. Now I don't think you should go so far as being a total poser and faking happiness all the time. But, let a little kid make you laugh, turn on some Ke$ha, tap that foot.

Lights, Camera, Action!!

I am SO PUMPED. You know what I love best about acting? The high it gives you that lasts for days. This weekend I had an amazing opportunity to be a part of my friend Myles' film he was entering in a 48hr film festival. It was so much fun. The festival gives you a genre, (ours was romance) a line of dialogue, ("I have no idea") a prop (a keyboard) and a character, (Jaimie, an actress). We provided the talent, know how, and redbull! This project came just in the nick of time. I was feeling a little down afraid I was giving up acting all together. But now I realize even without AMDA, I can do this. (Of course having really talented friends always helps!) I really hope I can do another project like this soon. Thanks to Myles' and everyone else involved!! It gave me the boost I needed!


Oh and P.S.

After a few months of being single, I realize it's really...not that bad! I mean hey, a girl always would like a date let's not lie =) But I feel pretty comfortable in my skin...and I like that!