Friday, December 31, 2010

end of the year

"I believe in the good. I believe that it's been a hell of a year, and I believe that in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary, we'll all be okay. I believe a lot of things. And I believe that if I eat a tub of butter and no one sees me, then calories don't count. And I believe that surgeons who prefer staples over stitches are just lazy. I believe even though you made this mistake, you will be okay, I believe we survive, And I believe that believing we survive is what makes us survive."
Grey's Anatomy

I am looking forward to a new year, so long 2010 hello 2011.

my challenge for a new years resolution:
There is no reason not to live every moment as positively and as present as you can. Don't wait for someday. Love your life as it is and live your happily ever after right NOW.

"May your coming year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness. I hope you read some fine books and kiss someone who thinks you’re wonderful, and don’t forget to make some art — write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can. And I hope, somewhere in the next year, you surprise yourself."

-Neil Gaman

Monday, December 27, 2010

10 life lessons from Buddy the Elf

One of my all-time favorite movies is Elf, and, while watching it (again for the tenth time this season!), I exclaimed, "I should write about how positive Buddy the Elf is!" I often have these blog-post-related epiphanies, but this one I'm actually turning into a reality, however it is two days late but better late than never, right? You might not like the film or might have never seen it, which I highly recommend you do. You might not share my affinity for elf culture, or for Buddy. But I guarantee that you'll gain something from the life lessons I gathered after watching the film yet another time.


10 Life Lessons from Elf:

Lesson#1: Spread cheer (Christmas and otherwise).
"The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear."
Spreading cheer sounds easy enough to do -but when the people around you aren't into it, it is pretty difficult. That's one of the great things about Buddy the Elf. He doesn't care if other people are cheerful or not. He continues to look for the positive in the things around him and point them out to others. And, in addition, he tries to encourage others to be cheerful as well. It's not always easy to be cheerful, but Buddy serves as a motivating inspiration for the benefits of having a cheerful attitude.


Lesson #2: Make smiling your favorite.
"I just like to smile! Smiling's my favorite."
Smiling is a small thing that is actually a big thing. The small act of smiling can change not only someone else's day, but your own as well. Try it. Next time you see someone- remember this and make smiling your favorite thing to do. Greeting someone with a smile can transform an interaction and set a pleasant tone for that person - and for you as well.


Lesson #3: Be yourself, even when it's hard to know who you are
.
"Actually, I'm a human, but I was raised by elves."
From the beginning of the film, Buddy struggles with his identity. Having been raised by elves, rather than humans, he struggles to figure out where he fits in the world. He might look like a human but he certainly acts like an elf. Nevertheless, throughout the film, Buddy strives to be himself -- even when that self makes him stick out dramatically in the human world. It would be much easier for him to learn and conform to the standards around him, but Buddy chooses to stay true to himself -a trait I admire in anyone (human
or elf!) so be yourself.


Lesson #4: Give out compliments freely.
"Deb, you have such a pretty face. You should be on a Christmas card!"
One thing Buddy does incredibly well is dole out compliments. The number of positive things Buddy says about other people is actually pretty amazing. Making the effort not only to see the positive in others, but to tell them about it as well, can have a very powerful impact on your social interactions.


Lesson #5: Take risks.
"Papa says my real father lives in a magical place far away... but the thing is, I've never left the North Pole."
Want good things to happen to you? Take risks. At the beginning of the film, Buddy finds out that he's not actually an elf and, though he's never before left the North Pole, he decides to bravely venture to NYC to meet his human father. TAKE RISKS!


Lesson #6: Don't give up.
"I passed through the seven levels of the Candy Cane forest, through the sea of swirly twirly gum drops, and then I walked through the Lincoln Tunnel."
On more than one occasion, Buddy is faced with challenges, but instead of complaining or giving up, as many of us do, Buddy takes his challenges head-on and does what he needs to do to achieve whatever goal he's working towards. With the amount of times Buddy is put down in the film, it would have been much easier for him to give up and return the life he'd been living, but he never gives up!


Lesson #7: Speak your mind.
"If you can sing alone, you can sing in front of other people. There's no difference."
In a conversation with his love interest, Jovie, Buddy explains to her that there's no difference between singing in front of others and singing alone (a fact he then goes on to demonstrate). Though she strongly disagrees with his point, Buddy doesn't seem to mind and continues to do what he can to convince her. This is only one example of how, in the film, Buddy is never afraid to say what's on his mind. He'll tell someone he loves him. He'll tell a fake Santa he's a fraud. He'll speak the truth -- and his mind -- without hesitation, something most are afraid to do. We could all learn a thing or two from Buddy's ability to be open and honest with those around him.


Lesson #8: Let life excite you.
"Good news! I saw a dog today!"
One of the things I love most about Buddy the Elf is his ability to be truly excited by life. In the scene from which the quote above was taken, Buddy greets his half-brother after school and exclaims with utter joy how he's spent his day. The most mundane things excite Buddy and there's not a bit of him that holds back his excitement for life. Can you imagine what the world would be like if everyone was this happy to be alive? If everyone looked at the world around him/her with utter excitement? Too often I get caught up on what I have to get done and I forget to stop and really be present and enjoy the moment- something Buddy seems to do very well.


Lesson #9: Show affection.

"Does somebody need a hug?"
Now, I wouldn't recommend hugging everyone (as Buddy demonstrates in the quote above, said right before he attempts to hug an angry-looking raccoon), but I do think there's a lesson to be learned from Buddy's ability to openly and consistently show affection. Showing affection is a great way to connect with others and make their lives, and yours too, more positive!


Lesson #10: Do what you love.
"First we'll make snow angels for two hours, then we'll go ice skating, then we'll eat a whole roll of Tollhouse cookie dough as fast as we can, and then we'll snuggle."
If there's one lesson to be taken away from the film, it's this: do what you love. Buddy, being the positive elf that he is, loves doing a lot of things and they aren't the "normal" things most adult men love to do, but you know what? He does them anyway. He doesn't let the human culture constrain him, forcing him to do what he "should" do. No, Buddy makes his own path and finds ways to spend time doing the things he loves to do. We should all follow Buddy's lead and be honest with ourselves about what we truly love to do. Once we've identified our favorite things, it's time to put that love into action because doing what you love to do is wonderful.


YES I DID JUST WRITE TEN LIFE LESSONS FROM THE FICTIONAL MOVIE ELF, AS IF HE IS MY HERO! Hope you loved it!

Monday, December 20, 2010

Gift suggestions this Christmas

“Christmas gift suggestions:
To your enemy... give forgiveness.
To an opponent... give tolerance.
To a friend... give your heart.
To a customer... give service.
To all... give charity.
To every child... give a good example.
To yourself... give respect.”

Oren Arnold


My favorite one is the last one, please always show yourself respect! because you deserve that and so so much more!

Sunday, December 19, 2010

how i wish that it would snow

Now it's here, I am looking forward to snowballs and hot chocolates and mittens and advent calendars and warm pajamas and christmas trees and stockings and chestnuts roasting on the open fire and ice skating.

I want a winter picnic like the Beatles

Is this not really the most wonderful time of the year!? I loved coming home to beautiful Christmas after a long stressful week of finals. I am looking forward to sleigh rides, and baking cookies, and long runs with the sister in the cold, and mini road trips to visit friends, and a mission trip to one of the greatest places in the world, and plenty of disneyland Christmas days, and mistletoe, and catching up with old friends, and making new ones, and eggnog, and Santa, and sooo much more.

Hello Christmas! Hello Holidays!

Sunday, November 28, 2010

always thankful &so on


You know those beautiful people that glitter and glisten and brighten your day? Keep them close. Keep them so close and never let them go. Thanksgiving was only a couple of days ago, but let's pretend it’s all the time. I am going to remember every day that I know the most lovely shining examples of humans that it is possible to find in this big wide world, and I am going to tell them that I love them, and tell them that I am thankful for them. Tell them that they are jewels and gems in a world of lab created and imitation diamonds… and oh, gosh, there are more of them out there to find! And I can't wait to keep meeting lovely people like this- I am so thankful and blessed with such a beautiful life with such beautiful people!


Monday, November 22, 2010

piece of advice



I want to ask you to do one thing, please consider removing the word "someday" from your vocabulary. I feel like in my own life I already have too long of a list of somedays. I’m 20 years old, I don’t want to be the kind of person that already has a list a mile long, that someday I’ll get to.

I've wanted to do so many things, someday- since I was probably four years old my someday list began. I can find you six solid notebooks in my room alone filled with new activities I want to someday try, games I want to someday learn, places I want to someday go, recipes I will someday cook, instruments I will someday learn to play, a notebook solely dedicated to all the great books I will someday read... are you seeing the trend?

Let's call this the someday trend, and this someday trend, it can be very dangerous. We are always, essentially waiting. Waiting for the someday when we become who we want to be, do what we want to do, waiting. Why? Someday. It’s a word that is responsible for keeping our lives stuck, keeping the world unchanged, and keeping us from living the deep dreams that God has planned for our lives. I think someday is a horrible word and it keeps our dreams on a shelf, it keeps fear in the central position of our lives and it keeps us from moving forward into the life that God has for us.

Don’t become a person whose answer to everything is saying someday. I have no desire to be that kind of person, I want to be the kind of person where at the end of my life when I see God face to face I say, "I took every possible challenge, I took every possible risk, I listened to your voice as best as I could, and I did what I could to be a person who wasn’t ruled by fear, who wasn't stuck in the day to day, who was listening on a deep level for ways to connect into Your (God’s) big story."

So I have no idea what that is for you, probably not reading a million books on your list or finally having the courage to study abroad, this is totally not about my someday lists. It’s about listening to that voice inside of you that I believe is God's voice and God's spirit saying "Take a risk, become a different, better version of yourself.” Do something that helps the world, that connects people together, that helps you dream a better dream of who God is and what He’s doing in the world.

Maybe its creative, maybe you’re a painter but you put down your paint brushes because you got too busy with homework. I totally get that pressure, the future is always being brought to our attention and I think college is really really important, I also think college life is not just about getting ready for the future, it’s about living the life you were made to live now.

So I don’t know what it is for you- maybe it is something that is so deep and scary you don’t even wanna say it aloud, maybe its forgiving somebody in your past, maybe it’s starting something totally new, maybe its volunteering for something that you know God made you to do but represents some serious fear. Whatever it is I hope you pay attention to that voice and I hope you really do remove the word someday from your vocabulary.

Thursday, November 4, 2010

this is for YOU

it is okay, it is okay it is okay. there is nothing to be nervous about, there is nothing to be afraid of. your heart may feel empty & you may feel like you’re drifting alone in the middle of a stormy sea but listen. please just listen. you are loved by so many people. i think that if you knew the actual number your heart might just explode!!! you are loved by so many people & some of them you’ve never officially met!! yes, you may have smiled at them or nodded your head but when you did you entered their heart in such a way that they won’t forget you for years & years!!! that person you waited in line next to yesterday, they loved you. that person you sat in traffic with yesterday, they loved you too. when you’re feeling lost, alone, anxious, scared remember that someone somewhere is feeling that way too. you’re not alone. you’re never ever alone. & you’re never ever without love. listen to me

i love you& everything will be okay.



I just felt like it was time to tell you that you matter! You are great! And you are loved! And you are not alone! With God on our side we never need to give up! Please don't stop because you are loved and believed in!

Sunday, October 17, 2010

The most wonderful month of the year


Oh, Oh, Oh October. thank heavens, it is october. it is crazy and it is chilly and it is SPLENDID. I feel like this is the time of year when my creative juices recharge and my heart sings and I feel the most like "myself."

My birthday being in this month has nothing to do with why I love it so much.....okay, okay, it has everything to do with it! Its my birthday month! I consider it the best month of the whole year! Everyone who knows me well knows my birthday is my favorite holiday of the year! Oh yes, it is a holiday! And they also know how excited i get for other people's birthdays, especially if theirs happens to be in October as well. I love this month. for a million and eleven reasons. for cider and chilly floors and leaving the window open, for the many october birthdays (including mine, of course!), for pumpkins and colorful leaves and fall veggies, for pies and using the oven and oh my gosh I could go on for days. approximately 31 of them. ending on halloween :)

Aside from my awesomeness (and anyone else's born in October), October is a really quirky month all on its own! Of course there is Breast Cancer Awareness, which was sooo done on purpose. The fact that October is breast cancer month is because they know how much I love the color PINK! And my birthday and breast cancer awareness means pink everywhere. EVERYWHERE I tell you! Last year I saw it on the NFL players, it made my life! I think October is such a beautiful month, the weather is so unpredictable; in the middle of summer and winter. I think that October is the start of all the holiday madness that everyone loves so much, and it begins with my (and yours and yours, if you were born this month) BIRTHDAYS!

and although it's a bit nuts--and quite a bit more nuts than I intended--I am so, so SO excited that October is here. I get to see two of our favorite bands, I get to spend time with my family and friends, we get to (hopefully) dress up and go trick-or-treating. AND I have some pretty kickin' days planned this month, too.

My favorite moment of the month so far? I thought it was my fun trip to SLO or the shopping trip that revamped my wardrobe. But yesterday evening, I sat on my bed; eating pumpkin bread while I read my Bible and journaled with messy hair and yoga pants on, I read Psalm 45:11, "The King is enthralled by your beauty." I then realized my favorite part of this month so far has been finally realizing that God's love is enough! and that He will be by my side and your side whenever we fall or call, HIS hands are holding us and He thinks we are beautiful.

HANDS DOWN, definitely the sweetest moment of October :)

So for my birthday month I am making some recommendations on how to have a lovely day/month:

1. write a love letter to yourself. 2.. read a book of ee cummings poetry out loud, even if only the animals or walls are listening. 3. believe in yourself. 4. write down 5 things your love about your life. 5. ask someone you love to write down their favorite 5 things about you. 6. do something you’re afraid of. 7. speak your mind!!! 8. kiss someone new. friendly or romantically. 9. don’t be afraid of failure. 10. eat your favorite dessert outside no matter the weather.

Oh my! Its October, the month we get to count candy corn as a vegetable, what could be greater?!
Happy Birthday!

Thursday, October 7, 2010

I've got a MAJOR crush.


Oh yes its true! And I don't care who knows it! In fact, I want EVERYONE to know about this crush-my reason for smiling everyday, the cause of my pure happiness!

I don't think I can any longer use the phrase "newly single." Because it has been a few months now, but regardless, these past few months of receiving lots of attention from boys who declared their interest in me has been a blast, I am not going to lie. The free coffee, fancy dinners, pretty flowers, creative dates, kind words- ALL of it has been such a boost to my self esteem. (Time to get personal) This actually helped me regain confidence in myself after a wreckage that occurred this summer causing me to doubt everything I thought was good about me. Having someone tell you that 99% of what/who you are is not good enough can seriously make a person depressed.

But realizing what God can do in that wreckage is breathtaking! yes, the boys have made life fun and entertaining but the real reason why I have begun to feel beautiful once again is because of my new found crush, are you ready.... JESUS! Oh yes, I am mad crushing on Him, that's exactly what it feels like. And I feel beautiful because i realized that the definition of beautiful "is what God sees when God looks at me" (Redefining Beautiful) This relationship that I for so long never tried to strengthen has become the most important thing in my life. AND I LOVE IT. I love that I get excited when I am about to spend time with Jesus (devotions, worship), I love that I smile after hearing His every word (Reading the Bible), I love that when I talk about Him I get chills, I love that when I hear about his miracles I can't help but fall for Him more, I love that He makes me feel beautiful when I read about His grace and everlasting love for me, I love that I can trust Him with even my biggest secrets and know that He will always forgive me for my mistakes. I love that He makes me feel this way, so I guess you can call it more than a crush- it's TRUE LOVE! And I couldn't be happier, I actually don't think I have ever been this happy in my whole life!

I have a few friends who got out of long term relationships and decided to not date for a certain period of time (3 months, 6 months, a year, etc.) I considered doing this and just might, but I don't think I can really make that decision. You see, I am a strong believer in love, and because I was able to experience even a tiny bit of it at one time, I am an even STRONGER believer. Right now I am not looking for a love, because I have found comfort in my ONE true love, Jesus. But I am praying everyday for the man that God has for me, I am praying for his safety and his life and his happiness and his future. and I cannot put a restraint on when I will meet this man, it could've already happened or be tomorrow, or next week, or in 2 years, or in 5 years, but for now all that matters is that I am so comfortable and happy and thrilled to be madly crushing and falling in love with Jesus. I want my relationship with Him to thrive and thrive, making it the most beautiful, real, loving relationship in my life, always. I trust Him completely, so yes everyone, I've got a major crush, on Jesus!

Monday, October 4, 2010

rain, rain go away? try again

"rain rain go away, come back another day, lalalala"? why? why are we always so negative about the rain? why are we always wishing it away? Maybe you aren't, but if you are like me, then why? Why are we disappointed every morning we wake up and see rain? Why are we upset that we don't get to spend an hour straightening our hair because the rain will ruin it? (better, now i don't have to waste that hour) Why are we so irritated by a few drops of rain landing on our bodies. I am making it a goal in my life, a priority to love the weather. The rain. The cold. The sun. The heat. The wind. ALL of it, because ALL of it is a beautiful gift from God. And all of it is worth loving! Rain is amazing. Inside or outside, I love the feeling of rain falling on my face on a cloudy day. I love sitting inside, watching the rain trickle down my window, as I listen to my favorite music and study for my nursing exam that just happens to be on Wednesday. And to those who say sunshine brings happiness I say try dancing in the rain, that's true happiness! Lets love the rain together! Change!

The weather is getting cooler & the trees are starting to dress up in their autumn colors. the leaves are changing and so can you. school is starting, jobs are starting, new adventures are beginning. new school. new job. new love. new life. everyone is on their toes waiting. twiddling their thumbs & tapping their toes.autumn calls for reinvention, a change of scenery. change is good. change in friends, a change in self. so don’t hold back. cut your hair, tell her you love her, tell him you’re leaving, start a band, leave your job, switch your major, do what makes you feel good. the choices you make now will pave the way for the rest of your life. does that always have to be a negative thing? no no no no no no!!! don’t be frightened, things will work out. throw your heart into it & hold your chin up high. we’re going to make a beautiful future. this is the start of something remarkable. don’t be afraid. it’s your life, rule your world. soon we’ll all be smiling.

Monday, September 20, 2010

say goodbye.

"I like the dreams of the future(SO MUCH) better than the history of the past."
-Thomas Jefferson

Sometimes it's hard to say goodbye. It just feels easier to keep holding on. But in the long run it's usually a good idea to let go, it's the daring thing to do. It allows room for new things, for transformation. And maybe the goodbye isn't even forever, but you can't know until you really say goodbye and mean it. In some cases, goodbye is really the end, and good riddance! For this assignment, say goodbye to all the things you need to let go of: bad habits, dead people, alive people, ex-boyfriends and girlfriends, self-destructive feelings and behaviors, jobs, projects, re-occurring thoughts, etc.

Write it as a simple list:
Goodbye useless spending.
Goodbye bad grade.
Goodbye messy room.
Goodbye constant counting of every calorie that enters my mouth.
Goodbye constant planning of the future.
Goodbye criticizing myself.
Goodbye disrespect.
Goodbye neediness.
Goodbye helplessness.
Goodbye selfishness.
Goodbye parts of me that are not true reflections of who I really am.
Goodbye blaming myself for something God didnt want.
Goodbye thinking i am not worth it.
Goodbye thinking I'm not pretty enough.
Goodbye thinking he is the only one i could ever want.
Goodbye holding on to what he did to me.
Goodbye hurtful harmful words he said that aren't true.
Goodbye old boyfriend.
Goodbye believing that I'm never going to love anyone again (or that nobody is going to love me).
Goodbye interrupting people when they are talking.
Good bye everything that is keeping me from my powerful loving gracious mighty father!


make your list. write your list. share your list. please share it, because I care. It can be as long or as short as you like. And, most importantly, take a moment with each one to really say goodbye. This isn't a catalogue of your fears and faults, this is a ceremony to bid them farewell.

Thursday, September 16, 2010

everything new


i decided to start "everything new" in my life. everything is starting again. everything starts new. every day you can start new. every month. every year. every hour. it’s your choice. it’s your choice to breathe life into everything & it’s your choice to let your devils hold you & haunt you. it’s hard to let go. it’s hard to let yourself grow. sometimes you want your past to stay. for some reason you want to keep awful things in your mind because sometimes they make you realize how strong you are, & sometimes they make you realize that someday you may falter again. it’s a tough balance. to let go or hold on. you loved her once, you don’t want to move on. he hated you once, you don’t want to admit it made you strong. destroy what destroys you. i believe in you. sometimes the hardest part is admitting i believe in me. every second you have a choice. every second that goes by you can never get back. it’s your choice. everything is your choice.

Monday, July 19, 2010

BEING YOU

Today I called a friend who i hadn't talked to in a long while. i was scared that we wouldn't be as close, but as soon as she answered it was as though the words just poured out of my heart, i apologized for being such a lousy friend and not keeping in touch. We both poured our hearts out to each other, trying to catch up on the last five months of our lives. The good, the bad, the ugly, the happy moments, the moments where we thought we wouldn't get through it, ALL of it. We laughed and we cried for each other. Then she said something to me that stuck out:

"Being yourself,
Makes you look
absolutely... Gorgeous."




I have been living in this world, where i've wanted to be anyone but me, where i thought i needed to be anyone but me. i was consumed with what people thought and how they viewed me. I know that it isnt right to have a "screw the world" mentality and that isnt what i am trying to say at all. But i realized that i began caring more about what people thought of me, then how God saw me. I wanted to not only be liked, but i wanted to be loved and admired. i wanted everyones approval, but by wanting this, i forgot whose really matters. and i know that hiding who i am and not being honest and trusting people is not what my God wants.

My friend said she always noticed that i was not a person who trusted easy. And i know there are many people with this same problem, but i want you to know IT IS OKAY TO BE YOU, not only is it okay but it is LOVELY! It is lovely to tell people who you are and share your sad scary happy challenging stories about your entire life with people who want to hear it. Because the people that want to hear it, they are worthy of your trust! And the ones that want to hear it, THEY WILL STAY! So learn to be happy with who you are and who God made you to be, because again, it is lovely! I am learning this- I am learning that anyone who cannot handle these stories, doesnt deserve to create any stories with you.

we need to wake every cell in our being. electrify every inch. light it up, light yourself from within. we must learn every inch of our bodies, inside and out. we must realize that every cell inside ourselves is unique and purely us. we must stand proudly because of this. we must let this pride fill the space in our marrow. we must let this marrow send this pride through out bones, veins, hair, skin. we will feel this pride and let it fill us with love for "i am proud of this being, this strong, unique, beautiful being!" this feeling will make our skin glow, our eyes shine bright. we must own, own our bones.


REMEMBER:
"Being yourself,
Makes you look
absolutely... Gorgeous."