WOW! Would you look at the time?!

OH.
So I just happened to notice that my very first blog post was exactly one year ago this day.
UNBELIEVABLE! It's crazy to reflect on that post and see where I was then compared to where I am now.
God certainly moves and works, and is still working in the seen and unseen.

I wanted to say thank you for all the views, comments, and follows. I'm glad to know that God can use someone as imperfect as I to inspire and motivate others!

Much love to you all! ♥

And if you are curious, you can read my very first post by clicking right here!
Enjoy :)

The Man Next to Me

I wonder if he even remembers me, but he sure did his part so that I would remember him.
It was 8:30 in the morning and I had just boarded the airplane. I was exhausted.
I had gotten back into the United States earlier that morning, arriving in Flordia around midnight. By the time I had gotten to the hotel and fallen asleep, it was nearly 2AM. Asleep for only four hours, I was woken up again at 6 to head back to the airport to return home.

So there I was, sitting in the somewhat comfy seat, receiving a blanket and pillow from the friendly flight attendant. The seat next to me remained open... I always wonder who will sit next to me. A man? A woman? Young? Old? Quiet? Extrovert?
As I watched many file in through the thin aisle, he finally came to my row. He was a middle aged man, certainly the business type. Suit and tie.

"This should be interesting..." I thought to myself.
He sat down and seemed relatively quiet. We exchanged some smalltalk and what happened next, I wouldn't have expected.

For the next two hours of the plane ride he talked up a storm. From books, to China, to why George W. Bush was a bad president, why suburbs led to obesity and isolation, and why I should probably change my window panes. This man was a riot. I felt disrespectful for not having much to say, though truthfully his knowledge was out of my league and made keeping my eyes open even more difficult.

I wasn't terribly fond of the man. He didn't have the most respectful attitude towards the mission trip that I was returning from. But hey, he was an environmentalist and didn't like the idea of 400 people flying planes to another country when we could just send money and have people there do the work. Yet there he was sitting on a fairly large sized plane, ironically.

While most of the conversation remains a blur to me, there is one specific moment in the conversation I remember. He told me that in all of life, I should always remember two things: Proximity and Ultimately.

He told the story of a family member who was satisfied with their job in proximity, but ultimately, it wasn't quite what they wanted. He told me that no matter what I do in life, make sure it is ultimately satisfying and worth all my time and efforts.

How many things in life feel satisfying in proximity but ultimately add up to nothing?

How many things do we do in our every day life that aren't really worth our time, worth our life, worth our thoughts, worth our money, worth our breath to speak of, worth space in our heart?

Consider what is important in your life right now. At the end of your life, do you think you will look back and say "That is what really made a difference in my life, in others' life, in the world!" Especially for the sake of God and His glory.

Dear Christian out there,

Do you value time? Do you really value time?

Like everything else, time belongs to our Lord.

That means you're borrowing something of His.

How do you take care of something you've borrowed?

Certainly the gentleman I sat next to wasn't necessarily the most pleasant person to converse with, but he sure got me thinking. And any person who can make me truly think, deserves some respect.

I am thankful that even on that long, tiring morning, God provided someone that didn't know Him to help me know Himself better.

"Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil."
Ephesians 5:15-16

P.S. Happy early Thanksgiving! :)

Thank You, God!

Okay, so maybe I'm a little late, considering the fact that Thanksgiving was nearly two weeks ago. But hey, who says it has to be Thanksgiving in order to be thankful? :)

I feel incredible today. Absolutely amazing. The best I've felt in weeks.. months! 

And I want all my praise to go to God, my sweet, sweet Savior! 

I've been working hard at work, in school, and in my spiritual life. I'm taking a week-long break from Facebook until Sunday (which also has been amazing - I don't miss it a single bit!). I'm getting things accomplished, I'm doing (what I think is) a good job too! 

My joy is increasing daily and "it is well with my soul!"

There are so many things in my life that God has blessed me with.

I have incredible friends who I love dearly and they, in return, love me! These friendships and relationships have given me the opportunity to share Christ's love, to share joy, encouragement, and courage. They have given me opportunities to help carry the burdens of others, to be that extra support they need in times of discomfort and troubles and vice versa. I have had some of the best laughs, and some of the best cries (haha). :) I've also had some amazing late night phone calls (Thank you Laura for being so good of a friend to let me lose sleep.. ;P) Hehehe. Not to mention my also, amazing, family. My parents... ah! They've done so much for me... I am so fortunate as to have two very loving parents who have taken good care of me all my past 17+ years. :) Love you Mom and Dad! (Even though they probably will never read this, hahah).

I have, probably, one of the best youth groups and church family in the entire world! Youth group and my church have given me so many growing experiences and opportunities! I love it so much! My youth group each Sunday is so refreshing and starts me out for the next coming week. It also encourages me greatly and has been so meaningful. Youth group has been such an important part of my life the past (almost) two years!

I have a job. Yes, at Panera Bread. Now while it's not the most exciting or the most enjoyable... I still have one. And not everyone can say that! God has given me many opportunities there to share about my faith and also to be an example of Him and His love. 

Lastly but certainly not least - I have Jesus. Yes, yes, YES! I have my sweet, sweet Prince. I owe Him my life... all that I am and ever could be. He has been so faithful to me, time and time again. I have had many down times the past few months and He has continued to bring me through those valleys and refill me with strength and love. He has saved me... and I thank Him for that. He has loved me... and I thank Him for that. He has been faithful.. and oh, how I thank Him for that! I love Him! My life would be so different without Him and all that He is to me. God is not a good God--He is an amazing God! 

I decided to get creative and make my own pic. :)

My challenge to you: Remember your blessings! Whether life is good or bad or even in between for you right now, remember your blessings. What has God given you? What has He blessed you with? What can you praise Him for today? :)

Psalm 103:1-5

"Praise the LORD, my soul;
   all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
 Praise the LORD, my soul,
   and forget not all his benefits— 

who forgives all your sins
   and heals all your diseases,  

who redeems your life from the pit
   and crowns you with love and compassion,   

who satisfies your desires with good things
   so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s."

(Check out the rest of Psalm 103 here!)

Nobody's Perfect - Hannah Montana Style

Tonight while my family was over to celebrate the day (Happy Thanksgiving ;)), my niece and I decided to listen to her little iPod Shuffle through her little mini iPod docking station.

As I was flipping through her songs I came across a very well known young singer, Hannah Montana AKA  Miley Cyrus. The song was "Nobody's Perfect", one that I was already familiar with (No.. I do not listen to Hannah Montana on the regular basis.. well, maybe sometimes.. JK!). I was paying close attention to the lyrics and then wahbam! God laid something on my heart to share... This song perfectly describes how as humans we act without God's guidance and wisdom.

She starts off the song by saying...

"Sometimes I'm in a jam
I've gotta make a plan
It might be crazy
I do it anyway
No way to know for sure
I'll figure out a cure
I'm patchin' up the holes
But then it overflows"

When things happen in our lives, things that cause an unfortunate circumstance or one that leads us to be uneasy and in want of a quick fix, we tend to automatically rely on our own knowledge. We see the problem and usually automatically begin thinking of a way that we can solve it, without the grace and wisdom of God. Notice how she says, "It might be crazy, I do it anyway". Honestly, this line right here just shows how ignorant and foolish we can be. Rather than trusting in a God who knows all things and loves us, we trust in our deceitful human nature and sinfulness to lead us out of trouble and into better places. Silly us! She then goes on to sing "No way to know for sure ... but then it overflows". You know, I almost LOVE the ignorance in this song as it leads me to appreciate and value the wisdom I have in Jesus. Hannah Montana is wrong, there IS a way to know for sure. As followers of Christ, we shouldn't be led by our own ideas as to what decision(s) we should make.  We are unable to fix things, and maybe we can "patch up the holes" but eventually it will "overflow".

"Sometimes I work a scheme
But then it flips on me
Doesn't turn out how I planned
get stuck in quick sand
No problem, can be solved
Once I get involved
I try to be delicate
Then crash right into it
My intentions are good
Sometimes just misunderstood"

If Miss Montana gets anything right, it's knowing exactly how us humans act. Isn't it sad how true this song is? How we make up all these ideas before consulting God, which can merely lead us into deeper issues... rather than being patient and waiting on God, we "then crash right into it". And perhaps we do have good intentions, but are they wise? I'm starting to wonder...

"Sometimes I fix things up
And they fall apart again"

Now ain't that the truth! We always do that! Us humans, always holding the assumption that we are capable of solving our own problems, that we are in no need of God's perfect wisdom and guidance. That's like me saying I'd rather do my math problem out on scratch paper instead of a calculator. NOW WHO DOES THAT! (Unless you really like Math.. well then you don't count)! :P

Proverbs 1:7

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, 

but fools despise wisdom and instruction."

So hey, next time you're "in a jam", how about you stop and reflect on the power of Jesus and of what you could ever possibly do in comparison to what the Creator can do!

That concludes my summary of Nobody's Perfect.. perhaps Hannah Montana can take a tip or two from this. ;)