The Good

After work I decided it wasn't time to go home yet so I drove around and parked near a catholic church. I'm not catholic but there is something about churches that make you feel welcome. I sat down on the steps and i called my friend just to chat. It was a really good talk and something I reallly needed. The night was beautiful and I found peace there at church. Just like a church should be. It should be welcoming, loving, caring and trusting. Not judgmental or uncomfortable. A church should be a place where we find Jesus shining through. I wish I had a church to call my own but for now with our home church I am happy and if ever again I need a safe haven I'll return to my place. The place where I can feel safe and at peace with life.

So once i got home I made ice cream cones for my brothers and I and sat down to watch the bachelorette. I'm really into that show even though I TOTALLY don't agree with how they do things. HAHA... but its insightful, interesting and neat to watch. My heart breaks for each and every guy who gets sent home at the end of the night (I know, it should be a guy chasing after the girl) but I feel with every episode I get to know the guy deeper and his personality and it hurts to watch them be broken. :( But I'm impressed with how the girl handles herself. She's respectable, caring and beautiful. Inside and out. She honestly cares about the mans feelings. She doesn't wanna hurt anyone or waste anyones time. She's careful with every word that she says and always finds the best in each and every situation. You never hear a single bad word come out of her mouth. She speaks truth, and lives life with no regret but learning from each mistake. She inspires me to want to try harder in life to find the good in everything. So from now on, I'm gonna start finding good in everyone. :) This will be fun. :)

Only You Can Save

I heard this song just a little bit ago and it was super encouraging and I thought the rest of you might like to read the lyrics too. :)

I saw a man today, his whole world across his back
A living monument opposed to my success
I tried to look into his eyes as he shuffled past my car
Sweat beading on his skin, his clothes and hair a mess

As the light turned green and I pulled away
He slowly disappeared
Just a memory of another chance
I failed to show Your love here

I wanna love because You loved
I wanna give because You gave
I wanna reach my hand out to the lost
'Cause I know Your hand will save

Only You can save
Only You can save

Have to wonder if I really want to know
The struggle and the pain that others feel
Do I want to hear the stories I see echoed in their eyes?
Or is this love I say that I'm reflecting even real?

As the light turns on inside my head
And I slowly disappear
I steel myself 'cause what You call for me
Is to show Your love here

I wanna love because You loved
I wanna give because You gave
I wanna reach my hand out to the lost
'Cause I know Your hand can save

I wanna love just like You loved
I wanna give just like You gave
I wanna reach your hand
'Cause only You can save

Only You can save
Only You can save

(Save)
Just let me be Your hands
(Only You can save)
Let me be Your eyes
(Only you can save)
Help me understand
(Only you can save)
That I'm Your hands and feet
Hidden behind this frail human disguise

I wanna love because You loved
I wanna give because You gave
I wanna reach my hand out to the lost
'Cause I know Your hand will save

The Time is Right Now

I found this on facebook and I really enjoyed watching and I thought some of you might too.

The random bits of Life

My little dog just got fixed and has to walk around the house with a cone on so she won't lick herself. We call it the cone of shame. She isn't happy with us. She says, we took away her right to be a mommy and we didn't even ask her if it was okay. Haha... Honestly though... I feel bad. She seems to sad all the time. :( She has to wear if for two weeks and than hopefully she'll be back to her normal, playful Gracie. :)

So, summer is almost over and it sure has gone by fast but I feel like its been a pretty amazing summer. It will be sad to see it go but I'm excited/scared (hahha) to see what adventure lies ahead. Nothing has ever gone the way I wanted it to go but the way God has chosen for it to go has made me pretty happy so I'm alright with whatever is ahead. (as long as it doesn't include, broken limb or busted skull or stuff like that)

Alright, I'm gonna go finish up some things but someone give me a topic to talk about for my next blog. :)

p.s. my thoughts are all just random bits. Silly me.

Love is not a Fight

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails"

This morning I woke up to read my bible and after reading this verse came to mind. I wasn't even close to reading this verse but the words started playing in my mind. I guess the Lord knew I needed to hear it. So many times I forget what love really should be and I act all selfish but love isn't a fight. It should be patient, kind, not jealous or boastful. It should never be proud and so on. I pray that the Lord can teach me what love really is. I have such a hard time not being jealous and trying to be patient...but love is wanting what's best for the other person. In everything putting them first, just like Jesus did for us.

"Love is not a fight, but it's something worth fighting for."

Teach me to love
like you do.
Show me what it means,
to always trust, hope and protect.
Help me to be patient and kind.
Never boasting or rude.
Make my love strong and faithful,
teach it to be giving and never jealous.
Show me to love, like you do.

Let it be for You

You know that feeling when you don't understand why something is happening or you just think life is sooo unfair. I'm sure you do, if you don't, please tell me what you're secret is. haha anyways, I was sitting in the car today thinking about my life at 14 and why some things had to happen, but now when I look back 4 years ago I realize how much God has blessed me. He really has given me more than beyond measure. Each and every day I come to realize how much He loved me during those days and how close he held me to him. It makes me feel like a brat when I look back and was ungrateful for life. He's given me so much and from now on all I want is to give back to him.

On my trip to NC I met a girl named Elizabeth. Sweetest, most bubbly girl you'll meet, but there was something about her that you couldn't help but notice and that was her love for Jesus. You know, you always hear people talk about how they can see his light shining through people but this week was the first time I had ever met someone who really had Jesus shining through them. It was soo inspiring.

"In everything I do and say, let it all be for you."

I know I've made tons of mistakes and I've been selfish but I wanna live for you and shine your light through everything I do and say. I see the road before me, I know it will be rough but I wanna live for you. So in everything I do and say... Let it all be for you.

Today was Great

So today I woke up to a text that was asking if I wanted to help take care of an older lady for the day. I agreed and left shortly after waking... not knowing what to expect.

Lets just say I had a blast. :) We talked, watched TV and joked around... When she was in pain it hurt to watch but I made sure to do what I could for her and she was soo sweet to me. One moment she could have me dying of laughter and the next very sober thinking on what she told me. Its funnny, the one thing about old people is their strength. Watching her go through the pain was rough but she was soo strong and just pushed through, hanging on to her hopes of getting better and being able to walk her dog once again. It reminded me of my Grandpa before he died. He used to talk about all the things he would do once he got better. His dreams were so big even if they were a little late... I think that's inspiring.... the fact that in the mist of so much pain and helplessness they are still able to dream big, hope and be happy. It makes me feel so lame when I complain about still being single or any other petty thing that might drive me insane. So from here on I wanna dream, hope and be happy through anything God brings me through.

Today was a great day... I made a new friend and helped someone... and that's all I've ever wanted to do.

The Little Things

Yesterday afternoon I had this great idea for a new blog and now I have totally forgotten what I even wanted to say... So much for my "great idea!"

They say you learn something new every day. I have to agree. On the way home from the beach today I was reading a book and during one of the chapters it talked about life...and paying attention to the little things. Noticing the small stuff around you and being a apart of the moment instead of living far off somewhere else and missing the moment. You know, life rolls by so fast, its silly of us to live in our daydreams. I'll admit I'm very much guilty of this... its soo easy to get so wrapped up in the silly little daydreams of young girls but when I read that chapter on living in the moment, it really, really, really meant something to me! I have also been hearing a quote for a couple days now by Jim Elliot... I can't remember it word for word but what he meant by it is that when you're doing something...Be all there. Don't be bringing other things with you or distractions. When you're with someone... when you're talking to another person, when you're helping out with dinner or even at the dinner table with family. Be all there. Its something I struggle with but something I know I need to work on.

So from now on...when i'm somewhere I'm all there... I promise to pay attention and not take life for granted. Its already so short.

Signing out -em

p.s. If there is anything I can pray for anyone about...please let me know. xo

Prayer

First Thessalonians 5:17 says "Pray without ceasing." I will admit that I never thought prayer worked...I had my doubts because I believed.... Being the immature girl I was....I believed that the Lord would just answer my prayers like I prayed them. HAHAHA Nope. Instead he answered them in different ways and some he didn't even answer! It took me four years to finally realize this but I understand now and I am so thankful for all the prayers I prayed that weren't answered and every prayer that I prayed that was answered in a different way.

The Lord is good to me....and he knows just what I need.

Prayer does work....and it also draws you closer to the Lord. I was listening on the radio yesterday and the radio guy was speaking about how in a friendship you talk with the person to let them get to know you better and you listen to understand them.... Its the same way with Jesus. In prayer we go to Him. We talk. And He loves it. Then we go to the bible....to listen. To know him better.

Pray from your heart, pray about everything because I know it draws you closer to the Lord. Its doing it for me. So if there is anything, any of you would like me to pray for...let me know. Sometimes it gets old talking about my life. I'd love to go to Him for you. Like so many of my friends have done for me.

-Em

Game Over

Lately I've been starting to see how flawed I am...I can grow, grow, grow and grow yet still see the fact that I'm only human and it amazes me that my heavenly father still loves me so much and smiles down at me when I go "Ohhh, maybe I shouldn't have said that" Haha.

Alright, so one thing that I realized I'm really flawed in is playing games... Yeah I know. Doesn't sound like a big deal.... but right now its bothering me. I see so many other people play mind games...and try to make other people jealous or just try to get information out of people and it kills me. IT DRIVES ME NUTS! but I used to be one of those people. Now I'm gonna change that. Honestly, there is no reason to mess with someones mind. If they want you to know something...they will tell you. If they like you... some how in the future when its God's timing it will work out, and messing with someones mind for fun is just soo uncool. So I'm sorry for any games I have ever played.

Game over.

I'm done.

:)

Anyways, its beautiful outside and I'm inside working on my birthday gift to Sarah. I don't mind much though because its kind of fun. Ohhh did I mention I have the coolest friends on earth? The Lord sure knew what he was doing when he gave them to me. Life would just be soo dull without them.

Alrighty, signing out. -em

Memories to Hold Onto

I have been home one day and already I am extremely bored. I guess it's that whole... going, going, going than STOPPING! but it's nice. I know and God knows I need this break. My trip to South Dakota was both refreshing and highly amusing. My first day there Julie and I sat outside on the swing and watched the storm. It was so amazing and really showed me how amazing our God truly is, after the storm we went back inside to cook and headed off to bed. Alright, so now our week really started. Monday I hung out with Sam all day then when Julie got home we went horseback riding...from 7:00 til 9:15. It was pretty much amazing and nothing could beat it. Tuesday was my day to relax and think through somethings with God. I finished that day feeling at peace with life. That night Julie and I decided to sit out on the roof and look at up the stars. I am still amazed at what God can do...I mean there were millions and millions of stars surrounding us and lighting up the sky with their beauty. Wednesday came rolling right along and I learned to paint a house...It was kind of fun in a way but I got a stinkin' farmers tan which is something that HAS NEVER happened to me EVER! Not okay with that. After painting Julie and I decided we really wanted to be in two places at once so we drove to the border of South Dakota and Nebraska....

(standing in two places at once)



(Standing in two places at once)

But the best part of that day was when Jason asked to take us all out to dinner. We left around 6:30 to eat dinner than afterwards we went off to the Dairy Dock to get ice cream and watch the water. I'd say that night was pretty much perfect. I had my two very best friends of SD and also a brand new one. It was almost like old days when Julie, Jason and I would sit around and talk about life or joke around. The night was really bittersweet because as muuch fun as I did have I remembered that Jas and my friendship isn't the same anymore because he got married but as much as I miss it I'm still happy he found Sam. (She's a gem) Thursday was our very last day to hang out and it was also the hottest day but Julie, Sammy and I decided to go swimming which was so much fun I can't even explain to you. Afterwards we went to the baseball game to watch our team lose but they sure didn't go down without a fight at the end. :) I said my goodbyes and the very next day I attempted to fly home.

I left at 7:30 in the morning to get to my flight that was suppose to leave at 10:12... it was delayed because of bad weather and then when It finally left there wasn't any room...I was totally fine with that...Life was good but finally our next plane came at about 12:00 and we left around 1:30pm. I was getting ready to just fall asleep when the guy across from me started talking to me. He was so sweet and such a gentleman. It was weird because I wasn't used to that. I had part of my guard up but I realized I didn't need it because he wasn't like everyone else. He was confident and polite. In everything he did he made sure I went first or was taken care of and if he happens to read this post I'm glad because he gave me hope for the rest of the world. Its been awhile since a guy was truly nice but it felt good. After our flight landed we send goodbye.

I came home and life went back to how it always is but I'm regretful for life and the chances God gives to me.

Hope you all are doing well.