Cliché Mother's Day Post (Just Kidding, it's awesome) ♥

So this post is dedicated to my lovely mother.  And yes, I may get sappy, so deal with it. 

 This woman is some kind of amazing.  I mean she dealt with me growing up, and I guess those two other strangers in the picture.  So my point is, she knows how to deal with difficult.  

Like.... there was that time I brought home a baby raccoon after reading Rascal. And maybe that wasn't the best idea, but I just wanted a cool pet.  And she dealt with that problem.  As well as told me I needed a rabies shot.  (great times)

So thanks for being awesome. 

Disclaimer:  That is not me in the above picture.  We picked her up on the side of the road. 

Just kidding. I love my sister:)

My parents are the best, and I'm glad God's plan made them my parents.  Quirks and all. 

 My mother inspires me.  She encourages me. She supports me.  She fixes my boo-boos, and gives me Snoopy band-aids.  She laughs with me.  She cries with me.  She listens to my problems.  She deals with my stubborn personality.  She loves me.   She loves my sister.  She loves my brother.  She loves my father.  She loves others.  

She loves God.

Like seriously God, thanks for the one of the best gifts EVER!

My mom sets a great example, and one day I hope to be just as great an indicator of Christ's love as she is.

     

"Love begins at home, and it is not how much we do....but how much love we put in that action."  

-Mother Theresa

Whoa...

So this video.  Whoa.  There will probably never be a better occasion to use these words: Mind Blown.  

I smiled.  I laughed. I cried. And I watched in total awe. 

"God is great" doesn't even begin to describe how awesome He is.

Thoughts Lately...

Faith. Trust. And pixie dust. I could use a little more of that. Okay maybe not the latter, because I might be allergic.  But it does have a nice ring to it.
Right now my life is moving towards big things, and this terrifies me because it means I'm going to have to do big things.  I've been reading books about how people are doing monumental, kingdom-building things, and I'm just sitting here in the land between point A and B.  I'm so excited ecstatic about the role I will have in this grand adventure, but at the same time I'm scared to cross the threshold into the land of point B.
BUT...then I realize:  This isn't about me!  And that blows my mind. All my life I've been so conceited, thinking everything was about how my life turned out, and ultimately what happens in the story of me.  And yes, this makes me sound like a spoiled little brat, and essentially, that's what I am.  I failed to realize, and sometimes I still fail to realize that this is the story of God. He's in control of what happens.  Past. Present. Future. This is so comforting because all that is required on my part is faith and trust.  I don't have to be constantly worrying about what my life will look like in 5 years, because it's already taken care of.  Even when I feel so inadequate, God is more than enough to cover all my inadequacy.  I've been hearing my pastor say this a lot lately:

"God doesn't call the qualified; He qualifies the called."

This has become more real to me lately as I take on things that seem over my head.  But then I remember:

"And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.  Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake:  for when I am weak, then am I strong."  II Corinthians 12:9-10

And there is nothing more real than that.

P.S. And because I like music, here's a video! :)

Hello there!

So, I like to edit pictures.  Mostly when I'm procrastinating, which is what I'm doing right now as I have a test tomorrow.  Whatever. ;) Enjoy my pictures!

 Reflection Lake - from my hometown! :) 

Somewhere in the wilds of Alaska!

I'm so blessed to be surrounded by so much beauty EVERYWHERE I GO.   

Who Am I?

Lately, I have been thinking about identity.  People have been telling me I have to "discover myself" now that I'm an independent young adult.  Well Professor Wigglematuffums, that's kind of a daunting task.  "Who am I?  Really?"   And I forget all the stinkin' time that God has laid it out for me already in His love letter to us. 

I am . . .

God-Designed

Purpose Intended

Significant

Lavishly-Loved

A Princess

A Daughter

BELOVED

I don't know why I forget who I am so easily, but I'm glad He lays it out there for me. ♥

"I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made:  marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well."
Psalm 139: 14

♥♥♥

I love finding encouragement when I read my Bible!

"These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith--of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire--may result in praise, glory, and honour when Jesus Christ is revealed.  Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy."  ~ I Peter 1:7-8 ~   ♥ ♥ ♥

And ALSO, I really like this song! Give 'er a listen!

Sherlock Moment

I love having Sherlock moments.  As in "I'm just as smart as Sherlock Holmes because I figured something out" moments.  They're the best.  So, I decided to buy a bike for college, because I want to be one of those cool kids that ride their bikes everywhere, because walking is soo overrated. So since I bought a bike, I needed to get one of those handy dandy bike lock things.  Because I do not want some scallywag hipster stealing my bike and pretending like they're the cool kid.  No, that's me who will be the cool kid.  Anyways, back to the bike lock.  So this bike lock is one of those pimped-out locks that uses LETTERS instead of numbers.  Awesome. I know.  So I'm trying to set it according to the directions, and the word they gave me DIDN'T WORK.  This obviously meant that someone messed with it at the store, and I was NEVER going to open it! EVER! And thus starts my mini freakout session which consisted of pulling my hair out and eating an entire package of Oreos. Then I came back to reality and tried all the four-letter word expletives.  No success.  I then remembered that people have names! What is a very popular four-letter name?? MIKE. I twisted that lock, and then voila!! SUCCESS.  I have concluded from this experience that I am the modern-day Sherlock, and Robert Downey Jr. should watch his back. ;) ha!

P.S. Needless to say, MIKE is not the combination anymore.  I have changed it, and if anyone finds it out and decides to steal my bike, I will run after them calling them a "scallywag hipster," and I will be swinging my old lady cane.