Thoughts

May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human, enough hope to make you happy.

It's true that we don't know what we've got until we lose it, but it's also true that we don't know what we've been missing until it arrives.

It takes only a minute to get a crush on someone, an hour to like someone, and a day to love someone, but it takes a lifetime to forget someone.

Don't go for looks; they can deceive. Don't go for wealth; even that fades away. Go for someone who makes you smile because it takes only a smile to make a dark day seem bright. Find the one that makes your heart smile.

Happiness lies for those who cry, those who hurt, those who have searched, and those who have tried, for only they can appreciate the importance of people who have touched their lives.

The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way.

Goodbye Uncle Ronnie

Why do Christians have to be sad when someone dies? If we know that our loved one is in heaven, then why do we cry? Maybe it's a selfish kind of sadness. Maybe we're sad because we're focusing on what we've lost instead of the infinite joy that our friend has gained. Perhaps we're sad because we know that we could have done more. Maybe something was left unsaid, something that needed to be done before it was too late. Sometimes I think there must be something wrong with me. Why do I not feel more upset when bad things happen in life? I'm not afraid of the future, and I know that no matter what happens, God has a purpose and a plan for everything. If I were to lose all that I love in life... my family, friends, home... I know that I could pull through it. It would be hard, but I know that things would eventually be okay because there is one thing in my life that I could never lose. My faith. God will always be with me, and I know that with his strength, I can conquer anything.

Lord, thank you for being my Savior. Thank you for loving me and giving my life a purpose. No matter what happens, I give you all of the praise and glory. I love you.

Goodbye my dear Uncle Ronnie. I'll miss you.

True Happiness

I am so incredibly happy right now. I don't know how to describe it. It's like I'm living in a dream, only it's not a dream, it's my life. It's real, and it's not going to end when the sun comes up. Last night after coming back to the dorms after work, I laid down in my car for a while and listened to the sound of the rain beating against the windshield. God has given me so much. He loves me so much despite all of the things I've done wrong. I've done nothing to deserve any of the blessings he has poured into my life, and I'm overwhelmed by what He's done. I don't understand it.

What is true happiness? It's knowing that no matter what happens, God has a purpose for everything. It's knowing that though the feeling of happiness may be temporary, ultimate happiness in Christ is forever.


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Asking for Trouble

Ok. I just know that I'm going to get myself into a lot of trouble by writing this post. I'm at Anmed Hospital right now, bored out of my mind, and I saw this computer just sitting here in the corner and thought I would take advantage of the opportunity and update my blog. I'm looking around right now, just waiting to be caught. So far, no one has even noticed that I'm sitting behind the computer desk. I've been here since 4:30, trying to do my good deed for the day and donate some o-negative blood, but they are a little short-staffed. I've been sitting here for almost an hour already, and I'm ready to literally jump out of my chair and DO something. Egh. I hate hospitals. So why on earth am I here in the first place? I mean, do they REALLY need my blood? Sigh. I give in. I'm going to be a good girl because I know that someday, someone might actually need my blood, and if I don't give, where are they going to get it?

A Healthy Sickness

I'm sick. My throat hurts. My head hurts. My whole body feels like it's going to shut down at any given moment. It's been really tough these past few days, trying to teach five classes with a voice that's barely there and a body that wants to do nothing but sleep. I left work at the library early on Monday night because I literally couldn't stand up anymore. Tuesday night, I was supposed to go to an SGA meeting and help Residence Life do a "beach theme" spring break awareness event but ended up falling asleep with my head against my teacher's edition of Algebra II. On Wednesday night, I spent another night in my room, curled up on my bed. I missed both my Bible Study and my weekly RA meeting with the Stringer C staff. Finally Thursday is here, and my body is slowly starting to come back to normal. Goodness, it's been a long week, and I can't wait until Friday.

This is going to sound a little weird, but I'm going to write it anyway. Even though being sick wasn't much fun, overall it felt good. It felt healthy being sick. I could feel my immune system fighting off the virus that was threatening to take over my body, and, I don't know how else to say it, it just felt good. I felt alive.

Sometimes it takes a sickness before you appreciate what most people take for granted every day. Your health.

Real Gentlemen

When I think about the characteristics of real gentlemen, the first thing that comes to my mind are those men who play the roles of southern war heroes in the civil war movies like Gone With the Wind. Charming. Polite. Respectful. You don't see many guys like that anymore, and when you do happen to come across a guy who actually remembers to open the door for you, it always feels like a special treat. It feels weird saying all this because I'm one of those girls who doesn't like it when people do things for me. I always feel like I'm the one who should be serving, not the other way around. When a guy opens a door for me, I'm very pleased and grateful but at the same time there's this urge inside of me that wants to say, no, let me open the door for you.
Anyway, now for the real story. I went to Crystal's house this afternoon for a wedding shower for Heidi and Nick. There was a man there who I recognized, but I didn't remember who he was or how I knew him. About thirty minutes into the party, I started to get tired of standing and decided to look for somewhere to sit. The only place that was open was directly beside the place where this man was standing. I wasn't sure if he was claiming the seat as his or not, so I gave him a brief look that said "mind if I sit there?" He motioned go ahead, and I walked over to the seat. I'm in the process of sitting down when, all of a sudden, I feel a gentle push behind my chair that moves it just enough so that it fits perfectly underneath me. It was the strangest thing. I always imagined that gentlemanly act of pushing the chair underneath the lady to be something that in itself would feel physically awkward, but this wasn't awkward at all. The whole act was done so smoothly, that for a moment, I wasn't even sure it had happened. Then it dawned on me, and a delighted smile quickly found its way up my spine and into my cheeks. I had just been given the "push the chair" move for the first time in my life, and it felt wonderful. And to think it had come from a stranger who, believe it or not, was truly just being a gentleman.