Throw the Stone

Here is one of my favorite bible verses of all time that I wanted to share with you (:

John 8:1 to 8:11

"Jesus went across to Mount Olives, but he was soon back in the Temple again. Swarms of people came to him. He sat down and taught them. The religion scholars and Pharisees led in a woman who had been caught in an act of adultery. They stood her in plain sight of everyone and said, 'Teacher, this woman was caught red-handed in the act of adultery. Moses, in the law, gives orders to stone such a person. What do you say?' They were trying to trap him into saying something incriminating so they could bring charges against him.

Jesus bent down and wrote with his fingers in the dirt. They kept at him, badgering him. He straightened up and said, 'the sinless one among you, go first; throw the stone.' Bending down again, he wrote some more in the sand.

Hearing that, they walked away, one after another, beginning with the oldest. The woman was left alone. Jesus stood up and spoke to her. 'Woman, where are they? Does no one condemn you?

'No one, Master.'

'Neither do I,' said Jesus. 'Go on your way. From now on, don't sin."

Art can change your life

As you may have noticed I have a bit of an obsession with One Tree Hill. Mostly because it influenced most of my high school years. It is an excellent show that I would highly recommend. I am terrible sad that it is over. Anyways, one of the girls named Peyton on the show is an artist and draws a lot of pictures that have meaning to her, had meaning to me, and may have meaning to you. 

So here are a few (:

Who to blame?

It is human nature to need someone or something to blame when things go wrong. I know I am guilty of this. I feel like a lot of people blame God when things go wrong. I can understand this because trust me I have blamed him a lot. But that doesn’t make it right. I am a strong believer that things happen for a reason. I believe that everything that happens in our lives God intended on it happening to teach us a lesson or make us stronger. Yeah, at times I still think wow really God why do I deserve that? It is common when your car breaks down, you have a bad break up, or a friendship ends to blame God. But maybe he had that happen for you. Maybe your car broke because you needed a new one. Maybe you had a bad break up because it wasn’t a healthy relationship. Maybe a friendship ended because that person was not meant to be in your life. Life isn’t going to be easy, but if it was then what would be the point in living? Life is worth living for our success and failures. For the good and the bad. Those are the things that make life so beautiful. Yeah, at times it is still difficult to understand, but I strongly believe that having the idea that things happen for a reason will make my life much better. I believe that God will never put a challenge in my life if he knew I couldn’t overcome it. I know I have not had a difficult life. Yes, there are some things that I wish hadn’t had to happen, but I now know that without them I wouldn’t be who I am. I don’t think that God is trying to punish me. I think he is trying to make me stronger. I am so grateful for this, because I know that who I am is because of him. I know that I wouldn’t have the good without the bad and I owe that to him. I am blessed to have someone who cares so much and to have someone who I know wont ever let me down. I now know things happen for a reason and I hope other people can understand that as well.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on my own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make paths straight."

Proverbs 3:5-6

Quote Three: Moving on

Quote Three (:

I know, from experience, that moving on is very difficult. But you need to move on in order to be happy with your new life. when one chapter of your life ends another one opens and it was God's intention for you to get a new opportunity. At first it may not seem like it's what you want but give it a chance and if it isn't right for you then God will have you move on once again. But he doesn't do anything for no reason. Everything he does is to benefit you as a person and he wouldn't give you a challenge if you were not strong enough to over come it. Trust in God and it can change your whole outlook on life. For me I trust him with everything and at times I have my doubts but at the end of the day I know he knows me better than anyone and I have faith that he will make everything will be okay. 

Am I good enough?

I want to share with you one of my most inspirational quote and photo from my favorite TV show One Tree Hill. 

BROOKE DAVIS: I was worried I wouldn't be enough for you. That's why I lied. That's what I'm afraid of. Not being enough. Not good enough, not smart enough, not pretty enough.

I feel like many teenage girls go through a period in their life when they don't feel like enough. I know I have. In High School I was very insecure. I put other people's opinions before myself and that was stupid. The past few months I have finally realized that I need to do things for myself. Because there are only two opinions that matter. Myself and God. I am already perfect in God's eyes which means I just need to be happy with myself. I am currently reading a book called Life of the Beloved by Henri J.M. Nouwen and wanted to share a quote that relates. 

"I have called you by name, from the very beginning. You are mine and I am yours. You are my beloved, on you my favor rests. I have molded you in the depths of the earth and knitted you together in your mother's womb. I have carved you in the palms of my hands and hidden you in the shadow of my embrace. I look at you with infinite tenderness and care for you with a care more intimate than that of a mother for her child. I have counted every hair on your head and guided you at every step. Wherever you go, I go with you, and wherever you rest, I keep watch. I will give you food that will satisfy all your hunger and drink that will quench all your thirst. I will not hide my face from you. You know me as your own as I know you as my own. You belong to me. I am your father, your mother, your brother, your sister, your lover, and your spouse....yes, even your child....wherever you are I will be. Nothing will separate us. We are one."

I have finally realized that if God loves me as much as he does then I can and will love myself. 

Suddenly those negative thoughts:

not good enough

not smart enough

not talented enough

not pretty enough

have changed into:

I AM good enough 

I AM smart enough

I AM talented enough

I AM pretty enough

I AM enough for myself and God and no one else's opinion matters.

I hope that this blog post can give other people a better outlook. At times I still find myself falling into my old way of thought but then I look in the mirror (figuratively speaking) and focus on what makes me the person I am. I am happy with who I am and I know that I am who I am because God intended on me being that way. God doesn't make mistakes and would never give me an obstacle if he knew I couldn't overcome it.  Next time you don't feel like enough listen to that faint voice in the back of your head that says you are enough, because you are (:

Nine years ago

......my life changed forever (:

Nine years ago today my baby sister was born. We may have our issues as sisters, but what sisters don't? But one thing that I know is that I am blessed to have such an amazing little sister. I can't wait to see her continue to grow into the amazing young lady and woman that she is going to be.

I decided to share with you the two major events about my sister that I will never forget.

First is the day that I found out that my mother was pregnant. I was 8 years old and an only child. I had asked or I should say begged my parents many many times to have a baby because I wanted a brother or sister. My parents took me for a  bike ride through bidwell park one day. We stopped at a picnic table next to the creek and my parents sat me down right next to the water and told me that we needed to talk. They told me that my mom was pregnant and going to have a baby. Honestly that was one of the best moments that I could have asked for.  I had wanted a brother or sister for a longgg time and hearing that I was so excited. I was a little nervous as well because that meant that I was going to have to share my parents. Which is a scary thought when you have been an only child for nine years. I knew my life would never be the same, but I knew it was going to be an amazing journey and it has. 

Now I am going to say everything that I remember from the day my sister was born. Parts may be choppy  because lets face its been nine years. My dad woke me up about midnight and told me that my mom was in labor and we needed to go to the hospital. I grabbed my bag that I had been packed for a few days. we drove to the hospital with my mom in pain the whole way. To be honest I was so scared because my mom is one of the toughest person I know, so seeing her in pain freaked me out a lot. Once we got to the hospital which felt life it took forever, my mom got set up in her room. My parents and I had planned on me being in the room during the birth because I had wanted to. Well that didn't go as planned because seeing my mom in the much pain did not sit well with me. My parents and I were still waiting for my grandparents to get to the hospital so I sat in a chair outside of my moms hospital room and read a book. Finally my grandparents got to the hospital. I went into the waiting room with my grandpa and uncle. At 4:33 on April 4, 2003 Gillian Rose was born, weighing 9 pounds. My Grandma brought me in the hospital room a little to early and I had to witness the after birth. If you do not know what that is trust me you probably do not want to. We spent awhile holding and awing over my baby sister. She was a beautiful baby. It had been a really long night for my family so we all fell asleep in the hospital room. My dad woke me up the next morning to ask me if I wanted to go to school, it was the last day before spring break. Being a typical kid I said I didn't want to because I was tired and too excited to have a baby sister. Lets face it having a crying baby over spring break made it difficult to relax but I got an amazing little sister. 


Happy 9th Birthday Gillian Rose. I love you and always will. 

Quote Two: Do not give up

Quote Two (:

If the last few months have taught me anything it's that over times get better. Don't get me wrong I have my good days and my bad days. But I know that over times things will get better. Difficult things happen but it's how you let them effect you that makes you into the person you are. I am trying hard to be strong because I know that if I have a smile on my face it makes it just a little easier every day.