Attention readers!

I am moving to Wordpress! I have loved my time here on Blogger, but I am ready to step on up. (: Feel free to subscribe and follow me just like you have here. For the convenience of both you and me, I have transfered my entire blog to my new Wordpress blog. Take a look? Have a read?

The new and improved Her Softly Spoken Heart. (:

I just realized...

that I completed someone on my bucket list without even remembering it was one there. What's that?--"driving on the interstate". Done. :D

Things I Love Thursday.

Oh, this week has been a testy one for sure. There have been completely splendid moments and then completely the opposite. To add to that, I am about to fall asleep--I am getting old. :D Let's start this baby eh?

• This Facebook status that my friend posted referring to a conversation she had with her little brother. (: "Tony was going on and on about seeing a picture of Brittany (censored last name), so I pull one up and say 'Well...there you go.' 'That's looks like a Brittany! Yeah! I know her! She's a pretty looks like a princess. Now Imma shake my butt' Haha. What that kiddo."
• Friends are awesome.
• Knowing that people have seen a change in me.
• Successful talks about the future with my father. (:
• Having really weird dreams repeat themselves.
• Knowing my mommy comes home Sunday.
• Feeling loved.
• Realizing that I am created to be me and no one else.
• Did I say friends already?
• Getting to see the lovely Katrina. :D
• God has been pretty stinkin' awesome this week.
• Seeing that some people "on the job" are nice enough to make time to answer a few questions to help a student out.
• Puzzles!
• Completing almost an entire module in Chemistry already this week. :D
• Words.

This was actually a pretty unique Things I Love Thursday, but I am okay with that. (: I hope you guys enjoy the rest of your week and be on the look out for some possible exciting news!

 Also, add the "awesomeness" of this photo to the list of things I love. (:

Things I Love Thursday.

Oh, what an eventful week! I feel like time has flown by since last week; so have my blog postings though eh? :D Let's get this started shall we?

getting to cross something off my bucket list - how playful Soot has been this week - knowing that I will get to see my best friend in a couple of days - Robert Frost - scarves - having a conversation with friends you use to be really close to like nothing ever happened - my interesting dreams - having brilliant ides - getting complimented on my writing by someone I look up to - getting lost in worship - making home-made cupcakes with my sister - dropping a piece of one of the said cupcakes on the floor, just to turn around and see that the cat had eaten it - seeing that my favorite blogger, theoneinpink, visited my blog - marcel the shell with shoes on - talking abut dream cars, computer, and phones with my dad - sneezing in youth, while sitting on the front row, and hearing people behind me saying "bless you" - taking four pages of notes because a sermon is so good - learning that there are people who trust me and are willing to confide in me - knowing that Project Runway comes on in T-minus 43 minutes - successfully going through an algebra problem on the phone with my teacher - being happy (:

And here my friends, is a nifty photo to send you on your way.

Quotes Worth Quoting.

Image via Wikipedia

"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life. It goes on."

 

- Robert Frost

 

 

"A poem begins with a lump in the throat; a homesickness or alovesickness. It is a reaching-out toward expression; an effort to find fulfillment. A complete poem is one where an emotion has found its thought and the thought has found words."

- Robert Frost

Thank you Economics teacher, Mrs. Gray!

Economics
Assignment: 02.02 Career Path Discussion
Comments: Hello Brittany,Thanks for responding to the Career path discussion and pasting your responses here! You have done a good job and you exhibited insight and understanding into the factors affecting the choice of a career path in the ministry. You are acknowledging that there will be monetary sacrifices in this career but that there will also be non-monetary benefits to this type of work. There are a lot of choices to think about in the future. It is important to make good ones! You sound like you are on the right track.
Mrs Gray
Grade: 50 / 50

This completely made my day. Whether it is a generic reply or not, which it doesn't seem to be completely, I was happy to read this. Thank you God, and thank you Mrs. Gray. (:  

More about light switches.

If you are a dedicated reader, you have already read my last post about light switches, "I trip and fall for no good reason at all". If so, you know that I spoke about how I tend to go through life tripping and running into things when all I have to do is go to the light. With the help of the Light, things tend to be a little bit easier, not to mention less painful. Now that you know that history, I can continue on. 


I guess you guys say that P.Joe, my youth pastor, has a way with saying things that stick with me for a while. This time the light switch isn't just about you as a person tripping and falling, but about everyone around your running into things getting hurt as well. We live in a dark world where millions of people are in pain; if we were to strop and listen we would hear the cries of the people around us--it would be like hearing screams in the pitched black. What and eerie thought, but such a true one. 


Before I get ahead of myself I better take a step back. Everyone has a choice, has the ability to make a difference and become a revolution (quick shift in power). Some people believe they can change the world, while others believe that "world-changing" is impossible. Whether you believe you can change the world or not, you can make a change--even if it is just in your family or friends.


I already see minds spinning while I say this so I will go a little deeper. Whether you know it or not, the way you live your life effects those in a direct, or indirect, ripple effect around you. For example, if we are all in a pitched, black room and I turn on a flashlight, I am not the only who is going to be able to see something. With the help of my flashlight, anyone around me will be able to see better than they could before. 


I am a person who struggles with self-worth quite frequently, so hearing this message really made me think. Sometimes it is easy to believe that what I do doesn't matter in the long run; needless to say, I was proved wrong. We all have a place in this world, all made unique, unique to our Father. We all also have opportunities to shine our light, His light, to help other people out.


So readers, will you continue to sit in the dark with the screams of those around you, or will you decide to let your light shine? 

PS: Thanks to P.Joe for his awesome wisdom.

Sorry for the delay.

Image via Wikipedia

I promised a blog, and I swaer I am working on it, but thanks to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome it is hard to do much of anything with my right hand. Although I am quite use to the idea of CTS, this is the worst I have ever had it, and believe me it is still painful to even type up this short blog. I have spent the last 3 days with my wrist wrapped and iced. Also, I have spent the last three days figuring out what you can't do with Carpal Tunnel. So dear readers, I am asking you to be patient with me as I slowly get my thoughts out to you. (:

Things I Love Thursday.

Image by Lester Public Library via Flickr

Making soap bubbles with your hands, Ace of Cakes, hearing a sermon that may just change my life, hopes of real blogging again, card games, being positive, not getting frustrated with computer problems that are keeping me from blogging, my alarm clock, television, my cat's new found love for the outdoors, wedding shows, having someone else kill the spiders in my room, and hearing people whistle the song you have been playing on the piano all week.

Short and sweet eh? :)

Things I Love Thursday.

As you hopefully know, today is Thursday! If you are a regular reader you already know what to expect from this post, but if you are not, prepare to feast your eyes upon the loveliness of my week. (:

• Vanilla tea- I love me some hot tea, especially when it is vanilla or earl grey, and this morning it definitely made my day.
• Spending time with Taylor- She is just cool, ya know? I am always happy to get to spend time with her on Wednesdays, but this week was pretty nifty.
• Trying out new recipes- This week I decided to make something that I have never attempted before: BBQ chip chicken. Even though it sounds strangely odd, I was definitely pleased to find no left-overs.
• Spending time with the cousins- I was able to spend Sunday with the "Burger bunch", also known as my cousins! Being that most of my cousins have lived in Michigan my entire life, I can definitely appreciate having them living down here for a change. 
• Finding my mild road rage- I have always been the "chill" driver, but we definitely began to see signs of aggravation when I had to drive 30+ minutes over 10 miles-an-hour under the speed limit! Although it was quite irritating, I am still at the point where I am happy to get any story I can about my driving experiences. :D
• Cheesy movies with the fam.- I am the child that grew up watching the poor acting on 007 with my family, and I have been more than pleased to watch them over again with my family. 
• The thought of football season creeping up on us!- A couple of years ago I would have killed over if I knew I would be saying such a thing, but I am more than ready to watch some football!

And now we get to the things that need no explanation.

  

finding time to read -- gouda cheese -- finding movies that are worth watching -- driving -- this website -- making a list of recipes to cook -- swimming -- finding new music -- this store (it's one of my favorites) -- adorable dresses 1 and 2 -- finding sheet music you forgot even existed -- dreams of the future.

I hope you guys have an amazing rest of the week!

In case you were wondering...

Image by Mark Sardella via Flickr

how many licks it takes to get to the tootsie-center of a tootsie pop...

I came up with 1400 licks (give or take a few).

I know that the results of this test will vary for every person who does this, due to the pressure of the sucker on the tongue as well as how much saliva there constantly is. Having said that, has anyone else done this? If so, what were your results? (:

Things I Love Thursday.

This week has been absolutely wonderful and I am looking forward to this post. (: If this is your first time reading a Things I Love Thursday, or as my best friend refers to it as, TILT, I will gladly explain the point. "TILT" is a weekly blog post that names some of the things I am thankful for in that week. What is the point, you might ask? The whole purpose of this is to continue to view things in a positive light, it makes things a bit lighter. :D Let's get started eh?

happiness|seeing people i haven't seen in a long time|catching up with people from years past|being back on my exercise routine|being able to drive by myself|zemanta blogging assistant|crafts(:|NFL commercials that are getting me ready for football season|hope|100 layer cake (i am a wedding dreamer. :D)|discovery channel|shark week|fresh, home-made banana bread|my chemistry teacher's patience (almost and hour on the phone...)|my best friend, whom i miss more than ever|starting my first senior class|dreams|food network|tlc|blogger stats|my readers(love you guys)|life.

Enjoy the rest of your week! (:

Lightening storms.

A little while ago there was a pretty wicked lightening storm outside of my house, so what do you do? We, as a family, turn out all of the lights and begin to see why Florida is called The Lightening Capital. (:

After that I started to play an eerie tune on the piano--hilarious. I think one of the funniest things though was when my brother and I started to come up with a plan for a horror film. I love my family, they are pretty awesome. :D

Image by mdprovost ~ Prosper in all things 4 2010 via Flickr

Things I Love Thursday.

This week has gone by crazy fast but I am actually quite excited to do this post. (:

• My piano- Most of you know how I feel about music and today is one of those days where I could cry from the happiness it gives me. Dramatic? Oh no, just happy. :D
• Being home- As stated before, I LOVE Michigan, but I am more than pleased to be home. Although there are a few people I wish I could fly to see often, I definitely missed my friends here.
• Sooters (Soot)- In case you haven't read my previous posts about Soot, she is my lovely cat. Nothing beats having a fat, lazy cat for a pet. Oh and might I add that she is participating in an extremely exciting game of "Attack That Crazy Bell" as we speak? :D
• The Movement Youth Ministries- I missed these people a lot, and even though I haven't even seen all of them yet, I really did enjoy seeing the ones I did--you guys are awesome!
• Twitter- I just love keeping up with people's daily lives; I also like to think that others feel the same way about my tweets. 
• theoneinpink- I love following Sarah's blog and I would encourage anyone to take a look. If you wish to take on this great advice, click here.

And here are the things that I didn't feel needed details:

the movie Serendipity - driving during a lightening storm, even if it is distracting - sitting between an older couple on the plane home (whom i will write a blog about later) - sleeping in my own bed - this photo - the thought of looking for a new blog home - almost being done with History - C.S.I. (even the re-runs) - this Wendy's review - feeling loved.

Heads up!

There is definitely a lot of "firsts" on this trip; one of them being the most recent: missing my flight home. Yes, that is correct, I was scheduled to go home today but I unfortunately missed my life. You have no clue how ready I was to be home. I love me some Michigan and I must say, I was just now starting to feel comfortable again, but home is still calling. Anyhow, I have a flight tomorrow and should arrive in the Sunshine State some time early afternoon. I just had to laugh with you guys on one of the peculiar things that have been going on lately.

(:

Things I Love Thursday.

Well, being that it is almost midnight I am just going to jump right in!

• People that make me laugh.
• Baking- This week has been crazy full of baking and the job will not be complete until tomorrow. I am super happy about the results so far and cannot wait to finish up.
• The thought that I am going home soon- Don't get me wrong, I love me some Michigan, but I am missing home quite a bit. My regular schedule is calling me name and I am ready to sleep in my own bed. Aside from that I miss my parents, cat, and friends. Like I said, Michigan is awesome but it is only my second home.
• Leap Year- No, not the actually Leap Year, but the movie. I had read reviews that made me doubt the quality of this movie, but oh were they wrong! This movie may be a bit predictable, but it crept its way up to my favorite's list quite quickly.
• Playing cards with family- Some of my relatives came over earlier this week and we were able to get a full-out game of Hand and Foot going--it was great.
• Getting some cool words from God.
• Hearing my grandma brag about my cooking to others- I don't think she will ever know how great this makes me feel.
• Watching late-night movies knowing you are going to be dead-tired in the morning.

I think this is going to conclude this being that my brain is completely fried. lol. I cannot wait to have the time to post more when I get home! Until then, goodnight!

There's a first time for everything!

If you have been reading my latest blogs you will know that I have been in Michigan. Well, nothing new there, I am still in Michigan and today I was going over to the house of a family friend to bake. Long story short, I was very good at getting lost today. In case you haven't a clue, Michigan roads/placement of signs/turning lanes/etc. are completely different than in Florida. This little trip of mine was only suppose to take 15 minutes--not 45. Also, I was never to enter the freeway. Yes, that is right, I somehow found myself on the freeway and I can safely say it was the worst feeling ever, being lost and driving 70 miles an hour while trying to figure out where to go. Thankfully I had some gut instincts and found my way back to town, but that was far from the end of my getting lost. After escaping the monsters of the freeway I had to battle dead ends, u-turns, construction, and the fight against breaking down. As terrible as this was at the time, it was a good learning experience and makes and awesome story!

Feel free to share any of your stories about getting lost, I would love to read them! (:

Things I Love Thursday

I always seem to get to these blogs oh so late into the day. Better at this time than never eh?

• Ace of Cakes- I love, love, love this show. Not only are they hilarious, but they bake cake; is there a better combination for a show? I do not believe so.
• Afternoon naps- These are pretty self-explanatory in their "awesomeness".
• Michigan- Not only is the air better, but so are the prices on just about everything!
• Food Network- I just can't get enough.
• Ladder Golf- I have no clue where this game even came from but I love it. There are two golf balls attached by a somewhat lengthy string. The object of the game is to throw said golf balls at a ladder (made of PVC pipes), in such a way that they wrap around it. The higher up on the ladder you are, the more points you get. That my friends, is the basic rules to the game.
• Understanding my Algebra work- Need I say more?
• Cooking- Because my grandma's surgery was today, I offered to cook dinner. Even though the kitchen was a mess, the food was delish.
• Patience- This is definitely not something I am perfect with but God has been helping me out with that lately.
• When you get to talk to someone you haven't in a long time.
• The thoughtfulness of my teachers- This is specifically referring to the recorded sessions that my teachers do to help students with lessons. I have taken advantage of these are just watch them instead of reading the lesson--smartest thing I ever did.
• My Zune- I actually forgot that it existed for a while but I am glad to have remembered it once again.

Well, that is all for me this week guys! I hope your week is awesome and that your Thursday was as pleasant as mine.

My Dreams Unrealistic (poem)

A whistle in the wind;
A broken light in the dark.
A thought whipped mind,
Was my life from the start.

Simplicity and ease,
Their lives seem to show.
Doubt and lack of confidence,
No, not even a glow.

Impossible endings,
Are my dreams in real light.
My life it always seems,
Will never take flight.

So many options,
They say are right there,
But for me I see none,
None I even dare care.

For I only see
One choice in my life.
Behind all the clouds,
It all seems just right.

Until the day comes
When the doubted comes true,
I'll work on my seeing,
Seeing like You.

-July 8, 2010
Brittany VanAken

Things I Love Thursday.

I am so tempted to turn this into a "Things I Hate Thursday", but since this is suppose to be a positive thing I won't. Let's get started eh?

• Playing card games with the family- This is pretty self-explanatory right?
• Being in Michigan- I love Michigan and being here is pretty refreshing. However, as much as I love the people here, doing school is deathly difficult. Also, this humidity is just not working for me. (Like Florida is any different eh?)
• Cooking on the grill- Tonight's dinner was grilled sweet and tangy pork chops--so good! I definitely have a new favorite recipe and if you would like it click here. (: Ooh, minor changes though--I added 1/4 cup of brown sugar to the glaze, and because my pork was boneless, I cooked it a minute less on each side.
• Writing- I have actually written three new poems since I have been in Michigan and it feels good to be doing so again. I haven't yet decided whether I will share these with my readers yet or not, but we shall see.
• Michigan friends- I have really enjoyed spending time with my Michigan family, and I excitedly looking forward to the time I still have left here.
• Good movies- Tonight I watched The Edge of Darkness; it was actually pretty good! I honestly really liked it, minus the fact that the actors need to learn to speak more eloquently. I still don't understand why Hollywood thinks it needs to use the F-word explicitly--or at all.
• 21 Days After Camp- This is a devotional that was given to me at camp and I am loving it! I love when leaders care about you even when you aren't at their camp.
• My Memaw- She's just cool.
• Little comments that make you think- Last night I was introduced to someone by my grandma and in doing so they said, "It is nice to meet you, I've heard good things about you." I honestly want to not only know what they've heard, but who they have heard it from. Not that I am complaining of course, I'm just curious.
• My best friend- I know she seems to make it into every "Things I Love Thursday", but I cannot help the fact that she is so great. I remember worrying about losing touch with her, but now I know that it just isn't possible. haha. :D
• Mulberries- I tried my first mulberries today and I just have one question: Why do they call it a "bush" in "Pop Goes The Weasel" when mulberries grow on a tree?
• This- Ah, it made my day and will make yours too! I was laughing probably more than one should at something like this. :D

Well, I think that about covers it for this week! Drop by next week, or preferably before. (:

A Minute To Win It.

I am just going to start and see where this ends up eh?

While I was at camp, Pastor Jim Raley did a sermon called "Minute To Win It", and it for sure has been on my mind lately. If you think about it, one decision, one split second, can change your entire life. Not every time you make a decision will you have hours or days to come up with an answer; sometimes you only have  a minute to win it.

This has really had me thinking because we never know at the moment how much one decision changes your entire life. I didn't know that what seemed like simple decisions, at the time, would still have me tripping up years later.

With this in mind, I have two questions for you: Who is involved in your decision making process? and Are you willing to make right decisions that may cost you friends or fame?

Oddly enough, I am going to leave you at this and you may or may not receive another blog concerning this.

Lot-o-sun.

I am soaking up the sun here in Michigan! As much as a despise the large fireball in the sky back home, I cannot seem to get enough of it up north. One thing is for sure, when I can lay out and tan, you know that there is a difference. I am the gal with the 85 to 100 SPF sunscreen(usually) and the one that still walks away burned!

Anywho, I just wanted to let you guys know that I haven't fallen off the planet and that I do plan on typing up a pretty good blog here soon. So friends, keep checking back to see when I make that post!

Update.

This week has been quite eventful! From Monday to Thursday I was at camp, Thursday I picked up my new glasses, Friday I got my license, today I have been packing and making trips to the library, and tomorrow I leave for Michigan! On top of all this I have been extremely sick since Friday morning. I was actually running a temperature of 100 until early afternoon today. Along with the fever I have had a really bad cough that kept me up most of the night last night; I am still fighting this cough off.

Anyway, back to where I was going with this post. I haven't forgotten about my blog posts about camp, so expect to see some after I get settled in at my grandma's. I also got a saw a tweet that sparked a new blog idea; I cannot wait until I get the chance to write!

Things I Love Thursday

This week has been beyond amazing! I have spent Monday through Thursday morning at youth camp and I can honestly say that it has been completely life-changing. I can promise you that there will be some blogs soon about some of the things that really hit me.

Moving on with Things I Love Thursday though!

• God's love- This week was extremely powerful, and I must say, God and his love made it the best it could have been. I have not only learned a ton in the last four days, but I feel like I am one step closer to being where I am suppose to be. Being comfortable in your own skin and knowing that you were created in the image of Love can change everything. (:
• New glasses- Today I got to pick up my new pair of glasses! Although I am still adjusting to them, I am ecstatic to be able to see and have a new look at the same time! :D
• My friends- Aside from getting to spend crazy amounts with God this week, I also got to spend time with some of my friends. I really cannot tell them how awesome they are and how thankful I am to have them around. This camp experience couldn't have been any better and I partially have them to thank for that.
• People that truly care- I think this one pretty much just speaks for itself!
• Being able to see so many people crying out to God at once- I can most honestly say that one of my favorite things to see is people giving up all they have just to be closer to Him. Being able to see over 400 people forget about the people around them and to really see how great our God really is, brings everything into a new perspective.
• The Roar- The Roar is an amazing worship band that played all week at camp. Not only will I have their songs stuck in my head forever, but I will be happy about it. These guys were truly amazing and I am so thankful that they were there to help usher us in to His presence.
• People watching- Another awesome thing about camp is the diversity of people that attend. A lot of the time while I was waiting in line to eat or waiting for service to start, I would just look around and observe people. It blows my mind how absolutely every person on this Earth has their own story; how each person is uniquely their own. I honestly believe that realizing the significance behind that is one of the most beautiful things.

Well, these were just some of the things that stuck out about my week! I do apologize that almost all of them referred to camp, but then again I am not sorry at all! This week has been almost completely perfect.

I would love to hear about your week and what you have loved about it!

:D

I am entirely nervous for this week at camp. Why is it so difficult for me to just enjoy time with other people? Hopefully I will get where I am going, forget my insecurities, and have a good time.

Quick post.

So here is a link that was sent to me by Katrina a couple of weeks ago. I love it so much! The picture beneath this is not only an excerpt from the page, but the title--enjoy!

Check it out?

P.S.- I love how not only does the cat in the pictures look like my cat, but that she does most of these things regularly. Therefore if you find me dead, you know where to start the investigation. :P

Things I Love Thursday.

Oh yes, it is that time of the week again--it's Thursday! Let's get started!

• Eye exams- Weird I know, but they are fun and the gift of vision derive from them. Also, it means a new look for me--hooray!
• Phone calls with the best friend- I miss her like crazy and catching up with her makes that day so much better. I think I forget sometimes how awesome it is to have someone to talk to. Also, I love that we rushed off the phone at ten minutes until midnight just so we could make the deadline for the Things I Love Thursday post. :D
• Sales!- I am a lover of sales, call me cheap but I prefer frugal. I like to get my money's worth and today I would say that I did just that. For those of you who know me well know that I live in sweat/pajama pants when I am home, and now that it is summer it gets pretty hot. Therefore, today I made a winner of a purchase on some "active-wear" knee-length shorts for only 6 bucks; I am stoked!
• The anticipation of something awesome- Monday is camp and I am pretty stinkin' excited! I cannot even begin to tell you how happy I am to spend time with people for more than 2 hours. :D
• The photo below- I adore this picture so much and it helps the cause that it resembles my cat, Soot. I am a die hard cat person, for sure, so I thought this was right there next to sliced bread.

• 6:30 AM- Weird one I know, but I have been getting up to exercise, listen to music, and just think. Who knew that this simple change in starting out your day could make the rest so much more amazing.
  

And because I have to get up so early, I would say it is time for bed! Thanks for reading and don't forget to check in next week for another. Oh and hey, I would love for you to comment about something awesome in your week! :D

This blog is everywhere.

Sometimes I hate the truth; when I say that I mean that sometimes I hate having to tell myself that something is the truth. In other words, I hate when the things that make your stomach crawl becomes reality. I am sure I will go into detail one of these days, sometime when this realization isn't so sickening to think about. BLAH.

On a happier note, I will be heading out to spend for days of camp on Monday! I cannot even tell you how happy I am to be able to spend quality time with other people; let alone other girls my age. Brittany is really ready to be happy, make a comeback(personality wise), and be confident in who I am, and I feel like spending time with other people will help with this. Also, more importantly, I have an expectancy for God to speak some major words this up and coming week.

Even sooner on the calendar, tomorrow I have an eye appointment! Woohoo! I am only super exited for this because I will also be picking out new frames; you have no idea (unless of course you where glasses), how old wearing the same thing on your face can become. I did a good job at picking out frames when I first got these, because they go well with everything and are hard to get tired of, but I feel like these don't represent me as well as others could. So, we shall see what happens.

I thought it was a cool picture.

(Credit Here)

We have a musical Sunshine.

Earlier this week I was reading an article about the Sun. "They found that huge magnetic loops that have been observed coiling away from the outer layer of the sun's atmosphere, known as coronal loops, vibrate like strings on a musical instrument." In other words, the Sun creates its own music.

I can honestly say that this is one of the coolest things ever. This just proves even more how music can relate to every aspect of our life. Not only that, but  music can effect the way you live your life, whether you know it or not.

Everyone I'm sure has their own ideas about what this "sound" really is, but I believe it is more than just sound and more than just music. Whatever it is, there is something so surreal about the fact that God not only created music, but that His creation creates music every day--even the things no one ever knew did.

To listen to the Sun and read the article yourself, click here.

                                                              

I would like to know...

Who get's a cold in the middle of summer?!

I definitely have lots to do in the next two weeks: I will be catching up/getting ahead on school, heading out to camp on Monday, getting home and getting my license, and two days later I will be on a plane headed to Michigan for 3 weeks! :D
PostScript: Maybe one of these days I will get in a meaningful blog post again. lol.

Hooray!

Beside getting sick yesterday, I happened to also book tickets to Michigan! Woot! I will be flying out of here July 4, and will be gone for a little over three weeks--cool beans. I am quite ecstatic, but I still have a ton to do before I am able to leave. Gah.

Things I Love Thursday.

Well, it's that time of the week again! It seems like this week has gone by extremely fast, and yet, I still feel a sense of accomplishment about my week. (: I still have tons to do yet, including the outline for a research paper, but if all goes well this week should end on a spectacular note.

Let's get this baby started!

• My piano- I have made the decision to conquer a task that I set out for myself a little over six months ago and, as of right now, I am stoked. :D When I have finally completely this said task I will be sure and fill you in on all of the details.
• Consequence of Sound- This lovely song has been the "song of the week" it seems, but who's complaining? (:
• Rain- For those of you who followed my blogs back in the day on Myspace will know how much rain means to me. Beside the given of tranquility, rain brings me many memories of my late grandfather. I remember when I was growing up--we would sit out on the porch on a rainy Michigan afternoon, just to listen to the thunder and watch the rain. I would usually abandon this show after around 20 minutes. but my grandpa would continue to listen and watch for hours. So yes, good memories are brought by rain and I was happy to have plenty of it this week.
• My parent's skill at being amazing- I am incredibly blessed to have the relationship I do with my parents and today was just another reminder of that. I spent my morning taking my father to work, after grabbing coffee, and then to breakfast and grocery shopping with my mom. It is days like this that I know that I am going to miss the heck out of them when college and life take me out of this home.
• Memories- Lately(especially within this last week), I have gone through so many memories and I have never been so thankful for the ability to remember even the smallest things. Although most of my reminiscing has been sparked by some of my childhood friends graduating, others times have just been in conversation with my family and brother. Oh how time flies and how scary it is to realize how fast it really does.
• Looking through the toy aisle with my brother- Today while we were at Wal-Mart my brother and I could not help but go through the toys from the new Toy Story 3. Not only are we avid fans of the original movie, but both of us cannot wait to be able to see the new addition to the Toy Story family. What made this even better is the smile that was given to us by an elderly man as we got so excited over Rex being about to "roar"(no matter how terrible the toy really sounded).
• School Guidance Counselors- Thanks to the help of my guidance counselor, I just found out some lovely news for my school and am super excited. :D
• Eye drops- Today I started using eye drops, and already I feel a difference with my eyes; so much so that it deserves a spot on my Things I Love Thursday. (:

I do believe that concludes today, I hope you guys enjoy reading these little tid-bits of my life and I look forward to sharing them every week! (:

Weather report.

One thing I absolutely adore about Florida is the late afternoon thunder showers. There was enough rain today to flood the place and I loved every minute of it. (:

You know it fits; they can taste the rainbow!

As many of you guys know I enjoy learning; I would not be offended if called a geek. Some of the best things to learn about are the most random, unheard of, things. Something that I have always been fascinated with is learning about rare diseases or disorders and today I may have just found one of the most peculiar yet.

This disease I am speaking of is called Synaesthesia and has to do with the mesh of senses. People who have this disease can literally taste the rainbow. When they see letters, numbers, and musical notes, they see them as a certain color(each diagnose as his own) and they are able to taste and smell that specific color. You could actually have a conversation with one of these said people about the taste of the color green. If you are just as interested as I was, you can visit a website explaining it even more here.

Also, thanks to Twitter and OMGFacts I have diagnosed myself with a mild version of the Tetris Effect . If you have no clue what this is check it out and tell me what you think--crazy stuff. Oddly enough though, this has happened to me several time; who knows, maybe I should just lay off the Tetris. :D

Things I Love Thursday

Things I Love Thursday is what will hopefully become a weekly post about things I really love or am thankful for at that specific moment. Doing this allows me to not only look at the positive in life right now, but to share with you guys some things that that I love! Let's get started shall we?

• The fact that Blogger has a new design section, allowing my blog to look awesome without spending all of my free time trying to figure stuff out. (:
• Spell Check--enough said.
• The triumphant feeling you get after completing an Algebra equation that just looks like a bunch of markings by the time you get done. This my friend means that one that was lengthy enough for you to forget what the original problem was to begin with.
• Learning(understanding) something new in Chemistry; it seems like every day my love and curiosity for said subject grows.
• A tall glass of cold water(nix the ice). 
• Learning how to juggle. I have decided that I wish to be able to juggle; therefore I did what any knowledgeable person would do and looked up instructions on YouTube.
• Julian Smith's "Jellyfish" video. I have had this song stuck in my head since it was released and it probably doesn't help that a still frame of it is my desktop background. :D
• The wonderful bloggers that I follow. 
• Talking to friends that I haven't talked to in a while. 
• Watching basketball with my dad and brother, even if I ask them questions about it every 10 minutes. (:
• The anticipation of seeing people you haven't seen in a long time. (:

Vacation postponed until later date.

Unfortunately my vacation will be postponed until a later date. No specifics of when that will happen, but gosh darnit Michigan is calling me! :P

I do have an idea of when this trip will take place but as for right now that will remain a secret. Until then I will just have to continue missing Michigan. ):

This week's potential.

I may actually be going on vacation this week, *crosses fingers*--I am hopeful. As I await that news though, my days will be packed with house work, school work, and projects for other people. I feel as though maybe my life is a bit hectic right now but I am trying not to look at that! When I find out the news about going I will be sure to fill you in on the plans, as well as my idea of a new post.

Ps: I want to start doing this thing called "Things I Love Thursday"; depending on if/when I leave will determine whether I will start this week or next. Either way it will consist of a list of things I love and I will be doing this post every Thursday (so I hope). I must admit that I got this idea from one of my favorite bloggers, Sarah (aka theoneinpink); you can have a look at her blog here.

Remember, you are awesome like a possum! (:

This week has been crazy..

I have a feeling that this weekend will be little-to-no rest. I have so much catching up to on school, projects for other people and just every day responsiblities of mines. *yelling* lol. So, please bare with me on the lack of posts(important posts) as I catch up on life.

Oh, also, I may be looking at a new home for my blog. I am looking at tumblr.com but I am not yet sold on it. We shall see!

Have a happy day!

Bucket-List

http://mybucket-list.blogspot.com/

I have completed another one!
Also, check back to my first blog post on there frequently to see what I have added to the list since you last checked. (:

It's my birthday! (probably up by the time this is written)

So I have been intending to blog ALL day but there have been so many surprises for my wonderful 17th birthday. To begin with, my best friend who just moved for college surprised me this morning. I am was almost in tears, I have missed her like crazy. It was the best surprise ever. On top of that loveliness all of my friends at church were super cool and gave me a card and made me feel special. lol. Also, I had an amazing dinner with my family; I haven't smiled this much in SO long. It felt really good to finally have a day where I haven't worried about anything, a day where I just knew that everything would turn out; a day to be me. So, I just wanted to fill you guys in on how awesome this birthday has been, and it has been the best.

And now we have finished Dear John and are having the crying conversations. lol. So this is the end of my seventeenth birthday, and I am sure that so much more will change before my next. (:

Cool beans.

I love having those friends that are there, but you have no clue how they even got there. No, that sentence made it sound like I was referring to aliens. o_o How can this be better put? I love when you have a friend that is always there to cheer up your day but somehow you don't even remember the day that you guys even began to speak to each other. That was a much better explanation!

Moving on, thanks to that friend (who won't even be able to identify themselves in this), I am one step closer to being back to normal. I guess most of my problem is that I was getting stuck in the, "Dude, 3 out of 4 of the people I have been closest to this year are not even living here anymore." I had such a hard time because I was thrown out of my element, one friend at a time. I am slowing recouping though haha.


Also, this song has made things a little better. haha.

Quick Update

I am really looking forward to P.Joe's new series called Spiritual Issues. I know it is going to be a tough one for me to hear when he starts out by saying, "You deserve to have peace and joy." Oh boy. I am guessing that I will have some interesting posts for the next few weeks, but until then you will have to bare with me not knowing how to express how I have been feeling recently.

Hopefully soon I will get out of this feeling of being "off". It is driving me insane. I know that it probably has a lot to do with the recent shift of events with my friends, but it makes it no easier. I am ready to be back to me. Blagh.

Please be patient with me. :D

Is your vision clear?

For those of you who do not have to put up with wearing pesky glasses, congratulations at succeeding with your vision.

Wearing glasses seems to be at the utmost annoyance for me lately. At the end of the day my glasses are so incredibly dirty, out of nowhere, and the light from every lamp, TV screen, and computer monitor seems to find the fingerprints and dirt better than a class A detective. The problem with this is that I get in that mode where I don't even want to move, let alone find the cleaning rag for my glasses. So, I spend the rest of my night dodging light so that I can see clearly. In case you didn't already pick up on it, it is an extreme nuisance.

Well, when I was cleaning them off to sit down and read before bed a lovely saying came to me.

"It's just a little difficult to see with the entire day's crap in front of my eyes."

This saying applies to more than just glasses. So many of us carry the "crap" from one day to another, stessing out. Be smart eh, take a rag and clean it up--let go.

Blagh.

Today is one of those days where it feels like everything is just a dream.
o_o
I hate it.

I feel as though I am missing something or as if I am not doing something I am suppose to. It is driving me insane--all of this thinking. I sure hope that tomorrow is much better feeling than today.

Today is the day...

Well, as I have informed you before, today is the day that my best friend is moving. After making the plan of not balling our eyes out, we broke off the plan and said goodbye. ):

I know already that things are going to change, but I also know that I won't even begin to realize the majority of the change until after a week or two. Oh joy.

Well, I just wanted to fill in the blog world about my interesting day/change in life. I am sure you will hear much more about this subject after a while though...

Somethings gotta give.

Lately I have been super exhausted with school and the business around me, and I have finally made the decision that I need to buckle down and just change some things. One of these things happen to be my sleeping habits. Usually, I get around 6 hours of sleep a night and then occasionally just crash on Saturday, however I have now decided to to go to bed earlier and wake up way earlier in order to get a better start on my day.

My new schedule of sleep? 11pm-6:30am. We will definitely have to wait and see how this turns out, but I figured it was worth a try! Also, I figured it was a big enough change for me that I had to fill in my blog world. lol.

Goodnight!

I trip and fall for no good reason at all.

"Never be afraid of what lurks in the dark....just turn on the light." -P.Joe

I am guilty of stumbling through the dark in order to find my way to my destination instead of simpling turning on the light. I mean this embarrassing confession in both the literal sense as well as the metaphorical.

For those who know me well tend to notice that I keep to myself on what is going on inside my brain. There are not many people I spill my guts to, and for the most part, that is okay. I have always been that person to figure things out without someone having to tell me what to do. However, the problem with that is that I have to force myself to ask for help when I need it. I become so accustomed to people coming to me with what is going on in their life, that I forget that I have to right to ask for help as well.

In the same way, when I get overwhelmed, I tend to just freak out on the inside instead of just going to the one person who knows everything that is going on. I know that all I will have to do to calm down is turn on some worship music, pray, and listen; yet I dance around the solution and stumble through my semi-depression spells. That I must say, is no fun at all, yet I do the same thing almost every time.

So here I am telling everyone that I am going to do my best to stop tripping and falling in the dark, and just rely on the Light--that's why it is there to begin with right? (:

I got a feeling..

No, I am not about to bust into song via my blog. ;)

I know that my posts recently have been all about change, but the truth is, I cannot help but write about anything else. SO MUCH is going to be changing soon. I feel like, I myself, will be changing a lot soon. Not only will the way I make decisions, but the way I view the world soon be different. I am not yet completely sure on why I feel a huge change is among us; I will let you know as soon as I know. :D

Ps: I will be another year older soon. Aside from that lovely matter, I all of a sudden feel as though I have grown so much--weird.

We need a change.

Everyone goes through something at some point, whether it be drugs, alcohol, self-confidence problems, whatever--we all go through it. The funny thing is, we hide these things we go through from everyone, including the people that are suppose to help us the most. The church is meant to be a comfort and outlet of love to people, yet most people "hide" their real lives from the church.

That ought to tell you something about the reputation of the church eh? Don't you think it is time we change that? Isn't it time to stand up and make a change the world around us? When are we going to stop the judging and cruelty and be the people, the Christians (followers of Christ) we were called to be?

I want to witness people running into the building and crying out for help. I want to see us reach out with love and just be the support that people need to get through life. I want to see--a change.

Change is in the air.

Yesterday I spent my day with the lovely Katrina(best friend). Upon out time together, we(her mom, her and I) went out of town to check out Kat's moving situation. And yes, it is less than two weeks away now. ):

Anyhow, I learned something. Even though she is moving, further than I would like, nothing has to change. I mean yes, adjustments have to be made, but friendship wise, nothing has to change. We will both make new friends, and both change a lot in the future, but just because she is moving doesn't mean that we have to stop being friends.

I like this thought. (:

Also, we will have many memories of checking out her apartment, "speeding" down the highway for her job interview, looking at furniture, being attacked by a killer heat wave, noticing how many cute guys live around her neighborhood, getting lost driving, etc. Love you Kat, and I cannot wait to see how many opportunities will be opened up to you through this move. (:

This message still has my mind going crazy...

Wednesday was an interesting day. After being completely over-whelmed emotionally, and having an over-crowded mind, I sat through a message that I am thinking will change my life forever; it is titled Gender Identity(correct me if I am wrong P.Joe).

The question that was posed at the beginning was, "What does it mean to be a man or woman?". Automatically my brain is trying to race for an answer, when I realized, I had no clue. The world has come up with this distorted idea of what it means to be a man or woman.

Most every child grows up with an unrealistic idea about what perfection is in a person. For example, Barbie and G.I. Joe. Little did we all know that if either of these "icons" were really living, they would be so unattractive and un-proportioned that they would not even be able to function as normal people.

There is that lie that no matter what, we will never look good enough. The world will say that the way we look will NEVER be okay. These unrealistic heights are set in our minds and we will drive ourselves crazy trying to reach them.

I personally have struggled with "Well, when I look like this I will be happy." "When I look this way, I will believe it when someone calls me beautiful." (Please, no one leave a comment concerning this, because I didn't write it for someone to say something.) So I was in this mindset, and then of course, P. Joe pulled the following scripture:

Genesis 1:27
"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them."

bum...Bum...BUUUMM...

Great, I have heard/read this scripture SO many times but never really thought about it. This scripture is saying that every part of me, whether I like it or not, was made in the image of God. That means that when I look down on me, I look down on Him--oh boy.

Okay, so now I know you are waiting on the answer to the question previously stated. "What does it mean to be a man or woman?" The truth is, it is being able to recognize the image of God in you. That means, it is looking past you and seeing what really matters, the God in us.

(:

Also, the crazy part of this is that Tuesday night when I was praying, God told me the following: "Breath easy my child. I have created you the way you are for great purpose and reason. Do not try and change what I have made. You look at things like they are difficult, but you are looking at you, not Me. Breathe easy my child." Isn't that just ironic!

Idle Motion (poem)

My heart is breaking,
For the ones who can't see past now.
They are muting their cries,
Their worship, not making a sound.
It's time to rise up,
And they are sitting on their hands.
Because of them and idle motion,
We are losing great people and lands.

Oh boy.

I have actually learned something from Algebra! Something I am actually going to use throughout my life!

We all know that life can toss some pretty intense problems at us. There is always that missing variable to finding the solution we need. Even though the answer is right there in front of us, all mingled and tangled in the problem, we tend to be completely blind to it. That is all true until we find the correct formula we are suppose to use.

I can try all day and night to get 2 - 2 to equal 4, but it isn't going to happen unless we use the right symbol. Until we change the equation and give it a plus sign, we will still be there trying to do the impossible by ourselves.

(:

I'm slowly learning...

There are some things that really drive me crazy. For example, one of those things is that I am a seasonal friend in people's lives. What do I mean? I mean that no matter how hard I try, most people are only close to me (friendship-wise) for a short period of time.

I have made many friends in my day; yet there are very few who I am still close with. I have also realized that my friendship with the seasonal ones has been at rough moments in their life, and soon after they find their barrings, or turn down the truth, we lose touch.

THIS IS SAD FOR ME! It also doesn't help that I overly care for people in general, so every time I make a friend, losing them is difficult!

However, I was praying about some stuff last night, and I realized something. If at any time in any friendship I have made any difference for the good, then is not my pain worth it? Everyone has to sacrifice something at some point, so could this be my constant sacrifice for the greater good? Maybe, maybe not, but that is how I am going to look at it.

Believe me, viewing it as "maybe I was just suppose to be there to help them through something" beats just dwelling on how much I go through friends, any day.

Ps: No, this does not mean that after a certain amount of time I give someone the boot. lol. Also, this does not mean that I do not have best friends, it just means that I understand the fact that 90% will not be in that place next year--sadly.

Pertaining to the previous post.

The previous post was one that was made at 2:20 AM when I was awoken by a thunderstorm outside. For those who don't know, I really don't care for loud noises, from fireworks to thunder. So, yes, I sat there for almost an hour terrified with my ears plugged. This is a confession of a childhood fear that never wore off.

(don't get me wrong, I love thunderstorms when they are quiet and during the day.)

I still have a childhood fear of loud thunder at night.

Sunshine, I am calling for a truce--maybe.

Anyone who knows me knows that I am not a "fun in the sun" kind of girl. Yes, I know it is quite ironic that I live in "the Sunshine State", but it changes nothing. I am the "let's pass out because I cannot take heat" kind of girl. However, I have spent the last two afternoons swimming, and honestly, I feel much better than I would otherwise. Hooray for that. The only thing I am not liking is the fact that my nose and lips are sunburned, but I guess it was bound to happen.

Next step: beachin' it. Hopefully my summer will be full of trips to the beach; even if it just means to read or walk. I want to soak up the sun, in the least literal way possible. (:

Something just feels right...

I am at a point in life where I feel happy and content, and I just thought it would be nice to share that with someone. (:

Sorry, I'm allergic!

So a couple years ago, my mom and I got the idea that I was allergic to bay leaves. We began to think this because I would get sick after eating her home-made soup, EVERY time. Long story short, bay leaves were ban from anything cooked in the house, and I was scared to try them again, due to the whole vomiting factor.

Well, tonight I was cooking dinner and decided that the whole bay leaf thing was an over-reaction, and that it wouldn't hurt any. So, I started making a tomato soup with rice, onion, garlic, bay leaf, and parm. cheese. Everything was perfectly fine until I started to cook the bay leaf; it was then that I started feeling sick. After finishing the soup I decided to taste it. Upside, it tasted quite good; downside I ended getting really sick and not being able to eat dinner.

Moral of the story children, don't eat something you know you are allergic to just because sounds/looks good at the moment. Do us all a favor and read into the previous statement more than what it means on the outside. We usually know deep inside what is good and bad for us, and a lot of the times we seem to still take that path.

(:

His music inspires me.

There are always people, that you somehow run across in life, who inspire you in some way. One of those people for me is Nick Jones. Never heard of him? Well, I ran across one of his videos on Youtube almost a year ago probably, and I am for sure a fan. The talent in this guy's voice is crazy. On top of that, his songs are so inspiring and his love for God is not masked in any way. So this is for you Nick, keep the awesome music coming.


Take a listen to one of my favorite, of his original songs:



Ps: If you enjoy what you hear, stop by his Youtube and let him know! I am sure he would be happy to hear it!

Optimistic VS Pessimistic

As many of you know, I write quite a bit of poetry and little sayings. I have done this for a long time, and today I decided to look back at things I had written last year. Boy oh boy, some of my stuff was really deep, but others were just plain out depressing. I can honestly say that I don't even remember being as "down in the muck" as I am reading about. I mean, evidently I was, in order for me to write some of the things I did, but it is like two completely different people now. I am happy to say that I am more-so an optimist instead of a pessimist these days. (:

Since I spent forever going through all of those writings, I thought I might as well share one with you guys.

"I can picture myself dancing at Your feet, but why is it, here out of my dreams, all I seem to do is trip and fall?" This is completely true sometimes.

Happy.

I feel so hopeful for something in the future. I can't really go into any details, but I feel like seasons are about to change--for the good. (:

Fresh Air

So yesterday I was talking to one of my friends, we'll just call him Danny, and it was just like a breath of fresh air. For once, in forever, I have found common grounds with a dude about dating and what-not. So many people look at me like I am crazy when I give my view on dating, and for once, I was able to have that conversation with a guy that didn't laugh at me. It was cool to see that he views things the exact same way. Hooray for not being alone in this world! Haha.

Anyhow, it is cool to have friends, and it is cool to find common ground with your friends. Thanks for making me feel less lost in this world Danny. lol.

Futuristic Talk (not the cool time-travel type. haha)

So this week my mind has been going crazy with my thoughts on the future. Whether it be things I can only dream of happening, or things like getting married(woot!). At first it was exciting and complete happiness, but then of course there was that little voice in the back of my head that kept saying, "Really Brittany, isn't that kind of a big dream? Do you actually think you could do that?" Needless to say, it made me sick.

However, today I decided that I wasn't going to let that voice take over again.

Philippians 4:13--I want to grasp this and believe it, therefore I will begin to speak it. Hooray for positive talking/thinking!

After I decided this, I sat down at the piano and started playing a song I have been learning. It didn't take long before I just quit playing--something just wasn't right. I then just quit everything and rummaged through a bunch of my music, looking for one song in particular. After going through EVERYTHING and not finding it, I did run across a piece I started to learn last year. I started this piece around the time my piano teacher moved to Texas, and when she left, I stopped learning it. I guess it just made me sad because I missed her and her family, and because it was sort of intimidating to learn. However, today I just felt like I should play what I knew.

I completely forgot what it was like to fall in love with a piece of music--it made my day absolutely wonderful, and it gave me so much hope in what I am capable of accomplishing.

Just thought I would share. (:

Dear World, Meet Soot.

Well, I think it is about time that you met one of my cats; Soot shall be first in line.

I have only been her owner for almost a year now, but it seems like so much longer. Prior to living here with me, she lived with my previous youth pastor and his lovely family. Although they didn't want to give her up, she was unable to move across the country with them.

Soot is an older cat and is indeed set in her ways. It is clear to everyone that she is boss and has to have her nose into everything. For example, I can call her name, love on her, try and play with her, etc., but if she doesn't want to acknowledge my existence, she will just go right on with staring out the window. Sometimes I think she is trying to prove a point to me, but then I remember that she is just as stubborn as the rest of us in this family. (not necessarily meant in a bad way)

Despite her attitude, she is a really sweet cat who wants my attention at the weirdest of times. For example, when I am on my laptop, she has to be on the keys of my laptop. When I am playing the piano, she has to be either on the keys where I am playing, or covering the music. When it is well past midnight and I am sound asleep in my bed, she will jump up and get as close to my face as possible. She will stand there/nudge me until I wake up; then she will give me this look that seems to say, "Oh, did I do that? I'm sorry. However, since you are up, scoot over so I have room to lay down." haha. I love this little kitty cat. (:

Talk about seasonal friends and such.

It is so easy to get caught up in what is going on around me. I have a choice though; never let a situation fool you into thinking otherwise.

For as long as I can remember, I have been a seasonal person in people's life. No matter what, it seems like I can never keep the same friends very long. It is like they move on or something, I don't know. However, this is the first time that this transition has happened since I have decided to face my fears of people in general, and I can honestly say that it is not pleasant at all. No, I am not an emotional wreck, nor am I wallowing in self-pity, but nothing has gotten easier.

I really thought I was going to get away with keeping the same best friends for a while, but as of right now, things aren't looking too bright.



Aside from all of that mess, my best friend is moving next month, and I am going to be a mess without her. Here she is, sleeping in the chair next to me, and all I can think about right now is how things will be oh so different. I am determined though, her and I are NOT going to lose touch. Nope. I will bribe her with package-safe food if I have to. Haha. Yep. (: Dear Katrina, I love you and you are awesome.



This post is over with, I need sleep. Happy April 2nd!

Realization

I can be a morning person if I want to be! (:

This is definitely going to be a working process, but I am determined. Hooray!

Disregard New Blog

So I have the "brilliant" idea to create a blog for my poems, but honestly, I will post to ones worth while here. Instead though, I AM going to create a bucket-list blog. The contents will be a list of things I want to do before I die, and if I happen to complete one, I will give you a detailed post about my experience.

Yep, sounds like a plan, so be looking for that one!

(:
-Brittany R

Don't Kill It Before It's Begun

So many times we have a set idea about something or someone and we rarely go into a situation with an open mind. Although it is nice, and smart, to use discernment, having and open mind(without compromising your standards) allows you to see the best in things.

I am honestly completely guilty of waking up and dooming the day, with my words, before it has even started! This is something I am actually going to work on--a lot. Because I am tired of having bad days just because I feel like it should be a bad day!

Example: last night before I went to bed, I told one of my friends that this was going to be a rough day for me, but because I woke up all cheery and positive, today has been completely wonderful. (:

So this rant is encouraging you to make the best of a day, situation, person, etc. Be all that you can be, and make your surroundings the best they possibly can. (:

New Blog

Enjoy poetry?

ME TOO!

I created a new blog where I will be posting most of my rythmic rhymes. I would encourage you to check it out and let me know what you think. (:

http://herrythmicbeatingheart.blogspot.com

Cliche Talk About Orajel

So recently I have been having problems with a sore inside of my mouth, and today I finally broke down and used some Orajel so that I could actually talk without pain. Little did I know, even though Orajel took away one problem, it created another--drool.

Just like that pesky Orajel, we can fix and create a problem just as easy. There are times when our words can comfort and soothe an ache in life(whether it be yours or a friend's), but if your actions don't follow up, it can create a mess. As cliche as this term is, "Actions speak louder than words."

Surrender to the Wave

The lyrics that are going to appear in this blog are from a song called Whatever You're Doing by Sanctus Real, and even though this song has hit me hard before, last night just really set in.


"It's time for healing time to move on
It's time to fix what's been broken too long
Time to make right what has been wrong
It's time to find my way to where I belong
There's a wave that's crashing over me
And all I can do is surrender"

I don't know if you have ever been to the beach during high-tide, but it can be a really scary thing to experience. I myself already have a fear of the ocean, so having waves several feet above my head does not exactly hold the most comforting of thoughts! For those of you who have never had the chance to experience high-tide, or any tide for that matter, I will go into more detail.

When a wave is swelling, it pulls back a large amount of water toward where it is deepest (away from you). The pull of the wave is so strong that it doesn't just take water with it, but shells, fish, rocks, sand, and sometimes you to an extent. But as strong as this pull is, it doesn't last for long. Before too much time has passed, it comes rushing back at you all at once, this being the reason that during high-tide, the wave is well over your head. When you are in a situation like that, you know that there is no swimming through it or around it, but the best decision is just to surrender to the wave.

Aside from the ocean, our lives all have high-tides at some point. It is that time when you feel like everything is at its most raw point and when you feel so vulnerable to the world. And we know, it isn't before long and everything comes rushing back at us at once, (the shells, fish, rocks, sand, and water). We can choose to try and fight life and everything it is throwing at us, or, we can choose to surrender to the Wave(God).

I would encourage you to listen to the song, you may get something really awesome out of it, like I did!

Cha cha cha changes!

Yesterday was my, "reminisce on the past" day. Not in the bad, "doomy" type way that you are thinking, but in a good way! I pulled out old pictures, music, emails, letters, the whole sha-bang, and I realized something:
Yes, I realize that it is expected after a few years, but I never really noticed how much I have grown up. I never really saw how much more wise I am now compared to when I was fourteen. Don't get me wrong though, I know I have A LOT more wisdom to obtain, but I am better now than I was then!

I guess right now, I am the happiest I have ever been that things changed a lot a few years ago. I always looked at situations that went down as a downfall or stumbling block to me, but little did I know that it would help make me exactly who I am right now. Yes, I will still have my mopey days where the things that happened are grabbing me at the throat, but honestly, that is expected! It was never expected of me to feel this good about times that hurt me though, ever!

And now that I sound like I have completely lost my sanity, I would say it is time for this little post to end. However, I encourage you to share with me what you think about this subject of change. Has this ever happened in your life? Are you in the middle of a change? Fill me in. (:

Due to the title of this post, I just had to attach this video:



Haha! (:

Just sayin'.

I cannot wait for the day that I spend cold, rainy mornings at home snuggled around a hot cup of tea or coffee with my husband right beside me. I cannot help but see us as a trendy little couple living in a tasteful, over-crowded apartment. I cannot express the joy I feel when I picture things like our quaint, little kitchen in which creative, unusual foods will be prepared. I cannot imagine a life without him to look forward to. <3

New Step Forward

I realized something tonight(techinically last night): I care.

I guess I got so use to not attaching myself to people that I figured it would be easy to get up and walk whenever the time came to move into the next season of my life. However, after tonight, I realized that, that next season will be one of the hardest transitions yet. I actually care about my friends here; they are not just the people I give that title to, to be nice. I sincerely feel comfortable around them, and better yet, I feel loved.

So, to all of my awesome buds, you rock hard core, and thanks for being exactly what I needed right now. Love you guys!

Miss You Papa.

Five years ago today, I got the news that my grandpa had passed away. As much of an emotional mess I was then, it still effects me to talk about him. Today has been, interesting. I am not going to ignore this day, because he really did mean a lot to me, but I am looking at it differently for the first time. It isn't that he left me, or that I am without him, but more that he is with God and our memories mean more than ever.

Love you Papa, and today is for you. <3

Friendship

The people who can influence you come from all different walks of life, and even though it is likely that I will lose touch with most of the friends I have now, I am hoping against it. I have some pretty awesome friends that are pretty awesomely different. I mean yea, my best friends rock hard core, but they couldn't be alike if they wanted too, which is probably a good thing!

Katrina and I were talking last night, and I realized how much my best friends really mean to me. I am not always known as the person who jumps into trusting people, but these friends I really do trust. The cool thing is though, they all have certain things that I feel comfortable talking to them about, and all of our conversations are different from one another.

Oh uniqueness. (:

So even though I know that only one of my friends even checks in on my blogs, I love you guys. <3

One Measure At A Time

So lately I have been feeling a lack of energy to do anything. It is almost like my desire and passion for things have been drained right from me. I was struggling quite a bit this last week, but after talking to my previous youth pastor's wife, I had a new outlook on things.

One of the things I completely lost my desire for was music, and if you know me, you know that music is something I usually completely adore. I guess it had just gotten to the point where it looked like my goals in music were just so far away that there was not even a use in trying. Beside that, I was having a hard time seeing anything in my future. So many people have told me that they can see a calling and anointing on my life, but lately, it has been hard to even accept that.

Good news time!

Last week after talking to Meghan, I decided that I was just going to chill and give it to God until I felt like it was time to do something again. Well, Sunday I just felt like it was time to try again, so I found sheet music for a song, printed two pages of it, and put it on my piano. Now I know some people are going to read this and be like, "why just two pages?", and that is because it is easier for me to complete something if I am not looking at how far I have to go. It is called taking one step at a time, or in this case, one measure at a time!

If anyone is curious, the song I am learning is Boston, by Augustana (slow version because it is prettier. haha). It isn't the most difficult song ever, but that is exactly what I need, something refreshing. Check out the video below to hear the song. (:

Let Love in, I dare you.

Sometimes I absolutely despise being a sixteen-year-old girl, and now is one of those times. To begin with, everything seems to be more dramatic than intended, no matter what, sadly. Even though it is somewhat laughable, it gets annoying just knowing that I am inevitably stuck as a teenager for the next 3 years 3 months.

The most common topic of girls my age is, of course, boys. I have a different look on this whole dating game, I guess you could say, but it is still hard not to think about what could have been. I have made the choice not to jump into a relationship with every guy I am attracted to. I figure that if God has my husband hand picked, then why do I need to screw up my heart by throwing it at random guys, even if they are adorable. The tough part is this lonely part of me that I know I should be filling with God but don't know how. I just miss waking up and knowing for a fact that someone loves me, other than my family.

*click*

Okay, wow, this would be why I love blogging so much.

Love, love, love, love, what is the meaning of love? The dictionary gives 28 definitions for the word love, but only one really caught my eye. Number 12: "the benevolent affection of God for His creatures, or the reverent affection due from them to God." Someone was on the right track when they put that in the dictionary!

Aside from that, the Bible helps me understand love in many ways, many of which I am still trying to figure out! 1 John 4:16 says, "And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him." Hmm, just in case you didn't get it already, I made it bold for you. "God is love." Here I am trying to find love, when Love has been waiting for me to reach out for him.

I could easily allow this hole inside of me to grow with bitterness and loneliness, or, I could let Love in. I don't know about you, but I going to let Love have its way in my heart. Not only will I give him my heart, but I am trusting him to shape me and my heart for my future husband, as I know he is doing the same with him.

Let Love in, I dare you.

-Brittany Rose