Beware: This is a deep one!

There are more than 300 million people living in the United States alone & that's just in fifty states...Think about all the people in the world... Now, think about you. You are one. You are a grain of sand on an endless beach. You are 1 out 7 billion people. Now, imagine yourself being in a stadium of over 50,000 people. People who are possibly all strangers, filling this room, breathing in the air, talking in various languages, laughing at jokes, and all living in this moment together. Setting the same day aside on our calendars that will never come again. Isn't it amazing that each of these people holds a story? Each one of these people standing in that stadium carry a talent. Isn't it crazy that each one of these people have struggles, challenges, and dreams? What's even more mind blowing is that each of these people look different. Each one having unique features/personalities.

Think about the people that you've met in your life...Those that you would do anything for...and those that have simply crossed your path offering a friendly smile. 

Now imagine all of those people, or gains of sand that you haven't met. Or, how about those people that haven't met YOU.

I don't know about you, but I'm a strong believer that everything happens for a reason. I believe that people come and go in your life to teach you things, to challenge you, and to make you grow in some way. Most of these reasons, we may have to wait what seems like an eternity, to realize their purpose. While, others may hit you right in the face the moment your paths cross.

I never really realized it until the other day, but isn't it cool how one day in a random spot, you run into someone you haven't seen in along time. Isn't it interesting that you both were in the same place at the same time.

Just think about how busy our lives are, how each person has so many things to do in one day, but yet, sometimes our lives meet together in the same place at the same time.

I think there is a purpose.

That person may be a reminder; they may be a lesson. Your paths may be crossing to give you something, or to take something away. Any of those options may be true, but there is a purpose. The purpose may sometimes be heartbreaking, while other times you're heart skips a beat. It's your life. You know.

I realize this concept is quite abstract. Each one of you reading this, sees it with different eyes, and different thoughts. Every view depending on your unique experiences or circumstances. When I think about 7 billion people it scares me, but comforts me. Think about the possibilities. The coolest part is, we're all in this thing called "life" together. Even though we may see life and even death differently, and even though we may have different values, beliefs, struggles, & joy.....

We're all in it together.
We're each one teeny tiny grain of sand making up a beautiful beach.
We all have a purpose helping eachother find our purpose.

Just think about it.

The Riddle of Love

I read a funny quote the other day. It went like this: "You don't actually love a person unless you occasionally want to kill them."

Which made me start to wonder...

Why do we put such high expectations on those we love most? Why do we take out our problems on the ones we would never want to lose?

The answer could simply be that you start spending so much time with that person, that it's nearly impossible not to come across a situation you don't see eye-to-eye on. Or maybe we have such high expectations for that person because we would be willing to do that much for them.

I also read a quote that said "Love is spending the rest of your life with someone you want to kill, but not doing it because you'd miss them."

Maybe we have this image  of love in our minds due to the romantic movies, or the advertisements shown daily. In a Bible study I went to recently, the speaker talked about how in most movies, the ending is of the glamorous wedding. The movie skips right over the part where the wife gains 40 pounds and the husband loses his job.

 I guess I'm slowly learning that the part the movies skip over, is what defines love the most. Love means you're a team. Love means that no matter the circumstance, you are in it together. Love means that you don't have to worry about the other person giving up when things get hard.

I can think of a time, where I was yelling at my mom and she simply said "Wait, why are you taking your bad day out on me?"

 I didn't get it then, but it's so obvious now. It's like I was trying to make the world feel sorry for me, and the only way I found that possible, was to bring the people around me right down with me. Even though I was yelling, and even though I was not being easy to love, she looked passed my anger; she looked beyond my bad day....showing me love.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that when you love someone you can't expect everyday to be perfect. If you do, you're never going to be satisfied. You have to realize that there are going to be days that you want to "kill" that person. Yet, if it's true love, the good days will, by far, outweigh the bad. Plus, it's getting through those bad days together that creates the best love stories.

Let it snow, Let it snow, Let it snow

I'll be honest...I've never been a huge fan of snow. Sure, it's pretty and Christmas wouldn't be the same without it...but I'd be perfectly happy getting an inch on Christmas Eve and then having it all disappear January 1st.

So, a couple days ago when the weather man came on TV saying to expect 3-8 inches of that white stuff, I wasn't very happy.

That is until Monday morning...

Sure, I spent Sunday looking out my window thinking...why.....why this early....now how am I going to get to class....now I have to scrape my car....now I have to shovel....now I have to leave earlier to get anywhere on time....

Without really realizing...I was focusing on all of the negative things.

Sunday night after being pumped about the Packers victory, I looked out the window watching the snow STILL falling...and felt my mood change. I really wasn't ready for winter.

Which brings me to Monday morning.

I woke up to this annoying sound... something was scraping against my wall. When I looked out my window I was reminded of that nasty cold stuff piled up everywhere, but the next image might have changed my outlook on that white stuff forever.

After looking beyond the snow, I noticed that the noise I was hearing, was of a nice old man shoveling a path from my steps to the sidewalk. Of course, this view warming my heart. I went on getting ready when I heard a noise coming from my steps....I ran to that side of the house and noticed the old man was now shoveling off my 15 billion steps.

The most beautiful thing about this, is that this man didn't have to do this. He didn't have to think of the girl that lives in the tan house. When I signed my lease I specifically remember it saying I was responsible for the sidewalk and steps outside of my house.

As if that wasn't enough....When I got home today, my steps were salted down and a little bucket sat there labeled "Salt for Ice".

Maybe snow isn't so bad...As I walked down my cleared steps, making my way through the thoughtful shoveled path, I also saw a man helping a women who had just slipped; I saw a girl taking a picture of the snow-covered trees. I also saw a family building a snowman.

Today at the Preschool, a little girl came up to me as I was helping another child make a snow angel. This little girl looked at me innocently and said, "Isn't there something magical about snow?"

I thought to myself... Yes, yes there is.

The Christmas List

The joyful music, the lights & the contagious spirit...these are just a few of the things that make this time of year so magical.
 
I recently was looking back at some home videos where my mom sat my brother and I down in front of the tree to ask us what we wanted Santa to bring us. Granted I was five and my brother was seven, I wished for things like a puppy, an American Girl doll, and a pretend cash register. My brother asked for a football, a real Packer jersey, and a BB gun. I'd be lying if I said Christmas still brings that much excitement to me, but I'd also be lying if I said Christmas means any less today.
 
I believe that as we grow up, things change. Our thoughts, our beleifs, and our views all alter depending on our experiences.  This year when my mom asked me to make a Christmas list, I found myself struggling. Yes, there are a few things that would be nice to have, but do I really need them? Are the things I "need" really something my parents can just go out and buy in the stores, or Santa's elves can make in their workshop?
 
Yes, when I was five years-old, while wishing for material things, there were people struggling, people that were poor, and hospitals full of ill people...but as children we are so egocentric.
 
The bittersweet thing about growing up... we realize that this Jolly guy dressed in red can't logically fly around the world in one night, while checking off our Christmas list.
 
Therefore, our lists change, our views alter. As I grow up, I'm realizing that it's not the items I have that brings me my happiness.
 
This year my imaginary Christmas list would consist of:
 
1. Groceries for a year
2. My loans paid off
3. Good health
4. Family time/traditions
5. Happiness for all
6. Okay....a puppy.....
 
I want to make sure this year, that I don't get caught up on the materialistic part of Christmas. Sometimes I find myself sad after Christmas is over. Like something is lost or missing.
 
So, why can't we all carry this contagious, joyful, magical spirit through out the year? The friendly smiles, the small acts of kindness...if you haven't noticed, money can't buy you everything.
 
And if money could by us everything, would the value be the same?

Father Time

I can't believe that my last post was in May...

It's funny. When I started typing these posts I found it so relaxing, but that crazy thing called life gets in the way and suddenly there is no time.

Time is a funny thing. Just think about it. It guides our every move. (I bet you just looked down at the time on your computer screen, or maybe your phone. Are you on schedule?) Sometimes we want time to just stop or freeze. I'm sure we all have that one moment (or five) that we want to last forever, or put it in a bottle and keep it for a later date. Other times the clock can't go fast enough. Each second feeling like a life time.

At the preschool the other day it was the Director's birthday. She was turning 60. We surprised her by having all the children sing Happy Birthday to her when she entered the room. Afterwards, the children were asked how old they thought she was. One little girl, responded "Two?" Another boy, shot his hand up confidently, "You are 21!"

Isn't it funny how children really have no sense of time? I know that they are too young to really grasp the concept, but I think that's wonderful. I miss that time. When I had no idea what the day of the week was, or what time of the day it was. Each day was just filled with excitement and many new things.

Today, I walked passed a woman who looked particularly sad...I thought to myself... We never really know what the person is going through that we're walking past, or sitting by in the cafeteria, or standing next to in line. That person could have just had the best day of their life getting to see a loved one, or they could have had the worst day of their life losing a loved one. The point is, we never know what storm God has asked the people we pass each day to go through. We don't know what their story entails.

Some of us carry our hearts on our sleeves, while others build up unbreakable walls. No matter what, we all have problems, we all have worries, but we also all have happiness and joy in something. Alot of the time, how we handle these ups and downs is by using our time wisely. Who knows what tomorrow brings.

So, smile at that person walking by. That may brighten their day for that one moment. And that one moment could be all that they needed. And in that moment, is time. Time to show them, that you too have worries, you too have struggles, but we're all in this together.

The Jealousy Monster

What is terrible, stupid, and potentially harmful? Jealousy. Whether or not we like to admit it, we all have experienced this feeling. Whether it is because of someone's adorable new hair cut, or someone looking at your man a little too long.

Especially this time of the year, jealousy sky rockets...at least for me. Everyone is showing off their swim suit bods and their goddess tan. If you're anything like me, you see that the swim suit section is out at Target and you want to turn the other way.

The thing that takes us longer to realize, is that we are perfect the way that we are. There will always be someone we think is prettier, taller, smarter, funnier.... But if we have confidence in our strengths....jealousy will come and go quite quickly.

I think it's human nature to compare. At preschool we spent a whole week with "comparing" as our theme. Of course, not comparing the children, but experimenting with bigger, smaller, taller & shorter...

If we put as much effort into thinking positively as we did into comparing and becoming jealous, we would have crazy big egos. Let's make it a goal this summer, to shift our thoughts. Each morning pick out one thing you love about yourself and always remember to complement others...after all, we all have insecurities.

& remember...when you are looking at someone thinking "Gosh, I love her dress...." that same person might be looking at you thinking..."I wish I had her eyes...."

We all are beautiful. handsome. cute. adorable. sexy.

It's up to us to enhance the positive, think positive, and embrace the positive. Like Dr. Seuss says....

"Those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind."

Now go out & enjoy the life, body, and self that you were blessed with!

You find out who your friends are.

You don't know what you have until it's gone.

For weeks I had been telling myself to back up my documents on a hard drive... yet, I kept putting it on my "to do" list everyday, but the funny thing was....I found it on my list everyday...with no checkmark by it.

Let's just say today, I took the 10 minutes out of my day to finally do it. Why you ask? My laptop went missing at 2:30 this afternoon. Did you just get a panic feeling just thinking about it? Well, that doesn't even begin to describe the feeling until it is actually you. Trust me.

I never realized how dependant I was on one small device...all of a sudden I was wondering how I would ever type up that 6 page paper that was worth 15% of my grade...or how I would register for Benchmark II without any of my documents from my past classes...and all of a sudden all of my notes I had been taking, were instantly gone. All because of one device gone missing.

The funny thing was, Facebook didn't even cross my mind once while in panic mode.

I was supposed to be meeting a friend for dinner when I realized it was missing. I started to panic...I went as far as checking under my bed....With the help of my amazing friend I started to retrack my every move of the day. I remembered that it was in a classroom...long story short....my friend drove me to that classroom and it was pitch dark and locked. A helpful professor near by said I would have to wait an hour for a janitor to arrive, because she didn't have a key either. Have you ever had to wait an hour for something while panicking!?!? What did you do?

I called my mom.

I honestly don't know where I would be without my mom. People say I'm a spitting image and I proudly agree. She's the person I can go to for anything & instantly feel like everything will be okay. Let's just say I'm truly blessed. She quickly had me sucking up my tears & thinking positive. My friend hugged me and insisted we go to get some chocolate while we wait. (How did she know that was the next thing to make me feel better) Another part of the story cut short......my friend graciously bought me chocolate & we found the caring janitor who opened the door and there.......right where I had placed it.......was my "you don't know what you have until it's gone" laptop!!!!!

I can now say I've kissed a laptop.

I instantly called my parents to celebrate. (If I were them, I would have gotten rid of me a long time ago) ;) So what's the real point of the story? At the time I was panicking and frantically planning out how I would explain it to my teacher...but now I realize that if I wouldn't have gone through that, I may never have "checked" the hard drive off of my "to do" list& something worse could have happened. I may never have realized that even if I cause my parents stress....they are going to be here through anything. And lastely, I never would have seen just how great my new friend is. She had homework, she had her own "to do" list... but she promised she wouldn't leave until we found my laptop.

There is no better feeling than knowing people care. I am one who always wants to help & give back. Later on that night that same friend got a phone call saying one of her family members was sick. I can honestly say that before tonight, I would not have really known how to empathize with her (i've never been very good at that) but after the crazyness of the day, I knew that she needed a hug & someone to set their homework aside & just be there. & that is exactly what I did.

Moral of the story: Back up your documents, don't leave your laptop anywhere, & count your blessings.