I really like this. It may be a little cheesy, but there is truth to it.

The paradox of time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways but narrower

viewpoints. We spend more but have less. We buy more but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families. More convenience but less time. We have more degrees but less sense. Moreknowledge but less judgment. More experts, yet more problems. More medicine but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much and pray too seldom. We have multiplied our possessions but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom and hate too often. We've learned how to make a living but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbour. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things but not better things. We've cleaned up the air but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom but not our prejudice. We write more but learn less. We plan more but accomplish less. We've learned to rush but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information but we communicate less and less.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce; fancier houses but broken homes. These are the days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies and pills that do everything from cheer to quiet to kill. It is a time where there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you and a time when you can choose either to share this insight or to just hit delete.

Remember, spend some time with your loved ones because they are not going to be around forever. Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person will soon grow up and leave your side. Remember to give a warm hug to the one next to you because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent. Remember to say "I love you" to your partner and loved ones but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you. Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again. Give time to love. Give time to speak

Courage teach me to be shy

Still probably one of my favorite songs of all time.

I love these photos. I love the feel. Warm weather is on the way. So are days in the sun (and I wish driving around in that van) and nights under the stars.

I used to love my blog

And most of the time I still do.

But sometimes, it gets overwhelming.

There's pressure.

There are so many incredible blogs out there and often I feel like I can't keep up.

Which makes posting a task to tackle instead of the fun it used to be.

I want it to be fun again.

I don't want it to be another thing I don't feel like I measure up in.

So I am going to take some time and figure out exactly what I want this to be.

I'll still post I think. When it's fun.

And once I figure it out. Once I make this what it once was to me (A place to express myself, to talk about my life, an escape) I will be back in full force.

Until then, those who still read this little space, please hang with me.

This song may be a little cheesy, but there is no way, as a woman I can deny that this is our heart beat. We long to feel beautiful. I love the last chorus. I just love the whole thing.

Baby Baby Baby OOOHHH

Last night I was out and about till the 3 o clock hour. (which a couple years ago wasn't that late, now, that's LATE).

We honky tonked

We danced.

We cheered.

We toasted.

We karaoked.

We bought each other beers.

We laughed.

We sang made up songs about Justin Bieber.

We laughed till we cried.

We felt alive.

Then we shivered as we walked back to our cars at an hour none of us had seen in a long time.

Boys shared their coats with cold girls and made sure they got to their cars safely.

And we all promised to do it all again the next week.

These are the nights that make up your life that when you think back on them. All you can do is smile.

My Week in Photos

1. What work looks like 2. more work photos, and how BEAUTIFUL it was outside! 3 and 4. Bowling night with small group 4. maggie moos, future planning, feet, jalapeno poppers.

I found these quotes on this blog ---> http://paigebaker.blogspot.com/ and fell in love. I had to share them

Randy P. Martin

"Do not live each day as if it were your last, live it as if it were your first. Full of wonder and awe and eternal possibility." —Sabirel

"I like to see people reunited, I like to see people run to each other, I like the kissing and the crying, I like the impatience, the stories that the mouth can’t tell fast enough, the ears that aren’t big enough, the eyes that can’t take in all of the change, I like the hugging, the bringing together, the end of missing someone."—Jonathan Safran Foer
"Grace is not logical, rational, or fair. And that is why it fixes problems that you cannot." —Lauren Lankford

"Be soft. Do not let the world make you hard. Do not let the pain make you hate. Do not let the bitterness steal your sweetness. Take pride that even though the rest of the world may disagree, you still believe it to be a beautiful place." —Unknown

I have struggled with my skin ever since I can remember. In high school is was pretty bad, but once I got to college I had pretty much got it under control. I still had flare ups and tried a bunch of different washes, some worked ok, some didn't.

Now that I'm 23 I think it's time for me to invest in a good skin care routine. I didn't really know where to start or what product would be best. So, I headed to the mall. I had heard good things about The Body Shop products so I thought I would start there.

They were having a sale so I ended up saving like $80, which was win #1. They also guarantee all their products so if it isn't working you can bring it back and switch it out, win #2. I got the whole shebang: face wash, toner, night cream, day moisturizer, eye cream and a sample of seaweed pore minimizer all for around $60 and they also threw in a free package of brushes. I was so excited I couldn't wait for it to be time to wash my face (what a dork). I have only been using it for about 3 days now so I am not sure how well it will work on actually getting rid of those little break outs and everything. But so far my skin has felt awesome! It's softer, feels cleaner and smoother. I'll do a full product review in about a month or so once it's had a chance to actually do it's job. But so far I am super happy with everything.

The words playing over and over in my heart

Dreams

Day dreams.

Night Dreams

My days are filled with them.

My mind won't stop racing with the possibilities.

The things I want to do.

The things that fill my thoughts.

Why not? Why not live life to the fullest?

Really live.

Experience.

Try.

Fail.

Live

Suits

Possibly my favorite HIMYM moment

Reunited And It Feels So Good

Today I picked up my camera again.
It felt good.
I think it will be much more attached to me than before.

Tomorrow I think I'll play my keyboard too.

Join The Movement

PEOPLE OF THE SECOND CHANCE IS A SCANDALOUS AWAKENING OF RADICAL GRACE IN LIFE AND LEADERSHIP. WE EXIST TO OVERTHROW JUDGMENT, LIBERATE LOVE AND LIVE A LIFE THAT REBELS WITH GRACE FOR EVERYONE.

WHAT IS PEOPLE OF THE SECOND CHANCE? from PEOPLE OF THE SECOND CHANCE on Vimeo.

Community happens beyond the surface of transactions. Beyond the hype of gimmicks. It’s action. momentum. motion.

The POTSC Community is living a story that is worth sharing- we are unleashing radical grace on a world that feeds on judgment.

We personally have the chance to demonstrate grace in our spheres of influence, we have the opportunity to extend love where there could be hate.

It’s profound.

Maybe you are asking yourself if there is more that you can do…
Maybe you are so passionate about GRACE that you want to tangibly give your time, resources, and network…

We need YOU.

Meet the newest area of the POTSC community- THE GRACE MOB- a highly committed team of passionate insurgents to combat judgment with tangible acts of GRACE and LOVE.

Send out the GRACE Bat-Signal and we’re there.

We are GRACE in ACTION.

We’re setting out to be the first in line to forgive.
We’re racing to release grudges.
We’re making room for those on life’s margins.
We’re raising our voices for the vulnerable.
We’re accepting the unacceptable.
We’re becoming the Red Cross relief team for the disasters in people’s personal lives… and doing it in ACTION.

Join the Movement

Nights like that

Have you ever had a night where you are driving home from work and you feel the tears start to sting you eyes, and you sigh because you knew this had been coming for awhile now. So you go inside and crumple onto your bed and cry and cry. Then you call your mom and cry again to her and tell her you feel like your life is being wasted, that nothing you are doing matters, that nothing is working out and you don't know what to do anymore. You feel lost and helpless and not at all who or where you want to be. Then she tells you all kinds of things like, these times are turning points, and change is painful, and to read your bible, and even though you know she's right you roll your eyes anyway. Then you hang up and reluctantly pull out your bible from your night stand and open it to today's reading that you just so happened to have skipped and you read passages like this, passages that make you cry again, but this time because you know that this was your father speaking words of comfort over you. That is was his way of holding your hand and pulling you close to him and whispering to you.

That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swampe. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”

He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.

He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith- Mark 4:35-40

and (I know it's long, but seriously, read it.)

¹ Do not fret because of those who are evil
or be envious of those who do wrong;
² for like the grass they will soon wither,
like green plants they will soon die away.

³ Trust in the LORD and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
⁴ Take delight in the LORD,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.

⁵ Commit your way to the LORD;
trust in him and he will do this:
⁶ He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,
your vindication like the noonday sun.

⁷ Be still before the LORD
and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when people succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes.

⁸ Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;
do not fret—it leads only to evil.
⁹ For those who are evil will be destroyed,
but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.

¹⁰ A little while, and the wicked will be no more;
though you look for them, they will not be found.
¹¹ But the meek will inherit the land
and enjoy peace and prosperity.

¹² The wicked plot against the righteous
and gnash their teeth at them;
¹³ but the Lord laughs at the wicked,
for he knows their day is coming.

¹⁴ The wicked draw the sword
and bend the bow
to bring down the poor and needy,
to slay those whose ways are upright.
¹⁵ But their swords will pierce their own hearts,
and their bows will be broken.

¹⁶ Better the little that the righteous have
than the wealth of many wicked;
¹⁷ for the power of the wicked will be broken,
but the LORD upholds the righteous.

¹⁸ The blameless spend their days under the LORD’s care,
and their inheritance will endure forever.
¹⁹ In times of disaster they will not wither;
in days of famine they will enjoy plenty.

²⁰ But the wicked will perish:
Though the LORD’s enemies are like the flowers of the field,
they will be consumed, they will go up in smoke.

²¹ The wicked borrow and do not repay,
but the righteous give generously;
²² those the LORD blesses will inherit the land,
but those he curses will be destroyed.

²³ The LORD makes firm the steps
of the one who delights in him;
²⁴ though he may stumble, he will not fall,
for the LORD upholds him with his hand.

²⁵ I was young and now I am old,
yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken
or their children begging bread.
²⁶ They are always generous and lend freely;
their children will be a blessing.^{b]" style="line-height: 0.5em; ">[b]}

²⁷ Turn from evil and do good;
then you will dwell in the land forever.
²⁸ For the LORD loves the just
and will not forsake his faithful ones.

Wrongdoers will be completely destroyed^{c]" style="line-height: 0.5em; ">[c]};
the offspring of the wicked will perish.
²⁹ The righteous will inherit the land
and dwell in it forever.

³⁰ The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom,
and their tongues speak what is just.
³¹ The law of their God is in their hearts;
their feet do not slip.

³² The wicked lie in wait for the righteous,
intent on putting them to death;
³³ but the LORD will not leave them in the power of the wicked
or let them be condemned when brought to trial.

³⁴ Hope in the LORD
and keep his way.
He will exalt you to inherit the land;
when the wicked are destroyed, you will see it.

³⁵ I have seen a wicked and ruthless man
flourishing like a luxuriant native tree,
³⁶ but he soon passed away and was no more;
though I looked for him, he could not be found.

³⁷ Consider the blameless, observe the upright;
a future awaits those who seek peace.^{d]" style="line-height: 0.5em; ">[d]}
³⁸ But all sinners will be destroyed;
there will be no future^{e]" style="line-height: 0.5em; ">[e]} for the wicked.

³⁹ The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD;
he is their stronghold in time of trouble.
⁴⁰ The LORD helps them and delivers them;
he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
because they take refuge in him.

And then you sleep better than you have in weeks. Ya, you know nights like that?

American Idol Night One

I already have a favorite. I'm smitten.

Notice how he says "Cheers" at the end of the judges comments. 1 more reason to love him

This week's tunes are from Michael Alvarado. My friend Matt introduced me to Michael's music a couple months ago. Matt sang with him in college. Michael has been in Nashville for about 4 months and last night he had a show at Exit Inn. Of course I had to go, and let me tell you. This guys is as nice as he is talented. Such a quality guy. I think there were about 12 of us in the whole venue haha. The show was super last minute and super late at night, so the show was super intimate (which I loved). But do not let those numbers fool you. This boy will be big. Count on it.

Despite my trying and trying to pay for one, I scored a free CD and haven't stopped listening to it. Seriously. You can't help but smile when you listen to him. So, enjoy. Go to Itunes and buy this cd ASAP and support a wonderful artist and a quality quality guy.