Things I'm Thankful For

Well, Thanksgiving is right around the corner. So much to do before it gets here! There's been tons of baking going on in my house before we head out of town to celebrate with the family! We've made caramel corn, peanut clusters, pies, cakes, cranberry relish, sweet potatoes, and there's more to come. I feel like Thanksgiving is slowly fading. While hanging out with friends today we wished basically everyone in sight a "Happy Thanksgiving" to which some replied with another cheery "Happy Thanksgiving to you too." Though the majority of those we called out to, merely responded with a smile and a "you too." Are we not allowed to say Thanksgiving anymore?? Oh well, they might have a good reason. On a happier note, I love Thanksgiving! For us, it always means spending time with the extended family, having a blast, eating plenty of good food, and remembering what all we're thankful for. I think too often our lives just get so busy that we forget to be thankful for things. The big things as well as the little things. So I decided to list things I'm thankful for. Of course family and friends are things basically everyone's thankful for, but how about the small stuff?
Things I'm Thankful For:
Family, friends, music, converse, piano, duct tape, summer, volleyball, basketball, cousins, watermelon, BBQ ribs, picnics in the park, jumping in leaf piles, going to the movies, shopping, hanging out with friends, being crazy, star tripping, star gazing, riding horses, mangoes, my favorite stuffed animal (yes I have one....don't we all??), my own room, facebook, hoodies, skittles, paper, pencils, a good book, sledding, building snowmen, ice skating, swimming, college football, cameras, pillows, my bed, dancing in the rain, jumping in puddles, bonfires, a full moon. And there's so many more! But I thought I'd just share a few (: If you think about it, there's so much to be thankful for.

Love Takes Courage

It's something we all want. Everyone wants to be accepted; to be loved. Though we can pretend we don't. We make it look like we're fine on our own, like we don't need anybody. But the truth is, deep down inside, to be accepted and loved is what we want most. When someone loves you, you begin to see yourself through their eyes. And bit by bit, you begin to like yourself too. To be okay with who you are. It's strange, we're so afraid of being rejected that we often tend to push others away first. Not realizing that they truly care, and really do want to be our friends. But we're afraid. Afraid of being hurt. So we put on our bravest face and try not to let our guard down. But the more we try to be brave, the more ashamed we become. And we're afraid of people seeing us like that. We're trying to prove we aren't weak. But aren't we all a little weak? I don't pretend to know everything about this. Cause I don't. I'm still learning day by day. And some days I get frustrated and feel alone. And some days I just want to lay under the covers and let the day go by without me. Sometimes I feel like no one cares. But its just a lie. We want so bad to be strong. But really, its because I've been loved that I've become stronger. There's a saying, "Hate is easy; but Love takes courage." And it's so true. Loving someone is hard because we'll most likely get hurt along the way. And being hurt is something we tend to shy away from. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't love people. What about the people out there who need love? The girl no one notices. Or the guy alone in the corner. Do we just ignore them? Do we think to ourselves: someone else will help them? Heroes are made when you make a choice. You could be someone's hero, just because you showed you cared. No one really deserves love. I know I don't. Yet the God of heaven sent His only Son to die for me. Why? Because He loved me. And He loves you. Even though we'd done nothing to deserve it. Because of the cross, we're allowed to come into the presence of God and be accepted in His sight. Us. Unworthy and undeserving. But He loves us. His love is amazing, steady and unchanging. If His love was an ocean......we're all sinking.

Insecurity

The future is a scary thing. Stepping out into the unknown for the first time. It's kinda've intimidating. There's tons of stuff to consider when we're trying something new. We're so afraid of what other people will think, of what they'll say, and we're afraid to fall. We don't want to make a fool of ourselves. In today's world they make "fitting in" seem so important. And often we think it is. We think we've got to listen to the latest music, wear the latest brands, and have the latest technology. We've gotten so caught up with "fitting in" that we've forgotten how to be ourselves. So what if we're different? Honestly, it'd be refreshing. Why not be ourselves? It'd be so much easier then trying to pretend to be someone we're not. Lie after lie, trying to make people think we're something different. Is it really worth it? I want people to like me for who I am. Not someone I try to be, or pretend to be for that matter. Another thing I tend to do is be someone around certain people, but different around other people. What's up with that?? Honestly, I'm not really sure. I hate it when I act like that. So lately I've been telling myself "Just be yourself." You'd be surprised at the results. People like it when you're yourself. When you're honest with them. No lies, nothing pretend, no faking. We get so caught up in what other people think, that we don't realize that they're probably worrying about the same thing. So what if we did something different? But what if we just let our insecurities fall to the ground? What if we dared to take that first step? What if instead of waiting for someone to talk to us, we go up and talk to someone else? If you did that, I think you would make that persons day. Everyone wants to know someone cares. So let's branch out and move on. Too often we don't spread out wings because we're afraid we'll fall. But we can't go on living like that. I don't know about you, but I want to fly.

Unconditionally

Do you ever stare at a blank page, wondering how to put your thoughts into words? Ever try to somehow or another figure out your thoughts and feelings? Trying to make sense of your world? I guess there's something's words won't ever say. But that's where music comes in. Sometimes while playing piano, I feel like I can pour my heart and soul into the song. Someone once said "Where words stop; music begins." And its so true. At least, for me it is. Ever hear a song that completely swept you away? It seemed that in that instant, that song described you and/or your life perfectly, and suddenly you wanted to cry? But maybe I'm just being silly. Maybe nobody ever feels like that. But honestly I think we do. When we're all alone at night, lying in bed, we're flooded with thoughts. Thoughts of happiness, regrets, sorrows, and joy. Some nights we laugh ourselves to sleep while other nights we cry. Then we go on the next day. Pretending like nothing had happened the night before. All the while desperately hoping that there'll be someone who will see us. Someone who will see behind our mask. And then we'll have nothing to fear. We're free to be ourselves around that person. Those people truly make life worth living. But wanna know something really cool? The Lord of all Creation, Maker of heaven and earth, He knows all about me. He knows all about you. He knows our hopes, our dreams, our fears, and our deepest desires. He knows us better than we know ourselves! But the best part is that He knows all about us and LOVES us. He loves us for who we are. Not who we try to be, or want to be. He doesn't love us because we're great and important. No. He loves you for you. Now how amazing is that! He loves us unconditionally. Let me say that again. UNCONDITIONALLY. Wow.

By the way, I heard this song for the first time today. Being a huge piano fan I fell in love with it instantly. Its called Aerial Promenade by Seagull Orchestra. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Music and Space Heaters

Just listening to Owl City makes me happy! There's just something about his music that lifts your mood and makes you want to get up and dance and sing at the top of your lungs. Or maybe that's just me......hmmm....so lately I've really been into a lot of electronica music! Stuff like Owl City, Into Airwaves, Nevershoutnever, The Ready Set, and Lights. Stuff like that. I find it rather refreshing from all the stuff you hear on the radio. Not to mention, the radio always overplays the good songs and before long you're sick of them. What's up with that?? But yeah, music is amazing (: I love all types of music! Although, I'm not really a fan of screamo. No offense to those who do like it, its just not my cup of tea. I really like finding new music! And then I get to go and share it with all my friends, and hopefully they'll like it too. So yeah, anywho, I guess today is the first day of daylight savings. I hope everybody enjoyed that extra hour of sleep last night. It makes you wonder though.....who came up with the idea of changing times and stuff??? I personally really like the fact that its lighter out earlier in the morning. I really don't like getting up when its pitch black. No fun at all. Its no fun when its freezing cold either. My room, being in the basement, it always frigid. Thank goodness for space heaters. I have a little one in my room that's pretty much always on. It's a faithful little thing. So yeah, music and space heaters (: Two things I couldn't live without.

Just A Smile

Do you ever think to yourself late at night: “No one else has this problem?” Honestly, I think we'd be surprised at just how many people are going through things right now, this very minute, things we can't even imagine. Have you ever stopped to think about the people around you? Do you look at people passing by and wonder what they're going through? Sometimes all it takes is a smile. I think we need to smile more often. You'd be surprised just how much a smile can mean to someone. I kinda think smiles are contagious....maybe that's just me. But sometimes, when someone smiles I can't help but smile back. Listening to Owl City also makes me smile. No matter what (: See. A smile (: It's funny how little things like that can brighten your day. Personally, when someone smiles at me (especially if its someone I don't know) it kinda makes my day! It's like “Hey! They actually smiled at me.” Maybe I'm just being silly. But a smile is the curve that sets things straight. Why not give it a try? Smile at someone today and maybe you'll see what I'm talking about.

You Are Loved

Does anybody else lie awake at night, listening to music, staring at the ceiling, just thinking?? Its at night when I do most of my thinking. Maybe because at night everything's quite, there's no one rushing you, nothing constantly wanting your attention. Your mind is free to just think, think, and think. But its also when thoughts we tried to push away during the day come flooding back to our mind. We constantly think over all the mistakes we've made, past and present. All the things we should've done differently. Its when we think, maybe voice, our deepest fears and our deepest desires. People prefer the night, because they prefer to hide. We don't want people to see us for who we really are. But what if that's what we need most? We try to hide, but we're desperately hoping that someone will see behind our mask, and see who we really are. Maybe this is all just random nonsense and I should just give up talking about the subject. But I believe there's something more behind it. Everyone wants to know that they're loved. That they matter to someone. Well I can tell you for sure, you do matter to someone. Weather you know it or not. Someone loves you. The darkness hides us, but the light reveals who we really are. Maybe we shy away from that. If someone really loves you, they won't care what you are on the inside. They'll love that part too. Sometimes I wonder if its too good to be true......sometimes I doubt that there's someone out there for me. But then I remember: I have Someone who loves me SO much that He actually sent His only Son, Jesus, to die for me. Me? Can you believe it?? Who would die for me? But that's exactly what He did. He loved us so much that He wanted to be sure that we could have a chance. A chance to live with Him forever and ever and ever. The price is paid, the offer is made. All we have to do is accept it. Accept it and that gift of salvation can be ours. “Sure,” we think to ourselves, “I'm a pretty good person.” You probably are. But good isn't good enough. Just being good won't get us there. You see, God is loving a gracious, but He's also holy and just. He can't let just anybody into heaven. Compared to Him, we all fall short. But there's good news! He sent His Son to take our place. To die for us. And receive our punishment. But it didn't end there. He's not dead. He's alive! He defeated death once and for all. How amazing is that! It blows my mind every time I think about it. What wondrous love is this! So you see, when you're thinking at night, and feeling like nobody cares, like nobody knows. All you have to do is remember: You are loved.