Time

It’s time.
It’s time to grow up and accept responsibility for your actions.

For many teenagers, this statement is hard to handle.
It’s time to clear the drama.
Time to leave some behind that weren’t really there for you to begin with..
But most importantly, time to have fun!

For me, it hasn’t been the easiest thing in the world to accept responsibility and accept growing up, but in all honesty, I do want to be recognized as a woman. I’ve had tons of fun as a teenager and being in high school/college has been the best experience a kid could ask for. But that’s just it. A KID could ask for.

While we’re being honest, I’m almost 100% sure that I will be the first one out of my group of friends to get married. And the first to graduate college and get a job. Thank God for dual enrollment. I want to get married early. I want it to just be me and Tysce for a while and then I want to be around 24 or 25 when I start having kids.

You may say that I just have everything all planned out.. And I kinda sort of do.

One People

To be honest, I never thought I would be writing this blog. Had you told me last Tuesday while I was sitting in the Veranda with 6 other lovely ladies that we were going to have a wide spread of devastation from 178 tornadoes across our beloved south, I would not have believed you.

As soon Thursday rolled around and we got word of all of the devastation close to our area, my heart was heavy for all the people across the southern states, especially in Sweet Home Alabama. I never knew then that it was as bad as it was until Sunday. Until Sunday, I just kept feeling like I wanted to get out of the house and help. Just help. Anyone.
Finally after 4 days in the house without power, we went to church. I was blessed to go to Higdon, Alabama Sunday afternoon to Higdon Baptist Church. We took them around 75 plates of food from Section Church of God. When we arrived in Higdon, there were a ton of trees down on the main road. I only thought this was it. I hopped in the back of one of two trucks that were going down a back road to deliver the plates of food we brought and packs of water.

I have never in my life seen such tragedy. I can’t even describe to you in words what we saw. There were no trees down on houses and no cars crumbled. Hardly any building was left standing at all. There was nothing. Only foundation where their houses stood and people searching the rubble for anything they could salvage.

This was the saddest thing I have ever seen in my life. I just can’t make anyone comprehend how bad it was that were not there.

We pulled up to about the twentieth house we had served food at. It was a long drive way that led to what was a house. As I got out of the back of the truck, I saw about 40 people standing on the rubble of what was a two story house before a tornado tore it apart. I didn’t take a picture of it because I didn’t want to offend the family. I gave a little girl a bottle of juice and her mother was standing with her. I asked if this was their house and she said it was not and that the family of 9 that lived there had all survived. They got under their staircase and the staircase fell on top of them, sheltering them from the violent twister.


I couldn’t help but be humbled at the site of it. They had around two truckloads of their belongings that they had recovered and for that, I could tell they were grateful.
It suddenly just hit me.

I have never been to Higdon, Alabama before in my entire life. I barely knew where it was.
Yet here I was, walking up someone’s driveway that I never probably would have walked on, to what used to be someone’s house that I never would have seen.
I didn’t even know these people. But that didn’t matter at all. This week, Alabamians have helped Alabamians. Neighbors have helped neighbors, but most importantly, strangers have helped strangers. They all continue to help everyone clean up and stay strong. I am just in awe of everything that I had to witness in Higdon and if it is worse than that anywhere, I don’t think that I want to see it.

The pictures do not even do it justice.

This is what God had planned for me. I felt that He called me to go out there and He called me to feed His people in need. I felt it when I sat in church Sunday morning. I still feel it right now. I feel so terrible for the people of Tuscaloosa, Sand Mountain, Cullman, and the Phil Campbell area. The storms were so widespread that it’s just incomprehensible. I am so thankful that everyone that I know were spared and unharmed and I pray for those in need and those who lost loved ones.

I encourage you to go out to your community and serve food to someone you don’t know. If you’re too shy or uncomfortable, take a friend with you! Our people need our help and it’s up to us to do it. God is calling us. It’s our wake up call.

Thankful.

I am very thankful for the smallest things in life.

I am very thankful for a car to drive, parents that are healthy and can provide for me, grandparents to look up to, a loving boyfriend by my side, friends who are the greatest and a roof over my head. I have been reading one of my friend's, Riley Holland's, blog lately. God has richly blessed her beyond measure. And as I had already known that her father had passed away at an earlier time, I never knew her story and memory of him. I have never heard her talk of her memory of him but I do not need to hear her speak of him to know that she really loved and cherished him. It reminds me not only how much I appreciate my father, but also how precious life really is and how I appreciate everything in it.

This past weekend, we went to the beach and I recollected why the beach is one of my favorite places on earth. It is simply amazing to me that God can create something that holds a huge body of water down to the earth. How is He that great!? I got to sit out on the beach one day while I was there from about 9 til 5:30. I just sat there. I thought about how awesome and beautiful it is that the tide comes in, and continues to come in. No matter what. Even if there isn't a boat. Even if the wind isn't blowing. It continues to come in.

This beautiful scenery reminded me of God's faithfulness to his children. He continues to provide. He continues to shower His blessings. No matter what. Even if we disobey. Even if we do not seek His presence as often as we should. His tide continues to roll in.

"And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful." Colossians 3:15

Decisions, Decisions

We all have a variety of decisions to make everyday.

What to wear, based on the weather

What to eat, based on what we crave

What to do, based on what kind of mood we're in

This morning I picked out shorts, because it's warm outside. I curled my hair because I felt like it. I had to go to a meeting because I have a scholarship worth upholding. I went to class because I feel guilty if I don't go usually and I am blogging now because I feel like it.

Our decisions we make, make us who we are. As cliche as that sounds, it's very true. We chose to either get out of bed and go to work/school or we can sleep in and be lazy and non-productive. Either decision you chose, has an outcome. With your decision, comes consequences.

As human beings, we all want the easy way out. The easy way out is not always the right thing to do. And the right thing to do is not always the easiest either.

We all will do the easiest thing to avoid confrontation. We will lie to get ourselves out of situations, because it's easier to do that than to own up to it, right?

Even though we all do it, it doesn't make it right. Just a tip of the day. Next time you are going to lie your way out of something just so you don't have to feel remorseful, try going and different route and tell the truth! I guarantee you'll feel much better!

Thank you, to all of my readers! 1,300 views and counting!

Keep reading!! I love the support! :)

I Call That Real

Real Women vs. Skinny Sticks

Women were designed to have curves. Period. The End.

These women are REAL. And they work it!

Women like Kim Kardashian And Beyonce.

Not these women. Who starve themselves to look (what they call good) on the runway.

Sure, the wings are beautiful and the bathing suits and lingerie are gorgeous!

But girl, you need to eat!

If you can see the ribs, you need to eat some ribs!

Just sayin'.

Your average, girl next door

Here's a little about me

I would rather be lying on the coast of somewhere beautiful as opposed to well, anything

But, I love biking through Cades Cove on a warm summer day

I really enjoy running. I feel free and I love being in shape

This girl is more like me than anyone I've ever met before

This little boy brightens my day

This place and this guy give me a feeling I definitely cannot explain!

Isaiah 30;21

In spare time, I love to lay out, go to the gym, or go shopping!

One of my favorite things to collect, quotes! I love quotes about

anything and everything. Whenever I find one worth remembering,

I put it in my quote book so that I can flip through and read it again! :)

Passion and satisfaction go hand in hand, and without them, any happiness is only temporary, because there’s nothing to make it last. – The Last Song

Give thanks for the differences in people and recognize the opportunity to see the world from another view. - Unknown

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you've imagined. - Henry David Thoreau (My Senior quote)

You cannot control what happens to you, but you can control your attitude toward what happens to you, and in that, you will be mastering change rather than allowing it to master you. -Brian Tracy

The grand essentials in this life are something to do, something to love, and something to hope for. - Joseph Addison

Make it a rule of life never to regret and never to look back. Regret is an apaling waste of energy; you can't build on it. - Katherine Mansfield

We are shaped and fashioned by what we love. - Goethe