Category Archives: Real life

The hope of a New Year

Hope

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What I love so much about starting a new year is HOPE – another chance to start over, to believe in better things, another opportunity to change, to make new mistakes, to learn and grow.

The hope of a new year also brings uncertainty of the future. Uncertainty of what might happen, what could happen, what might not happen. There are so many reasons to fear what is ahead.

But this year, I’m embracing hope – the endless possibilities, the big dreams, the lessons and mistakes. All the anticipation, excitement, and thrill of what can and will be – that’s the hope of a new year.

From me to you, happy blessed 2014.

Here’s to 2014 and all that it will be. May it be the best year yet.

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“We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year’s Day.”
― Edith Lovejoy Pierce

2013: in retrospect

As we reflect on the year that has passed, and contemplate the year ahead, I love being able to look back in retrospect and see how I’ve grown and changed through the year – the things I’ve done, the mistakes I’ve made, the places I’ve been, the relationships I’ve built…

This was the year I…

I certainly think 2013 was much quieter, and not as dramatic or exciting as 2012. And I’ll confess that I certainly didn’t keep all my New Year’s Resolutions. But I’m still so so thankful for yet another year.

What a blessing to be able to look back on the year that has passed and marvel at all that was.

I can’t wait to see what 2014 has in store.

The Greatest Gift of all

Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. – Luke 2:10-11

The biggest reason that Christmas is pretty much my favorite season of the year, is the fact that I get to celebrate the birth of my Savior, and be reminded of the greatest Gift that was given during Christmas.

While it is sometimes easy to forget and get caught up in all the Christmas sales, shopping and stress of gift-giving, I constantly remind myself that Jesus is the reason for the season. What an amazing gift was given some 2000 years ago.

May your days be filled with much love, joy, peace and hope as we celebrate the birth of the Savior this Christmas.

Blessed Christmas to you and yours.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year!

Watch

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Oh my, I’ve been a terrible blogger lately, haven’t I? So terrible that I even missed my usual Hello, December post.

With the lack of posts and being MIA without a word, you would’ve thought that I’d fallen off the planet or something. 

But I haven’t! I’ve only been swamped with the busyness that comes with college life and all that jazz – the last couple of weeks have been a flurry of finishing school assignments and a week at church camp. Now that it’s all over and I’m looking back at what seems like a blur, I’m so thankful for God’s goodness in sustaining me through what seemed like never-ending cycles of work.

I’ve yet to have a break this year where I haven’t had to worry/stress out about submitting school assignments and meeting deadlines. And since the last of the assignments are in and I’m officially on Christmas break, I can wholeheartedly join in the Christmas preparations and soak in the Christmas spirit.

Needless to say, I am beyond thrilled and excited to *finally* be done with school for the year and enjoy whatever is left of 2013.

It is truly the most wonderful time of the year.

Somehow, I’m really appreciating the holiday season this year and especially feeling the Christmas spirit. I’m remembering to soak it all in, each moment, one day at a time.

And I’ll watch with glittering eyes and enjoy the moments while they last.

Have a smashingly good weekend. I know I’ll enjoy mine x.

Right Now | Thursday

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Reminding myself to keep going.

More than a little excited that Christmas break is less than a month away!

A little apprehensive about how I’m going to make it through the next couple of weeks.

But plodding on anyway.

Trying to stay focused.

Enjoying our Christmas decorations that just went up last night!

Needing words to get started on my essay + paper due this week.

Excited for the weekend. As always.

Getting inspired by watching Becky Higgins talk about Project Life and scrapbooking on Creative Live!

And so thankful for replays that let me watch while it’s actually daylight over here.

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The secret to getting ahead is getting started.

Only one more day to the weekend!

I hope the rest of your week is crazy productive.
Like how I hope mine will be.

Right Now | Wednesday

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Choosing not to let myself be overwhelmed by all the things I need to do but don’t have enough time for.

Embracing the rain + cool weather.

Staying warm despite the rain.

So, so thankful for God-given friendships.

Eagerly anticipating the weekend.

Plodding on to the end of the week.

Persevering to the end of the term.

Really needing a break, pronto.

But counting down the weeks until Christmas break(!!!)

Getting into the Christmas holiday spirit.

Still a little bit in disbelief that it’s almost halfway through November and 42 DAYS until Christmas!

Reminding myself to dare to dream BIG.

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If you can dream it, you can do it. – Walt Disney

I hope your week’s been some kind of fabulous xx.

Wednesday Word | no. 019

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Lately, the truth of this quote has truly resonated with me.

I really feel like I need more hours in a day – more hours to spend time with people I love, make creative fun stuff, go to places, and check off things to do (like writing blog posts). On a side note, I actually have an entire backlog of posts I need to finish writing and post. I’m getting on it, I promise.

But anyhow, while the number of hours in a day stays the same, I’ll try to make every minute of it worthwhile and productive.

Here’s to right priorities and mind-blowing productivity!
Happy Wednesday – I hope your week has been super duper so far (:

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Every Wednesday, I share a quote + some thoughts that have been especially relevant in my life during the week. Read more Wednesday Words here.

Hello, November

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I thought I just wrote one of these posts not too long ago.

But October was pretty incredible.

I loved everything about it, from running my first half-marathon and going wakeboarding, to spending lots of time with friends and family. THE BEST.

Anyhoo.

Hello, Thanksgiving + preparing for the holidays. Hello, school work + counting down to getting a break! Hello, sunshine + rain. Hello, running with friends and doing better at a running routine. Hello, goodbyes + see you laters. Hello, laughing and making time to spend with people who matter. Hello to routine and switching things up at the same time. Hello, new 2014 planners.

Hello, November.

You’re here a little too quickly for my liking. But I promise I’ll make you a good one anyway (:

Wednesday Word // no. 018

tomorrow is always fresh, with no mistakes in it yet...Anne of Green Gables

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I’ve been an Anne of Green Gables fan since I was little. And Anne Shirley certainly has some wise words for me today.

In between trying not to feel overwhelmed by all the work I need to do/to-do lists I need to complete, and balancing my overachiever tendencies, I’m remembering how thankful I am that I have another chance to make tomorrow even better, despite today not being as good as I would’ve liked it to be.

At least there’s still a brand-new tomorrow to do better.

I’m so glad Anne Shirley is right.

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Every Wednesday, I share a quote + some thoughts that have been especially relevant in my life during the week. Read more Wednesday Words here.

Beginning with Mondays

you'll get there.

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To be honest, I haven’t come up with a complete makeover plan for this blog. It’s all still kind of up in the air and whatnot. But I missed being around here too much that I decided to (officially) come back anyway. After all, this space (as with most things in life) is still a work in progress.

This semester is proving to be pretty crazy busy. Four classes and tons and tons of reading. I’m not even kidding. But that’s what college life is all about, isn’t it?

So despite the piles of reading and assignments that need to get done, I’m starting the week reminding myself, Small steps every day.

Beginning with today.

And as my philosophy professor says, I should handle all this work like how I would eat an elephant – one bite at a time. Uh-huh.

Here’s to a super-productive and nothing-less-than-amazing week! (: