A Pseudo New Year’s Day Post and Apologies

I had temporarily abandoned the blogging world due to things called Life and Finals. Alas, I am finally taking a breather and posting for once in nearly 2.5 months!

I sort of hate new year’s resolution posts, but I remembered I had posted one last year and am looking back on it. These were my new year’s resolutions of 2009:
-Be unapologetically honest (aka stop being so damn passive-aggressive!).
-Learn to take criticism better.
-Gain wisdom.
-Be joyful, but not naive.
-Be more vulnerable (aka be more trusting).
-Stop overanalyzing and learn to jump blindly.
-Talk less, do more.

So how’d I do? I’d say I at least touched on all of them a bit. Little did I know what I was going to face during the year of 2009. It has been a long year, indeed. I’ve definitely grown in the past year… and I already feel old.

Yet 2010 has many things in store, some of which are already known… like graduating from college (YIKES!) and applying to dental school. These already scare the crap out of me, but hopefully 2010 will be another enjoyable learning experience.

So will I have resolutions for 2010? As of yet, I’m still working on fully unwinding / processing from Urbana 2009 (www.urbana09.org) so those may come later (no promises). But for now, happy 2010 and I hope everyone has a great new year!

Disconnected.

I need You.

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.
-Ezekiel 36:26

Unfading Beauty

Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.

-1 Peter 3:3-4

(I know I haven’t posted in forever, but I haven’t abandoned wordpress!)

Chosen and Not Rejected.

“I took you from the ends of the earth,
from its farthest corners I called you.
I said, ‘You are my servant’;
I have chosen you and have not rejected you.

So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

For I am the LORD, your God,
who takes hold of your right hand
and says to you, Do not fear;
I will help you.”

-Isaiah 41:9-10, 13

Stands Forever.

The grass withers and the flowers fade,
but the word of our God stands forever.

-Isaiah 40:8

Through Deep Waters, Rivers, and Fire.

But now, O Jacob, listen to the Lord who created you.
O Israel, the one who formed you says,
“Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you.
I have called you by name; you are mine.
When you go through deep waters,
I will be with you.
When you go through rivers of difficulty,
you will not drown.
When you walk through the fire of oppression,
you will not be burned up;
the flames will not consume you.
For I am the Lord, your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.”

-Isaiah 43:1-3a

As Long As I Have Breath.

I love the Lord because he hears my voice
and my prayer for mercy.
Because he bends down to listen,
I will pray as long as I have breath!

-Psalm 116:1-2

I just subscribed to a wedding blog…

…on my Google Reader.

Now, before y’all jump to conclusions or something, I’m going to defend myself, because there are certainly no wedding bells going off in my near future. Actually, I didn’t even know wedding blogs existed until today…although I should’ve deduced it considering I’ve become a cupcake/dessert and food blog junkie as of late (my Google Reader is dominated by about 80% of these). And if there’s an audience for cupcake/dessert blogs, there’s an infinitely larger one for wedding blogs….

Anyways, back to my defending. There’s something about weddings that intrigue me…not the white dresses and jewels and whatever, but it’s the fact that essentially (if you’re not involved and merely an objective observer), weddings are elaborately planned, extravagant parties! This means the blog is full of great photography from companies’ sites that vary from things like jewelry to cakes to dresses to wedding favors. Uh, hello, this spans all things good and then some! And when companies cater to your bridezilla next door, those pictures must be impeccably flooring to lure them in…and are they!

Now, don’t get me wrong. I really am NOT one of those girls who has their whole weddings planned, down to what outfit their dog is going to wear at the reception. Heck, I don’t even know what my taste in rings is, which is apparently some sort of heinous crime in the female world. So I promise you all, I’m not diving into that end of the pool just yet. I have a long ways to go, friends.

What I will say is, though, is this: Through my latest internet browsing (hence finding this site), I’m just beginning to discover the wonders of Etsy, and this blog has just furthered my journey into the unique findings on there. If you haven’t checked it out yet, go for it! You can find anything under the moon in there – from your next party invitations to cookies to a table! From what I gather, everything is sold directly from the sellers, and all the products are handcrafted, a majority of which seem to come from small homegrown businesses. I’ve been tempted to order myself oodles of random, pretty crap that is not of much use to me dozens of times already. Actually, as we speak, I believe I have 4 items in my “cart” ready to go. Thankfully, I am restraining myself…for now.

Cheers to some fun browsing! www.etsy.com

Power That Saves Me.

I love you Lord;
you are my strength.
The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior;
my God is my rock, in whom I find protection.
He is my shield, the power that saves me,
and my place of safety.

-Psalm 18:1-2

Never Slumbers or Sleeps.

I look up to the mountains-
does my help come from there?
My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth!
He will not let you stumble;
the one who watches over you will not slumber.
Indeed, he who watches over Israel
never slumbers or sleeps.

The Lord himself watches over you!
The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade.
The sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon at night.

The Lord keeps you from all harm
and watches over your life.
The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go,
both now and forever.

-Psalm 121