A Whisper-Worthy Mess

Okay, let's get down to business: time for a POP Quiz! (being in high school, I can just hear the lovely sound of groans ringing out) Don't worry, don't worry- it's short and sweet! 

Here's the question:

Someone castigates the hard work that you've done on a group project, the 'group' project with which you were stuck doing by yourself. How do you respond?

1. You blow up, making that person, and anyone within a 10-foot radius, aware of their neglect on the project. 
2. You make a snarky remark to shut them up. 
3. Inside, you feel as if you want to scream, but outside you show mild irritation. 
4. Inside or out, you honestly don't care. Neither of you deserves to be degraded, so you shrug it off. 

Like all of the posts in this blog, this quiz is based off of what happened to me. All weekend I had worked on a group project. Four other people were assigned to the project, yet I was the only one to actually do any work. So, when one of the other people in my group pointed out a slight, barely-noticeable mistake, I reacted in one of the options on the quiz. 

As I've mentioned before, I'm pretty much a wallflower, so we can cross off Option 1 and 2 for me! I'd like to say that I am Option 4, but you guessed it! I'm Option 3. I'm the girl who gets upset over something as trivial as that group project. Internally, I reacted. Externally, I was irritated. I was annoyed and I quickly pretended that I didn't care, but I'm sure that it was obvious that I did. 

I couldn't believe that my lazy partner had the nerve to even begin to point out a mistake when she hadn't even contributed to the project whatsoever. 'If anything', I thought, 'she should be grateful.' 

My cheeks flushed beet red. My green eyes snapped. My eyebrows furrowed. 'Let's see your project then, and we'll compare.' I thought. I wanted so badly to say something, to put her in her place, to see her squirm. Anger boiled within me. I felt as if I would explode. Just looking at her irritated me. 

We presented our project, the bell rang, and the class slinked out of the room to head home. School was over, but I was still mad. I saw her walk over to her friends, whispered something, and then her friends all looked at me. I blushed. Sorrow and shame flooded over me. That was the impact that I had made on someone today.

 I was a whisper-worthy mess. 

At the time, it seemed better for me to show irritation rather than love. It seemed better for me to make a slight fuss than to just forget about it. So what was the big deal? After all, it was a silly little project. It's done now, so why was it so important to me then?

I let sin overtake me. I felt that the temptation to be angry, to sin, was more satisfying than to do as God wants us to: to love others, no matter what they do or how they treat us. 

It's like advertising for fast food restaurants. The advertising looks so juicy and delicious. It looks as if it would solve your hunger problem. In reality, it never tastes as good as it looks. The food is flimsy and falls short of its advertising. It's so small that it leaves you dissatisfied. 

God however, is quite the opposite. He is a great God. He is just as great and awesome as he seems. If you seek him, you won't be left dissatisfied. you won't be craving more. With him, you will be content. 

Had I remembered this today, perhaps the problem wouldn't of seemed so giant. I let sin rule over me (Genesis 4:7) instead of thinking it through. 

"Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry."                                                                                              James 1:19

It is easy to put verses out there to live by, but following through on them is another task. Anger seems to be a problem that many struggle with. I pray that God will help you overcome the temptation to seek satisfaction through anger. I pray that you will replace any anger that you have with love. 

I challenge you this week to listen, speak slowly, and to not become angered easily. I will also be undertaking this challenge, so pray for me, and I'll pray for you!

Next week I will be covering a good type of anger, so stay tuned for the upcoming post!

God's Blessings! And may God be with you, should you choose (and even if you choose not to) undertake the anger challenge! 

Picture Source: Click Here

More than Just Looking Pretty

The other day I was in Biology class. We have been learning about meiosis for a week or so now. Now normally, Biology is NOT a class that I would complain about. I really like Biology and my teacher. It's a class that I usually look forward to every morning, but something she said last week really threw me off.

It started out with us talking about the disadvantages of meiosis. We came up with a pretty hefty list before she said this one:

"Finding a mate is hard. So meiosis can be a difficult task."

I totally agree. Finding that one person that you want to be with for the rest of your life is most definitely not easy.

But its the discussion that followed that bothered me.

"I mean,  the girls have to dress up pretty, put on perfume, shower daily. And the same goes for the boys... you always have to look your best if you want to find a spouse..."

I smiled on the outside, but on the inside, I grimaced. I agree with showering - personal hygiene is definitely important- but is that really matters? Is that how you have to get someone to love you, by looking pretty?

My mind tumbled around. Has the world really become so superficial? Are looks all that matter?

As I think on my days in the world so far, I realize that the world likes a pretty package.  They want a model-thin, mini-skirt-wearing, girl with perfect makeup and good eyebrows, otherwise you are teased, and considered nothing.

The girl who has a healthy weight, dresses modestly, doesn't wear makeup, and whose eyebrows aren't penciled in "like they should be"? Well, she doesn't have much of a chance at romance.

At least that's what society tells us.

Finding someone you love is oh-so much more than looking pretty. I apologize for contradicting my Biology teacher, but she has it all wrong.

 

Love looks past the wrapping paper, true love does anyway.

1 Samuel 7:15 tells us that God looks at humans differently than other humans look at themselves.  He sees love, potential,  and someone he cares for so dearly that it should ashame you to think otherwise.

God wants us to be more than a pretty package.  He wants you to be more beautiful inside than outside.

God wants us to better ourselves everyday. He has given us so much, so don't we want to give back to Him by giving Him our best inner selves?

Any relationship based on looks alone is doomed to fail from the start, because, hey! Guess what? Beauty fades. And if looks fades, then the "love" that the relationship was built on will fade too.

God feels pretty strongly on this.  Here are some additional verses.

"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 3:4 

"Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people. I would not be a servant of Christ.                                                                                                      Galatians 1:10

"Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised."                                                                      Proverbs 31:30 

So next time you feel like looks are more important than your heart, I challenge you to look these verses up to remind yourself that the most important person in the world- God- thinks that it is better to be pretty on the inside.

Never should looks be a factor in a relationship. You will look different from year to year. Your heart should be the first beauty regimen you deal with every day, as well as the last, and many touch ups in between.

Have a lovely week! Be the beautiful you that God wants you to be! ☺

Picture Source: Click Here

Valentine's Day

If you've been ambushed with articles online, in magazines, newspapers, cards, and the aisles of candy at the grocery store, then you probably know that today is Valentine's Day. I've never really been a Valentine's Day kind of girl. I've never dated anyone and I've only ever gotten candy and flowers from my family. The decorations are cute and all, but honestly Valentine's Day hasn't meant much to me.

Valentine's Day is just one of those days. The kind where you are expected to be showered with love and adoration from admirers and family members, not to mention the other gifts that come along with it. It may be cliche for me to say so, but Valentine's Day has become so commercialized.

What happened to the sweet and innocent days of elementary school where we gave each other little cards in our homemade boxes, covered in glitter, red hearts, and candies? Is it just me, or has Valentine's Day... changed over the years? Has growing older made it become more pressured?

More pressured to be dating someone? More pressured to dress us in a pretty dress and let someone shower me with extravagant gifts? More pressure to do what society thinks we should do?

Valentine's Day just doesn't seem to be a day of love. Call me cynical, but you have to agree with me. I mean, what even is love anymore? The word is totally overused. What does it even mean to love someone in this day in age? Here's a definition for you:

Basically, love is just another word until you've found someone who gives it meaning. "But, Laura. I don't have someone who gives love meaning." You might say. Think again. 

You always have Jesus.

You can celebrate Valentine's Day as a day of ACTUAL love: God's love for us. 

I realized that it can mean more than CANDY, FLOWERS, CARDS, and DATING. If you push past the candy and the flowers there is meaning. And here it is: 

     For God so LoVed the World,
                     thAt He gave his
                     onLy
                      bEgotten
                    SoN,
                   thaT whosoever
                    belIeveth
                       iN Him shall not perish,
             but havE eternal life.

John 3:16

That is true love. If you don't have someone to go out with, give cards, candy, and flowers to, do not fret! You have the love of God, a love that is meaningful and lasts. 

So, spread the true meaning of love with your family and friends. By all means, eat the chocolate, read the cards, and smell the roses, but NEVER forget what love actually is: GOD. 

In honor of Valentine's Day, I have made a  Printables section on my blog. Check there for a little printable reminder of God's love!

             Lot's of LOVE to you and yours! 

Photo Source: Click Here

The Wedding Plan

Weddings. The beautiful conjecture of two, man and woman, designed by God. The wedding itself is truly a symbol of two becoming one through God. I love the rings, the vows, the dress, and the fact that the girl has achieved my dream: getting married.

As a Christian girl, I think that marriage is something that automatically is built into our hearts. A desire for the relationship given to us by God. It's enchanting to picture yourself as a bride, going through life with your other half. Not being single. Not looking like the loser girl who can't get a date.

I don't know about you, but every girl that I know fawns over wedding details. Bouquets, rings, and the dress itself. If you are like me, you probably have a pretty good idea of how you want your wedding to look. I even have a Pinterest board dedicated to the day. My board has close to nine-hundred pins- YIKES!

A couple of weeks ago,  I came across an article talking about the very thing: dedicating Pinterest boards to the lifestyle you hope to have, whether it be houses, cars, clothing, or weddings. The article went on to say that our generation is very virtual. We don't necessarily buy anything online, but boy, do we like to virtually dream.

As harmless as this can seem it can often become quite the opposite.

When you plan your life out on Pinterest, not only do you show a lack of faith in God, impatiently shoving together how you want your life to be, but it also shows that you aren't content. 

We want more and more. We want the prettiest wedding, shiniest rings, and the most breathtaking pictures. We aren't content with the life God has given us now. We want the life that we feel would make us most content. But that's the thing:

We don't know what we need. 

God knows that. God knows what we need, not what we think we need. Most girls think they need a husband or a boyfriend. They need stylish clothes, stunning jewelry. They need a new phone. To be honest, when we feel like that, we need GOD- not material things! 

God can differentiate between knowing what we need and what we want. He spoils us on a daily basis with blessings that we don't even need nor deserve. 

If you can't be happy when you are single, poorly dressed, driving in a worn-down car, or in a tiny house, how can you expect to be happy with a husband, designer duds, a Ferrari, or a mansion?

Be Content. Realize how much you have. Ask God to show you what you need. 

Always thank God, even if He doesn't give you the desires of your heart. He has give you so much more: eternal life. Think on this the next time you think you need a new pair of heels. 

Life is so much more than planning the life you have now. It's learning to enjoy the life God has given you for the meantime. 

"Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth." 1 Timothy 6:6

This week as you struggle with the worldly things that come your way, remember that "In Christ Alone" is your hope.
                                                          

Click Here to Listen to "In Christ Alone"!
Picture Source: Click Here

Diving into Risky Territory

Drip. It starts out slowly, carefully, cautiously. "I'm okay... I can handle it." you tell yourself. "Drop." "I'm fine. I can do this by myself." "Plunk!" "Ummm, I'm fine!" "SPLASH!" "Wait...how did I end up here?!"

Does this conversation sound familiar to you- minus the sound effects, of course. Testing yourself. The fight within yourself to do what is right, before you dive off the deep end? I constantly fight with myself.

You guys know how the Internet is, right? You search for one thing, and minutes later you are looking at a completely different page? I know the feeling.

Earlier today, I was looking up something for school, my science class. I came across a website that seemed to be fine for school. Drip. I was cautious about where I looked, what I saw. I was in safe territory.

I clicked on another article. It was slightly less school appropriate. There were ads on the sides that should of cued me to leave the site. I figured that I could handle a couple of ads, besides I needed the article for school. Drop. My caution guard loosened slightly. Plunk.

I clicked on another article from the website with the weird ads. It led me to an article that I didn't even click on. The false title led me to a webpage that made me blush. An article that should've been school appropriate was completely the opposite. SPLASH! I was now in dangerous territory.

I quickly clicked out of the website and slammed my laptop shut, filled with shock and realizing the mistake that I had made.

I ignored the signs that would of kept me safe; language, ads, pictures, but I ignored them, thinking that I could handle the situation, thinking that the biology topic that I was required to look up for school trumped the stupid ads on the side, because "I need the article."

The Internet, at times, could be likened to the devil. He crouches down, hiding in familiar territory and leads you to dangerous territory, claiming that "It's okay. You'll be fine." Blindlessly following, we often lose our sense of what's right and wrong and throw away caution.

Think back to Adam and Eve, the original sinners. The devil, disguised as a serpent came to Eve, offering all of the knowledge of God. "You will be just as wise as God if you eat the fruit..." - which God had forbidden- "He knows it too. That's why He won't let you have it."

Temptation overcame both Adam and Eve and they brought sin into the world by eating the fruit.

The devil is extremely sneaky:

"You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master."    Genesis 4:7

So we have to be extremely careful and cautious. We must pay attention to warning signs around us and not to take them with a grain of salt. Don't throw caution to the wind. There is a reason that we are cautious.

"The wise are cautious and avoid danger; fools plunge ahead with reckless confidence...Those who fear the Lord are secure; he will be a refuge for their children." Proverbs 14:16, 26 

Be cautious, don't dive into risky territory: it will NOT lead to good. Instead, listen to the signs, crush the devil's cues to make you sin, and take refuge in God. It may be easier to just sin and then just ask God for forgiveness, but don't be like that. Do what you know in your heart to be right, for you will be rewarded in the end.

Remember, diving into sin is nothing but risky territory. Do what is right. Have a safe week! I will be praying for you!
                                                             


Picture Source: Click Here

Living a Countdown Life

I have this countdown going, two actually;  one for Spring Break and one for Summer Vacation. It's a fun little thing I do to keep me optimistic about life, cause I mean how else could I keep going? ☺

"Only 16 weeks, 3 days, 4 hours, and 10 seconds until the last day of school!" I cheerfully cried out. In other words, only 16 weeks, 3 days, 4 hours, and 10 seconds until life is...perfect.

Or so I thought.

What about the 16 weeks and so much other time? I'm still going to be living and breathing (Lord willing!), so why is it so important for me to wipe these days clean off my slate? Who says that life won't trouble me in 16 weeks, 3 days, 4 hours, and 10 seconds? Who says that life can't be perfect within the next 16 weeks, 3 days, 4 hours, and 10 seconds?

Me.

Me, that's who.

Though I hadn't realized it, I had become dependent upon this countdown to get me through these next few weeks of school. I depended on it to 'get rid' of the following, tedious months. I depended on it to remind me of the days that were gone, and the days that were soon to be gone. In a way, it had become my crutch.

This countdown had become an excuse for me to let time fly away without me enjoying it.

You know how parents often say stuff about their kids like, "Enjoy them now! They grow up so fast!"? Well we can live our lives the same way, enjoying it day by day before it passes away.

God created this world for us to enjoy and praise Him, not to mope around about how boring or tedious life is!

"This is the day the Lord has made.  Let us rejoice and be glad in it!" 

Psalm 118:24

This is one of those Bible verses that I know by heart, the ones that I think of often, but not often enough. Sometimes when I think about time, I realize that it truly fleeting, no matter how cliche it may sound! ☺ I blinked and suddenly I'm in high school, a few years left and then I'll be out in the 'real world'. Don't let time whisk by, enjoy it. Enjoy the little moments that can make a seemingly boring day worthwhile. Enjoy your time as a high schooler, as a 29 year old, as a grandparent, because otherwise it will slip away.

You will never live another February 4th in 2016. Make the day count. Rejoice in the day that God has made, and rejoice in Him. Spend your days focused on what really matters, God. Not focusing on the number of days until life is 'perfect'.

There is one thing, however with which having a countdown is meaningful for... our countdown to our future in Heaven with God.

"For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come."  

Hebrews 13:14

May you take life as it comes, joyfully. May you rejoice and be glad in a new day, everyday, even if it is a Monday! ☺
                                                                

Photo Source: Click Here