Dreams Come True

I recently watched Alice in Wonderland and it taught me a few things.
The first and most important thing that I learned is that I CAN do 6 impossible things before breakfast (metaphorically speaking).

1. I traveled to both China and Africa
2. I went three states away to attend a Christian University
3. I competed in a pageant and won a scholarship
4. I got to see and be fully emerged in the Pacific Ocean
5. I got chosen to dance with the characters in the middle of the Disney Land parade (and I did it)
6. ****________________**** (this one is for future adventures) :D

Phillippians 4:13 says "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength", and this is the truth. So many times I have focused on what I cannot do, what about ALL of the things that I can do. Now. I am here for a purpose and a season (however long or short), and my desire is to serve God NOW. Why wait until things are "better", will they ever really be better? The fact is that we have limitations, but the truth is that God does not. I am sick of saying I can't because of this or that...I can, just because God is, just because he loves me.

I know that it is silly to take such a life lesson away from a "secular" movie, but maybe just maybe this is another way God works. Maybe it was him whispering to me, "YOU CAN".

"There is a place. Like no place on Earth. A land full of wonder, mystery, and danger! Some say to survive it: You need to be mad as a hatter"
"Which Luckily I am" (Alice in Wonderland)

Perfect Power

2 Corinthians 12:9
But he said to me, "My grace is suffient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therfore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.

Grace is defined as divine love and protection bestowed freely on people. Sometimes I seem to be so completely overwhelmed by my fears and failures. I am nothing, in and of myself. Yet God chooses to Love me through my failures, and he protects me through my fears. God chose me! Jesus told me that not only does he give me grace, but that is it suffient for me. "Being as much as is needed" is how it is literally defined.To think that God gives me as much divine love and protection as I need is amazing. Living in suffient grace, however, is a demanding task. To live in suffient grace I must carry my cross, and in essence, be weak. It is such a hard task to be weak. Human nature yells for me to be strong and capable, "survival of the fittest" constantly pounded into my heads. Yet Jesus tells me that in my weakness his power is perfected. I always wonder, what does God's perfect power look like? Maybe it resembles the first smile of a baby, or maybe it is that look on a new believers face. But can perfect power be SO simple? To embrace weakness terrifies me. What would my friends say if I admit that "I am not alright", what might they say about me as a leader, a friend, a christian? Yet, Paul shows me that not only should I be weak, but I should boast about it. Imagine, boasting about my weakness, it would require complete humility, something that is so hard for many of us. To push this even further, he boasts gladly. I know that when I am weak I am not proud, and especially not happy. I fear others seeing my weaknesses, and can hardly imagine boasting gladly about them. This seems so contrary to everthing I have ever been taught. However, maybe weakness is good. Maybe being weak connects me to God in a way that was destroyed when sin entered the world. I long for Christ's power in my life, his perfect power. In this world vulnerability, care, emotion, and true worship often label people as weak, or soft. Well, I want to be weak. I want Christ's power to rest on me. After all his grace is suffient to cover my entire life.

Love in Faith

They say that the flap of a butterfly's wing can cause a tsunami on the other side of the world. What about the smile of a child? Or the hug between friends? What of the simple pleasures, a refreshing swim, or a new adventure? Have we forgotten how to laugh, or more importantly how to love? Love truly. Love deeply. Love completely.

I love the way a good friend hugs
I love that I can laugh
I love when I see the pretty stars
and I love to swing real fast

I love the way he looks at me
I love that I can smile
I love to see a baby crawl
and I love finding my own style

I love the way wind blows through my hair
I love that I can cry
I love to see a mountain top
and I love to pretend that I can fly

I love the way a rainbow bows
I love that I can run
I love to see a daisy grow
and I love to feel the sun

I love the way that bubbles pop
I love that I can dance
I love to see a good friend wed
and I love a game of chance

I love the way a good rain feels
I love that I can sing
I love to see a funny play
and I love a pretty ring

I love the way that snow shines bright
I love that I can see
I love to see a magic trick
and I love that our country's free

I love to read a really good book
I love that I can scream
I love to see a wavy lake
and I love being on a team

I love the way it feels to breathe
I love that I can dream
I love to see a child laugh
and I love that good food steams

I love the way that God loves me
I love that I can praise
I love to see a lifted hand
and I love to love his ways

I love the way he sent his son
I love that I can hope
I love to see his mighty works
and I love that he helps me cope

I love the way he gives to me
I love that I can strive
but most of all I love each day
and I love that I'm alive!

Living Free

I look into the mirror,
wondering, who am I today?
Pondering tommorrow
unsure of yesterday

What I am and will be
to me seems so unclear
as day and night blend together
blinded by my fear

But there is a promise in the darkness
a wisper in the night
strength and comfort for today
tommorrow a victory in my fight

"I am the Lord of all creation,
and I hold you in my hand"
"Yesterday is over
and today I'll help you stand"

"Tommorrow is not your worry
for the future I have for you
is beautiful and mighty
I promise I'll see you through"

But still the fear surronds me,
it tries to steal my joy from me
but to your hand I'm running
declaring "Chains let me be free"

Yesterday that blinds my eyes,
I give it all to you
the fear and condemnation
the words that are not true

For tommorrow I will trust
living my life for all to see
my future is completely in your hands
and I am Living FREE

As I look into the mirror
I know who I am today
I am God's beloved child
whom he loves in every way

Procrastination

I need to study for my test tomorrow
it's all about the court
I started writing my ten page paper days ago
but its still ten pages short
I wonder if my professor will notice
If I am not in class
I need to finish that assignment
about how sand turns into glass
It's not my fault
and if you listen I can explain
I was away rescuing my 12th cousin
from the great African plain
After that I couldn't leave
It's a tradition I did not know
after rescuing a cousin
you must stay and watch a show
After words I clapped real loud
and tried to leave to study for my test
Unfortunately when you clap too hard
they send you on a quest
So off I went to accomplish
this task that was at hand
regrettably two hours later
I stepped in sinking sand
As I sunk my mind drifted
to all my school work undone
Oh how I dreaded dying
and missing out on all the fun
But luckily my cousin saved me
he has such a caring heart
But when we jumped into his jeep
that car just would not start
Are you starting to see the picture?
I really really tried
But everything kept going wrong
I am still uncertain why
So please do not blame me
I was lost in Africa for a week
and when I got back to do my homework
I was simply just too weak
So an extension on my paper
maybe a makeup for my test
After all if you want me to recover
then I do need all my rest
So I'll call you in a week or two
when I start feeling well
The other students never need to know
I Promise I will not tell
What do you mean it's still due tomorrow?
Oh this must be my fate
One thing that Africa taught me
Is not to Procrastinate.

Forgive Me

This video depicts my interpretation of Forgive Me by Group One Crew.