.happiness.

"In seeking happiness for others, you find it for yourself." - Anonymous

Merry Christmas! So many things to be thankful for this year. There was a lot of pain to endure during 2011, but in the end you realize God doesn't give you anything you can't handle. The tears I've cried for the cuts and bruises allowed me to appreciate the blessings more. We have hardships and frustrations, but yet there is not enough money in the world to change my family, my friends and most of all, my boyfriend.

We should all take some time to appreciate the little things in life, like a warm blanket, the laugh of a 20 month old 7 o'clock in the morning or waking up Christmas morning in your matching PJs with your boyfriend, his arm wrapped around you, while he watches T.V., the dog asleep in your lap and your parents cooking the holiday lunch.

Thank you, Lord!

*NSYNC - Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays

.courage.

"Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgement that something else is more important than fear."

A person can be beaten down and broken, but eventually there comes a point where all the pain and turmoil turns into the strength you need to get up to brave the fire. Sometimes the very person who has broken you turns out to be someone who you'd thought would always protect you. This is when you realize that it's best to step out of the situation because you're better than all the drama and chaos chasing after you. When really you deserved to be chased by someone who loves you and will surrender their pride for you regardless of how big of a wall you put up or how stubborn you are. Someone who appreciates who you are to them and is eager to show the world how amazing you are, someone who will show up at your doorstep because your stubbornness ignored them, someone who sees the beauty you have from the inside out, someone who will fight to death for you to prove their love is real, someone who's afraid to lose your undying love. It takes courage to move past the fear of losing someone you thought you would love forever, but it's more important than the fear of unnecessary pain you may endure. So today I'm doing this.

Sara Evans - A Little Bit Stronger

.strength.

"Anyone can give up, it's the easiest thing in the world to do. But to hold it together when everyone else would understand if you fell apart, that's true strength." - Anonymous

Define: Strength

Someone once said that someone's worst experience is their worst experience. Each person has a different threshold for pain and regardless of how easy or hard it is for them to get through their roughest times we should all be patient for each cloud has a silver lining. It's a cliche of a statement, but we all need to endure some level of pain because without pain there would be no compassion. Everyday is a new day and if we choose to submit ourselves to the turmoil we only sink ourselves to a deeper ditch. Behind each catastrophe is a gift waiting to be found.

We are all secretly on a mission to find a place in this world and figure out who we are. Some try to find it through drugs and alcohol, some try and find it through the voice of others, some try and find it through girl after girl or guy after guy, some try and find it through their self-inflicted busy schedules, some try and find it through the hundreds of school books they believe will define their life. In reality, none of that will give you the right answer, who we really are is found in the strength within us waiting to come out and fight the challenges the world brings us. We can all handle whatever comes our way, all it takes is a little more "Woosa" and a little less pride. Of course it's not easy to face some of things that come at us from left field, but we don't have to go through it alone. It's not a sign of weakness if you get to that point in the road and you just don't think you can make it any further because when you get to that point it's up to you to scream "uncle". When you get to that point there will be someone willing to walk with you the rest of the way, everyone secretly has that one person who's rooting for them. Why try and save face and make your problems bigger when there's someone who can lead you to the finish line?

You can only sweep things under the rug for so long before people will see start to see the pile...


Boys Like Girls - Go

.appreciation.

"Appreciation is a wonderful thing: It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well." -Voltaire

Define: Appreciation

We forget how important the little things in life are until they're gone or your life takes a detour. Four months ago life seemed so discombobulated, but looking back it was the simplest and calmest time of the year. There are many people to thank for that, but there is one particular one that stands out. He was the last person who I thought would be there for me through the roughest times. I didn't have fancy dinners and I wasn't showered with presents, but I did have someone who cared. I had someone who checked up on me with any and everything that happened to me. I had someone who called me to tell me their good news and bad news. I had someone who gave me just enough affection I wanted and needed. He made whatever I said matter. He answered every call, regardless of how many times I called. He was always down to see me and brought me around all his friends, even if I was the only girl.

It sounds like a couple in love, but it wasn't anything like that, I'm not going to be the next reality star on Married to Rock. It was the level playing field and comfort that I have learned to appreciate. This doesn't put down any other guy I've had in my life, as if I don't appreciate them in my life. It's that this one did the least for me, but the most with the most surprising outcome. It shocks me that we even still talk to this day, I thought I wouldn't talk to him past the first day I meant him, now here we are like BFF. I didn't realize it until yesterday when someone was talking to me and they said of all the guys they've heard about, he was their favorite. The best stories were times with him and he only messed up once, but fixed it within a couple hours. He's not better or worse than any other guy, friend or more, in my life, just the most unpredicitible one. Who knew a rockstar had a bigger heart than we assumed...

Cold Forty Three - Letter to a Familiar Friend
(only seems appropriate)

.crazy.

"The truth is you don't know what is going to happen tomorrow. Life is a crazy ride, and nothing is guaranteed." - Eminem

Define: Crazy

Someone who society defines as crazy seems to live life the simplest. He may be crazy to you, but I had the most fun with him. They say he was their favorite, mine too.

Eminem - Not Afraid

.friendship.

"Truly great friends are hard to find, difficult to leave, and impossible to forget." - Anonymous

Define: Friendship

A selfish act of kindness. Sometimes someone just needs a best friend to help them through the hardest of times. One who doesn't have any hidden expectations or ulterior motives.

Lifehouse - Storm

.settling.

"I've always believed the greater danger is not aiming too high, but too low, settling for a boey rather than shooting for an eagle." - Peter Scott

Define: Settling.

Is settling giving yourself what you deserve with a limited capacity of appreciation for it or is settling allowing yourself to get less than what you deserve with an unlimited capacity of appreciation for it?


Lifehouse - It Is What It Is