Um...yeah, EWW, sweat's gross...right?

  Today, after watching a couple motivational videos about these two guys whipping themselves into shape (in a six week period-challenge) and reading my bestie's status about forcing herself to change her diet, I decided I wanted a radical change.
     Sure, most people are hoping to lose weight, but I would honestly like to gain muscle and better my posture (as WELL as losing weight, of course), because I admire those who stand to their full height and walk with strong, purposeful strides.
    Reason?
I've been an over-weight kid for a while. Too often I just wouldn't listen to my body or head when I knew I had had enough to eat. And I like lying on my butt and watching television. Heck, I've become somewhat of a hermit because of my comfortable bed and I used to be the "extrovert" in a house of introverts!
    But my best friend Mikayla is getting married next month and I'm her maid of honor. And I know I'm going to look back at those pictures and I don't want to think "Oh man, that was the worst time for me." Nope. I want to be thinking "Oh, hey! That's when I took charge of my body and treated it like a temple instead of a couch potatoe!" [<----- Biblical reference, for those who might be slightly confused.]
    I love it when people say such things as "You've only got one body, so treat it well."
Now I realize that, and in my mind I'm thinking "Hey, you're too miserable and occupied with this thing that shouldn't be in your thoughts so much. Take it away, and your focus would be free and ready for other things and people."
   "If you fail one day, don't stop. Refocus for each day." Also, don't keep putting things off. Otherwise, you'll have only seven weeks till your best friend's wedding and you'll want to scream. ;)

Hey, even if I don't look that great come the wedding, at least I'll feel stronger and perhaps have started a habit that I'll find difficult to get out of. My goal is to exercise every day for 30 minutes (except on Sundays I may just take a quiet, leisurely walk), get into a terrible sweat (by terrible, I mean supercalifragilisticexpialidosious), and just enjoy the strength in my limbs. Here's day 1 of 52 days (the 52nd being the wedding date):

    Check out that sweat! Can I just say that the photo really doesn't quite capture all the sweat and I tried so hard to make it do so. At least my arms and legs can attest to the hard work I put in!
Oh, and I'll probably give an update every week, not every day. No one wants to see THAT much sweat. Um...yeah, EWW, sweat's gross...right?
Honestly, *sigh* am I weird for enjoying it? Add that to another one of my eccentricities.

    Notice I'm also posting this with the possibility that many people could potentially see it. I doubt that there are really that many of you who read my blog (which is completely fine), but it's still something that I'm stepping out on--a chance to be vulnerable in my strengthening "journey", if you will. Plus, I'm sure if I someday gave you the numbers and the successes, you'd cheer, because those are the sorts of people I have in my life.

They love to see anyone (even an extrovert who loves her bed too much) be victorious.

Clarity and Television Couples

'Cause you are the piece of me
I wish I didn't need
Chasing relentlessly
Still fine and I don't know why.

If our love is tragedy,
Why are you my remedy?
If our love's insanity,
Why are you my clarity?

This song is actually one of my favorite pop songs at the moment (at least the one stuck inside my head), because who doesn't like someone rhyming all the "y"-ending words?

Clarity - Zedd (lyrics)

But seriously, this chick has got a serious problem. She basically pleads insanity and calls her boyfriend insane, and then he's suddenly her "clarity"? Get a grip, chica.

Who would even put themselves through such tumultuous relationships?!




Uh. that would be us.
 






And us.



Hey, don't you diss our relationship. We're perfection.
 

It's fine. We'll actually end up together in the end.

Some troll commented on the lyrics video and wrote:
"CAUSE YOU ARE
THE PIECE OF MEAT
I WISH I DIDN'T EAT
CUTTING RELENTLESSLY
STILL FAT AND I DON'T KNOW WHY!!"

Hahahahaha...get out.




TTFN

    I regret to inform you that this, is the end.
I'm going now. I wish you all a very fond farwell.

Good-bye.

*Que the gasps of Hobbits*
  
  Good-byes are atrocious.
It involves severing oneself from someone else, and amputation is never pretty, it leaves on feeling a bit of loss and it smells.
  Now that you're picturing severed limbs, let me bring you back to the blog.

  I decided to do Blog Every Day in April, because I have this strange need to do something purposeful for a long period of time, for generally I do very pointless things. Believe me, watching well-known movies is only for my benefit and no other's.
  Off the top of my head, I can think of two 'hard' things I've completed in a month--NaNoWriMo and BEDA.
Both have to do with writing--that is, forcing yourself to write, everyday.  And the sense of achievement at the end of NaNoWriMo was AMAZING. Of course, most of what I had written was absolute rubbish, but at least I had FINISHED it.

I'd never finished writing a book before.
  
   So now I'm trying to figure out what to do for the month of May. Perhaps I'll do NaNoWriMo, or walk 3 miles every day. Blogging will still take place, but only when the mood strikes. Perhaps I'll do a cornucopia of things, but I want to create something, put my energy into something that I can look back on and say "Hey, I did that and I succeeded."
    To be honest, I'm very pleased that I got to the end of this month.
Though, I can't believe I blogged every day.
Or that anyone READ what I wrote! Thankyouthankyouthankyou to you, reading this! You bring me great joy by spending a few minutes of your time on this.

   Suggestions on what I should do for a month would be appreciated! I've never been very craftsy or artsy-fartsy, but maybe that can change. In fact, Pinterest has a plethora of options just waiting for me, some buttons and a hot glue gun.

   I hope you're doing well. I hope you feel God's love and that life brings you joy.
Go make yourself a cup of tea and think about something you could do to change your life-style. Maybe blog a little.
    You have a voice, so use it.
That's what the speech therapist in The King's Speech said.
 
   I shall not say "good-bye".

TTFN: Ta-Ta For Now!

Reading Harry Potter For the First Time

    Well, I can now check that off of my To-Do list.
Guys, I read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone today! And it's just as magical and awesome as I dreamed it would be.
   Firstly, the writing is great.
I realize it's for children, and because I feel like I have a bit of ADD whenever I read, 'easy-reading' is just the ticket. But I have been informed that as the kids grow up, the writer's voice sounds older as well, which I think is SO cool!
  
   Standing in Gordon's kitchen, I clutched the withdrawn copy from the library, nervous jitters causing my hands to shake.
"I don't know why I'm so nervous about reading it!" I giggled.
Gordon (who is a calm, level-headed sort of person) gave me the sort of smile you get from someone who is much more mature and wiser than you, but who still understands your immature notions and anxieties.
   "Want to find a place to situate yourself? There's the study, or the living room or the couch in the sun room--"
"--How am I going to choose?!" I whimpered.
   Alexander was playing video games in the living room, the sun room was too open, so I curled up in the corner of the study, in the mustard-colored papasan chair.
   The beginning that starts off with the Dursleys reminded me of C.S. Lewis' opening lines of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader when he penned "There once was a boy named Eustace Clarence Scrubb, and he almost deserved it."
  
   Harry Potter is so good and brave!
Ron is hilarious and the sort of person you'd love to hug. Hermione is the kid that you want to smack, but has an incredible attitude! I disliked Draco Malfoy immensely. Hagrid is adorable. And Dumbledore is like Gandalf, only sweeter.

  I was so shocked when it turned out to be Quirrel who was the pawn of You-Know-Who and not Snape.
Though I can't honestly join Snape's fan-club, because I've only read the first book and he's a terrible person so far. Plus, thanks to an awful friend of mine, I know a big spoiler about Snape killing...that fellow. Which makes it terribly hard not to think about it.

   Like how I'm not spoiling it for anyone who hasn't read Harry Potter yet? ;)
Maybe I'm just trying to make up for the fact that I spoiled the ending for The Dark Knight Rises for a friend I didn't know hadn't already seen it. But keep spoilers to yourselves, people!

  Hopefully I'll watch the first movie soon.
But I'm already positive that I'll love these books and will try and join the rest of the fans pretty soon.
In fact, in my mind, I already have.

  Which house would I belong to? Maybe Hufflepuff, but most likely Gryffindor...


Song of the Day: We Are the Champions - Queen (in honor of Gryffindor's win at the end!)
Verse of the Day: 2 Timothy 1:7  "for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control."

I'm Ready For Freedom

    I visited a friend today, because God gave me the strongest urge to speak with her.
And we shared our feelings and thoughts about God. I so appreciate having friends that care and are real and honest and good--even though they're honesty is about how they aren't good or not okay.
That's kinda what friendship is for: Iron sharpens iron.
    While we were talking, we ended up in front of the laptop, looking up songs with great, truthful lyrics. One song in particular was on my mind, but all I could remember from the lyrics was "chains".
Well.
That narrows it down a bit, especially for music with Christian beliefs, right?
     But thanks to Air1.com, I found it.
It's "Freedom" by Run Kid Run. And I just felt the need to share it with you all.

Freedom by Run Kid Run (YouTube video)

Oh my chains, I can't disengage
I don't believe that I want to
One hand sings Your praise
The other brings me shame
I have selfishness to blame

And I'm singing for freedom
I know I'm not the only one praying to the One
Who can bring me this freedom
I'm ready for change

Looking down I lay
I keep holding my chains
No longer bound but here I stay
I scream, Father please, I need rescuing
I need You and You alone

And I'm singing for freedom
I know I'm not the only one praying to the One
Who can bring me this freedom
I'm ready for, I'm ready for

Still You patiently await
Yet I won't just let go
I see You and You alone
Say come, follow me
Despair has come so You can't see, release

So I'm singing for freedom
So I'm singing for freedom

The time has come, separation lost the war to love
Take my hand, grace is found, yeah where Your words begin
You're alive, You're alive, in the waking of new life
Take my hand, in the end there's only love, there's only love

There's only singing for freedom
I know I'm not the only one praying to the One
Who can bring me this freedom
I'm ready for, I'm ready for
Father please, I need rescuing
I need You and You alone

     What truth!
I want the freedom that comes with Christ. And I want you to want it too! There's nothing like it. It sets us free from the monsters that attack while we're lying in our beds, and when we're worrying about the future.
His freedom calms me when I experience loneliness. He frees me from all things.
    No more do I need to be a slave to anxiety.
He's broken the chains. I can trust His path, even though I had thought-out plans and dreams, because we can trust His sovereignty. And even if my faith grows weak, He will strengthen me, for He is good and His love endures throughout all things.
    After all, this is His story.
Therefore, He deserves the applause and the center of the stage. And I'm honored that He wrote me into the script.
    Tonight, I'll go to bed with a smile on my face, and maybe even tears of joy, because I am no longer a slave to my anxiety or fear. Thank You, LORD!
    It's crazy to think that no matter what I do, God couldn't love me more, or less.

There's only love.

Young Love

      Let's talk about young love, shall we?
Today I was walking with my friend Bekah at the Commons.
As we passed by this fourteen year-old girl and her (perhaps) fifteen year-old boyfriend, they shared the most short 'passionate' kiss I've ever had the misfortune of witnessing. 
     Love, right?
The girl pulled away.
"But you can't cheat! Okay?! That's not how this works!"

First Impression is lying dead, on the ground, in a state of eternal shock. 

    Obviously, most of us don't believe in young love being that young, but has society fallen so much that you now have to inform your other half that it's not okay to cheat?
I don't put much merit in those relationships, honestly, but that's really disturbing. Good grief.

    "Kids these days. So desensitized by movies and television." -The Grinch

    And then we have another side.
Those kids who get married at 18. I know at least three different couples getting married that young. And I think it's great.
    People need to understand something: they're not throwing away their lives. They're choosing a life that they want. To them, careers aren't the big picture. Together, these three couples strengthen each other better than if they were apart.

"They're twitterpated!"

   

  If you believe in love, then don't go judging someone for acting on it.

I say if you think you'd be of more use to the world as a team and can afford to live together comfortable and have a strong foundation in Christ, go for it.
   Obviously people will use very good arguments against getting married young: no experience, no maturity, no spiritual maturity, financial stability, etc. And I strongly agree with those--to a point.
But when those aren't an issue, arguments are invalid and "forever hold your peace" becomes an actual thing.
    I personally can't see myself getting married for a very long time.
I don't trust my own maturity (which I hope will change in about, oh, ten years.)
But some people are just ready. And I look forward to seeing their successes. :)

    To all the fourteen year-olds, though: please don't kiss at the Commons anymore.

Sincerely,
The Blogger

Beautiful People

    Okay, so beautiful people.
You'd have to give me a category, because I know beautiful people and I have seen beautiful people.
Generally they both have good looks, but the good looks of the aforementioned are based mostly on their character and taste in everything.
Mostly.
     I made this point at breakfast today: "I can see that someone may not seem good-looking to others, but if their personality is splendid or exciting or lovely, I will end up finding them more attractive than Hollywood's finest."
     My idea of beauty can range from the loud, laughing teenage girl who doesn't care who hears her enjoyment of a good joke, to the quiet, fifty year-old woman that watches the proceedings of others around her and sees God continuously in her life.
     In fact, the most lovely human beings I know are just reflecting God's great and wonderful beauty themselves.  
  
  To my knowledge, though, most women (and I think it's safe to say a majority of men) don't believe that they're beautiful, or even remotely attractive.
Some go so far as to say that they're ugly.

Ugly? 

   Yes. There are marvelous, happy, lovely creatures on this planet that secretly (or very publicly) believe themselves to be the plainest, most unremarkable of all God's humans.
That is complete and utter sunshine.

   Remember in the Bible when God asked Adam "Who told you you were naked?" after the forbidden fruit incident?
Yeah. The idea of nakedness in that story (in my mind) connects to my point about ugliness.   
    So who told you you were ugly?
Where did that idea even come from? Was it Hollywood, or your enemies, or friends, or even your own family?
   Wherever those ideas may have come from, I certainly hope you get rid of them. I pray that they'd wriggle around like marmalade jelly and disappear.

    But what I think is interesting, is the idea that we must make someone feel better about their appearance.
Girls posting random selfies on the internet (looking nothing like their true selves) desperately want some sort of acknowledgement. "Ohh, you're so pretty!" Believe me, I've been that girl. And who I am hates who I've been.   
     Another thing: When someone says that they're ugly, don't encourage them.
Don't try and make it okay. "Aww, but you're beauitful--inside and out!"
Really. Girls don't need that confirmation. What we need is to stop being so self-focused and self-loving, and go do something worthwhile for someone else.
     This whole "do what you can do for you"-society is wacko.

Watch these two videos bellow. One is of a girl talking about how she's accepted that she's "ugly" and the other is a girl replying to that video. Both something to ponder. Empathy is so imporant to show love to someone, so please watch them (if you have the time):
On Being Ugly
On Empathy // RE: On Being Ugly

Song of the Day: Beautiful Disaster - Jon McLaughlin
Verse of the Day: Deuteronomy 4:32: "Ask now about the former days, long before your time, from the day God created human beings on the earth; ask from one end of the heavens to the other. Has anything so great as this ever happened, or has anything like it ever been heard of?"