Fly On, You Golden Girls

Encouragement. Almost like air, I feel as though I need it to survive. To survive the darkest nights and the longest waits and the hardest times.
I want to encourage with this post... so forgive the lack of talent in writing and in music. :)

I recently played a gorgeous game on the Wii U called "Child of Light" by Ubisoft. It was a very fun RPG that had me totally enthralled. The heroine of the story is the beautiful, brave little Aurora. The credits rolled with a stunningly pretty song called "Off to Sleep" by Coeur de Pirate.

This song's words encouraged me at first. And then I thought the "golden girls" in my life and I was moved to tears by how much I wanted to share this song with them to encourage them too.

I want to tell these words to the golden girls in my life:
Beautiful dreamer
Lovely mermaid
Little sister
Best friend
Queen of 5 worlds
Mom R.


I know the nights can be so dark. I want to tell you that I will be right there with you in your dreams. The things in life you want the most, I want them for you just as badly as you want them yourself. I adore you and I pray for the light to come soon, but want you to know that I will be with you in the dark waiting for that light.
Hold onto Jesus when waiting for long nights and dark times of life to end. He has such wonderful plans for you if you follow the path that is lit by His Word.
"Your Word is a lamp unto my feet." Psalm 119:105
It's not a searchlight into the future.  But it will get you through the darkness.

I love you all so much and I am with you through dark times. Right by your side, praying, fighting and getting through my own darkness.

I did a cover of this song, "Off to Sleep" for you golden girls of mine. I pray you find encouragement and know that I am with you each in your dreams and hopes for the future. I love you all so very much.

Lyrics:

Time stood still for a while
Your hand was holding mine
The stars that shined in your eyes
Don't let them go by
Fly on you golden girl
And take on your fears
I'll be with you in your dreams
The world is darker than it seems

And I'll be waiting for the light
That guides us through the worst of nights
And I'll be waiting for the sign
You're coming back
And you have found your path

I know that you've seen the worst
Your heart's been torn before
Those creatures won't let you go
So hang onto what you know
So sail on you golden girl
And fight against those fears
I'll be with you in your dreams
Of a world without a queen

Pause

Autumn has given me pause. I pause to examine the beauty.

I pause to examine our lives. Wow, there is so much to pause and soak in. I want to grow from all these changes and let God do amazing things with all of us.

I want to pause and give God my life to do what He will with it.
I want us to all pause and plan and hope and grow.

We've all been letting our hearts yearn and yearn for amazing dreams and bright futures and things that we think are wonderful.

Yearn.
Let's pause together.
Now is the time to pause. Stop yearning, and start learning.

We've had our time. Now we can pause to see what His plans are. We can pause to examine our hearts and ensure that everything that's going to happen, from the expected to the bolts of blue, will be responded to by us in a pleasing way to God.

God has given this song to me, and I gift it to you.

To you, beautiful dreamer who has the moon on a rope. All your dreams are unfathomable to me, but I'm not going to miss a second of this amazing story God is writing with your life. Pray for a patient and content heart, for God's plans for you are unbelievable, but all in His time.

For you, beautiful lady in the water who has everything she's wished for in His time. You are so much stronger than you know. Pray for an earnest heart so that every wish you have is fulfilled for His glory.

For you, wonderfully strong woman who is queen of the world. Of at least 5 worlds. You mean more to more people so much more than you can imagine. God is playing out many stories for you to watch and root for, with your king. Pray for a strong happy heart, for you have so much to be happy for.

And you, all the people who have such beautifully intricate stories entwined with joy and struggles who are just trying to stay strong holding on for the dark times to pass.

I love you all so much.

Lyrics:

Pause a moment, close your eyes
Take a breath and feel the time
 Fall comes on and all is hazy
Insides stir, life gets crazy

Step outside, smell the air
Climb a tree and loose your hair
 All is vivid, makes me yearn
For the things I need to learn

Help me grow this season, Lord
Let me soak in Your Word
Help me grow this season, Lord
Let me soak in Your Word

Tell me things will be okay
This is what I need today
Tell me things will be alright
When we make it through this night

I didn't need to hear you say it
All I needed was to pray it
Because I hear it every time
I look into the painted sky

Help me grow this season, Lord
Let me soak in Your Word
Help me grow this season, Lord
Let me soak in Your Word

Daybreak

The beauty of daybreak is something difficult to put into words.

There is the obvious translation of literal daybreak, a sunrise as it were, and there is another more figurative meaning to the word. And more than the picture perfect sunrise, I refer to the top of the figurative mountain that we all occasionally find ourselves on. The peak. The occasional moment in our lives where we've finally finished this climb. We've conquered this hill. This trial. And now, we're gazing far below us. Looking at the beautiful valleys and plants below. A stream that we can almost taste fresh water from. The wind blows our hair, but we don't care now. We feel like we look amazing, and that we could conquer anything-Whoa. Rewind!

You thought I was talking about our...-my accomplishments? Oh no. I am referring to those times when before we look down the next part of the mountain, we look back to examine our path. Our footprints. We find that God has carried us up this mountain, and only by His amazingly unconditional love and grace.
Now that we're on the same page...

Once, with God's unceasing help and power, we get to the other side of the wall or trial we're faced with, we feel that with Him at our side, there is nothing we can't do.
At this point, I'd say, "Okay, okay. Maybe that's just me." But no, I know for a matter a fact several others who know exactly what I'm talking about. Especially my brother. He even wrote about a very similar experience recently here.

My day was just one gigantic blessing all bundled up for me to unwrap. The entire day was perfect, and I was able to accomplish things that I never could without God. I begged for Him to take this day from me before it began, and He did. And I've never been so content and beaming with happiness in my life.
I guess I just wanted to write about it, because days like these motivate me and encourage me more than any other day. Haha, I'm writing about it because I'm overflowing with joy and contentment so much that I could explode! I just about talked my wonderful sweetheart's ear off on the phone just bubbling over with excitement about everything! About my job! My life! Us!
I hope and pray that days like these will not be forgotten by me when I'm halfway up the next mountain.
I pray that next time it gets dark, which it always will get dark again, I can remember. And I can hold onto this glimpse I've had once again of Daybreak. And what a glorious Daybreak it is.

Stormy Weather

I have oft' attempted to explain to people exactly what kind of weather is my favorite. I have done my level best to describe the warm breeze that make you shiver all over, and yet feel warm inside as it whips your hair in every direction, and makes the scenery move before your feet. I have radiated whilst enjoying such weather in ways that singing cannot even express. So often, when being blessed with the presence of the autumn winds and the stormy nature of the sky, I soak it in with joyful silence.

These bouts of weather that bring me such ecstasy almost always have something in common: tornado watches. Or warnings.
Apparently I'm a sucker for tornado-like weather, and even with the frightening chill of even thinking about what shocking disaster tornadoes can wrought, I cannot but help enjoy the thrilling excitement of such an adventure.

Even now, as I sit in the basement waiting for the tornado warning to pass, I can't imagine the possible harm that it could bring.
Ah well, I guess that would change if anything ever came of them, but for now and for always I rest in His care, and enjoy every type of weather He gives.

Dancing

One of the many things in life that is simple and yet hard to grasp, is dancing. Dancing is a word that covers a vast sea of hobbies, or actions.
I was once a dancer. I had a brief rendezvous with dance classes. I loved it. When I was dancing, the level of perfection I could muster with every move, the rhythm that I maintained while breathing was all unreal in a heavenly way to me. Things got in the way of my lessons, and I had to stop. This broke my heart, but I still love to move in rhythm with everything around me at all times. It's a compulsion for me that I adore, but probably couldn't stop even if I would like to.

I have since discovered yet another form of dancing. This new hobby involves moving in rhythm, creating something unmistakably beautiful not only to watch, but to hear.

Although very musically inclined, and very focused on audio, I have yet to learn the art of reading music. I cannot read sheet music, and do not even truly have a desire to learn. Playing by ear, or leaning a song by watching others play it is how I play. When I learn a harder piece than before, I have no idea how I play it. I just do. It is by God's grace, and I believe it is a gift to make up for my forsaken dance classes.

When you allow a loss of something valuable to you for the sake of your growing relationship with Christ, it will be worth it, and God will bless you beyond that stronger relationship.
James 1:5 says, "If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you."
This is a tiny example of God's graciousness, His mercy, and His amazing generosity. I am nothing but thankful for everything He gives me, and my thanksgiving lasts beyond the titled holiday.


Thank you, God for your generosity. And for pianos.

Beyond Beauty

When you are weary is when your level of appreciation for the every day-the mundane will increase.

After a tiring day, to be able to just sit... to enjoy every breath of life is a beautiful thing. The noises around me are what impact me the most, and last night I heard the most beautiful thing I have ever heard.
Not to say that I had never heard this beauty before, but to have the honor of hearing it on multiple occasions truly humbles me, giving me such joy that I feel that I could simply radiate awed happiness. If you have never taken the time to realize that the noise I'm talking about is among the most beautiful sounds in life, then perhaps you should try to examine the blessings you do have a little further. I assure you that you have most definitely been privy to this melodious noise at some point in your life.

It is my opinion that the most gorgeous sound I have ever been witness to hear is that of my family's laughter.

A night of rest with my family gathered around a board game, laughing together in a unity that is indescribable, was only topped off with the breathtaking thunder outside our happy home.

Falling asleep to these sounds gives me more peace than any other earthly thing that God has so graciously blessed me with, and I rejoice with thanksgiving to God for every moment of joyous laughter that He has put into my life.

Trials

I suppose, though it has been a notably long time since I have written anything, this is probably an irresponsible time to write. When writing with only emotions guiding you, what comes out is most often irrational. Most postings on FaceBook, Twitter, or blogs are written by the emotions of teenagers. To write when one is emotional is to put your own irrational words down in ink forever. It seems to be the worst possible thing to do, but seems also to be the most common natural reaction for teens.

To write when I am struggling against depressive moods is definitely a bad idea, but writing down only what appear to be rational and clearly thought out ideas strikes me as an activity worth trying out. If I can push my maturity and rationality to the limit, stretching my own boundaries of remaining level-headed in the face of the unseen forces known by the depressed as waves of enemies that crash upon us at the most unlikely and unsuspected of times, then hopefully, I will have grown from this experience, and will be a better woman of valor for it.

I try my hardest to see complete joy in these regular trials, and have been doing better every time. The Lord is faithful, and He will always use the negative in positive ways for those who are willing.
"My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing." ~James 1:2-4

Lord, I am willing, and I am praying on my knees the You will bless me with the humility and the endurance to run this race for You.
"Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified." ~1 Corinthians 9:24-27