Thursday, November 28, 2013

November Thanks - for you



I'm thankful for you, and the time you spend on my social media outlets checking my work out (and coming back!) and just being generally really nice. You're awesome. I like you.

Happy Thanksgiving people! 

Sunday, November 24, 2013

Thankful for: Music


Who doesn't love or at least like music? It is such a powerful, intoxicating art that can not only evoke every emotion available but recall memories of days long past or simple yesterdays. Music will pull you in, slow the world into a different timezone and invite you to stay awhile. 

Don't tell me that's not at all appealing. 

Because music is so powerful, discernment in choosing what you listen to has a much bigger impact on a person than you may think. Maybe I'll write more about that later. For now, I'll just give you some links to songs I've been enjoying lately.

First up, this:

 

I mean, come on. How can you not appreciate these girls' talent? A Capella at its finest.



Sooner or Later, by Mat Kerney. I've been loving a lot of his songs lately (such wonderful writing and artistry).






He Said by Group 1 Crew is such an uplifting and encouraging track. I personally don't completely agree with all the theology (maybe another future post on that), but the fact that as a Christian, God will always be there for you no matter what is a great and important fact.





And Carol of the Bells by The Piano Guys, because they're crazy, crazy talented and inspiring. Plus Carol of the Bells is just an awesome piece of music.






What have you been listening to and loving lately? Drop me a line or link and I'll check it out!

Saturday, November 16, 2013

Waking Up



If you've been following my Instagram and Tumblr you would've seen this photo with the November Thanks hashtag. I had stated, "While an entire country struggles to recover, we sleep on in peace. I'm thankful that I woke up with all that I had yesterday."

This devastation is sadly, very real. The above photo on my computer screen is from USA Today. To say that it's incredibly heartbreaking to see what has been left behind is a gross understatement. It is impossible to imagine what living through such a thing is like if you have spent your life away from such an environment, tucked away in a safe place always with a roof over your head, food in the pantry and only first world problems are your biggest daily annoyance. And yet, there is complaining. Now that's just sad.

However, everyone can be a part of the Philippines recovering. If you want to find out one way, please follow this hyperlink. 

Be thankful. Life is a gift, and life with more then the basic necessities for human survival is an even greater gift.

Thursday, November 7, 2013

The Thought of Nostalgia

Nostalgia – “a wistful or excessively sentimental yearning for return to or of some past period or irrecoverable condition.” (Merriam-Webster).




Nostalgia is a fickle thing, but that’s to be expected with emotions. She’s the bittersweet sensation of a happy memory marred by saddening circumstances, the art of loving the past and hating that you’re in the present, never to return. Nostalgia is wistful, but not strictly in that dreamy, happy, mystical state. There’s always going to be that touch of tragic, that one detail that tracks all over the happy state with muddy footprints of sadness to evoke both emotions all at once.





I think it’s worth it – nostalgia, that is. Maybe that’s just the artist in me, I wouldn’t really know. Even though it has to taint a happy memory to exist, it somehow is mostly worth it. If you’ve never truly experienced the way nostalgia wraps you up, pulls you in, slows down time and slowly muddies the joyful life out of you with reality and wishful longing during your remembrance of happier times, then I pity you. Your life must be so boring and uneventful to have never been in the position to experience and remember impactful gain and loss. 

Sometimes, nostalgia will just be there. She doesn’t always give explanations, but sometimes you can figure it out on your own.





Nostalgia is forever walking the line between what we simply call happy and sad

What evokes nostalgia for you?

Saturday, November 2, 2013

#November Thanks

Someone suggested that we start listing all the things we are thankful for, every day up til Thanksgiving, and I've decided to take it up on all my social media (Pinterest, Facebook, Tumblr and Instagram).

If you want to join in, use the hashtag #NovemberThanks when it counts, and let me know about it so I can check it out!



I'm thankful that ink pens are still in use, and that I have many. In a world where technology is evolving so fast, it's still nice to have little things like ink pens that actually require some muscle work. Even though they can smear, spill, break and not work as quickly as a keyboard, handwriting is an art that everyone can still put to use.




What are you thankful for?


P.S. If you follow me on any of my social media accounts and I haven't followed you back, drop me a line one the most recent post and let me know that you're a follower of the blog and that I should stalk you back.