Road Trip Tips and This Next Year

1.Have something delicious to eat, like a M&M milkshake.

2.Be prepared to sleep, you might wake up to something beautiful.

SNOW!!!

3.Have a snuggie; it can double up as a pillow if needed.

4. Listen to funky beats in funky headphones.

Here are some tunes I found road-trippy.:)

5. Wear something comfy and cute if desired. I wore my C9 yoga pants, my big red cardigan from the thrift store, Candies combat boots, and my thrifted Beatles Shirt. I felt like Kandee Johnson, which was prawesome.:)

6.Make wishes at 11:11!

During the many hours on the road, I started on my New Year's Resolutions. I know bloggers such as Carlotta and Elliewho have had a certain word of their year.  I cannot narrow it down to one word, so I chose 6.:)

Let Love in, give it away.

 I have trouble trusting people and letting them into my heart sometimes, so I want to be bold in accepting people and loving on them. I also take these words and will apply them spiritually, delving into Christ and the Bible, and other Christian books, to let God into my life even more and to tell those in my world, giving the message of God's great, unconditional love and forgiveness in my actions,words, and every little thing I do.

My resolutions seem very achievable, seeing as there is something I can do about each one every single day. But as usual, discouragement happens and I know I will fail sometimes. And that's okay. I just want to keep going with all these.Because I know they are all good, not just for me, but for other people too.:) I have started reading Beth Moore's book Jesus, The One and Only and it is fantastic! Thank you Natalie for suggesting it on her 2013 Reads, I am loving it!

I am not sure what to put for my 5th one, but I'm thinking flossing.;D

 If you are having trouble, this might help you out. It is very fun and was very fun to do last New Years.:)

I hope you liked the tips for road trips, I know some of you will still be traveling throughout the remainder of Christmas Break, you lucky ducks!:D I also hope you have a very happy new year, wherever you are, whoever you're with, and Happy 2013.Yay, we've survived at least 5 different ends of the world.;)

Ta ta for now, I'm off to seek a Great Perhaps.

Hey guys!Finals are over and I am free! I am leaving tommorow to go to Grandma and Grandpa's house for Christmas. There will be 8 hours of driving, but I have my snuggie, Grey's Anatomy, and 7 cds to listen to. I am so excited! I just wanted to pop in to say good bye and that I hope you have a very happy Christmas, wherever you are, with or without snow.:)

My friend Lindsay wore her magic snowman sweater Thursday and it snowed! Magical, I'm telling you. All finals went pretty well I think, except College Algebra, ugh...

Because I have no photos prepared showing you what I've been up to, enjoy webcam pix from the last few weeks...

"Woah, my headphones match that shirt!"

Guess what? I'm blind right now.

See?Yes I do.

I googled "fun study breaks, and this is what I came up with.

Then my friend Ty dew a picture of the above picture, so I drew a picture of the picture he took of him with his picture of me holing my drawing. Yeah.

Random dancing

No comment.

My Doctor Who plate from Katie.

 

 

Happy Christmas friends! I cannot wait to be back and hear ale about your Christmases/break.See you December 25ish!

*Title references Looking For Alaska by John Green.Re-reading it.:)

We tend to forget that we're all the same.

     As I'm sure many of you have already heard, in the U.S., there was a huge massacre in Newtown Connecticut on Friday. In an elementary school.
     I was told this by my liberty and law teacher during the last block of the day. It didn't really hit me. I mean, I was naturally horrified, with 26 people dead, 6 adults and 20 children. Children.

     Tonight it hit me, because I knew there would be more accurate information out there. I saw the President's address to the situation, and seeing him trying not to break down restored my faith that this is not  a political game to him. I may not agree with everything he says or has done, but as a human, we are connected by the deep sorrow we feel, along with the rest of our country.He also ended with scripture, "Heal the broken hearted and bind up their wounds."(Psalm 147:3)
      It hit me. It hit me hard. Especially when I saw this interview with a first grade teacher who protected her kids and showered them with loving words that she thought would be the last they'd ever hear. The humanity shown even in the voices, faces and actions of the media that is normally supposed to be neutral wavered and I thank God so much that they did.
     I was a first grade teacher this summer and I cannot bear thinking of if my  kids and I were in this situation. I love them so much and I totally understand Kaitlin Roig when she says this:

 "And I don't know if that's okay, teachers, and you know...but I wanted them to know someone loved them and I wanted that to be one of the last things they heard, not the gunfire in the hallway."

     I have been praying about my career and for how God wants to use my love and passion for children, and I am still not set on anything. I am considering teaching and this tragedy has not scared that option out of my mind. If I am to become a teacher, I pray that God would use me to love on the kids and protect them, that I may react the same as Kaitlin. No matter what profession, it is my prayer that God will use me to love and protect children however He calls me to.

      I am usually a happy blogger and tend not to dwell on current events and unpleasant topics. But this, this is real life. I think I have it so bad, being a single, not rich, senior in high school who doesn't know where God will take her yet. "Woe is me" Riiiight. I cannot compare my heartbreaks to those of those involved with the shooting of the teachers, staff, and students at Sandy Hook Elementary. I cannot....  

     I feel such sadness for the man who did this, what must have been wrong with him to do such a horrible thing. And even more sadness for those left to grieve over the shattered pieces of their lives that he left behind.I will be praying for those dear children, brave faculty, and all whose hearts beat with them, and I hope that you will too.

I am sorry if this is really sad, but I felt inclined to write this.


This song immediately came to mind. No one laughs at God when they're saying their goodbyes



Ruthie sang this beautiful song of hope and peace.

With a heavy heart, I wish you all faith, love, and hope always.

And I will end with something a friend posted that brought hope.

The Liebster Award.

I have been nominated for this award by Meredith. You really must visit her and you will be mesmerized by her adorableness and honest words.Seriously.:)

So basically, I will tell you 11 random facts, answer Mere's 11 questions, give 11 questions and nominate 11 stud muffins. Sound good?Awesomesauce!

Eleven things you may not be aware of
1.I believe that Black Friday is stupid, especially after a day of being thankful for what we have, we feel inclined to go buy more...
2.My camera fell off my desk a few months ago and was out of service for a while until I got it fixed.
3.I like to listen to The Lion King soundtrack when I do yoga. It makes me feel like a strong, powerful, lion.
4.I have three letters to write.
5.I have kept all my journals from 2nd grade all the way to now. I wrote a LOT.
6.I have recently mastered the art of making macaroni and cheese and I am quite proud of that accomplishment.
7.I have lived in the same house all my life.
8. I cannot fall asleep with socks on, no matter how cold it is and how much I want to.
9.I woke up with "Angels We Have Heard On High" in my head on Black Friday morning.Go figure.
10.I am awful at accepting compliments and it drives my friends crazy.
11.I am a horrid drawer, but I still enjoy it occasionally.

Meredith's Qs
1. do you collect anything? if so, what?
I hoard collect many things. Those Dumdum wrappers you can mail in for a prize(I have over 100 I think), books I will never find time to read, and name tags from Youth that say "Rebeccer!"
 
2. what song describes your life right now?
I have four. =)
Merry Happy by Kate Nash 
"Dancing at discos,Eating cheese on toast
Yeah you make me merry, make me very very happy
But you obviously, you didn't want to stick around
So I learnt from you"
This song is so sassy and easy to sing along to.I love it, and I certainly have learned from someone, and I am so thankful that I did.

God Only Knows by The Beach Boys
"I may not always love you
But long as there are stars above you
You never need to doubt it
I'll make you so sure about it
God only knows what I'd be without you"
The Beach Boys are equivalent to my childhood.They are the same. I hope to have a love like this someday.

I Will Wait by Mumford and Sons
 "Now I'll be bold 
 As well as strong  
And use my head alongside my heart  
So tame my flesh  
And fix my eyes  
A tethered mind freed from the lies"
This song makes me feel like there is hope of finding love someday.Until that day, I will wait, and fall more in love with God while I'm waiting.:)

Titanium by David Guetta ft. Sia
"You shoot me down, but I won't fall
  I am titanium. 

You shoot me down, but I won't fall  
I am titanium."
 This is a rather popular one, but the message of it is strength. I have learned a lot about myself in the last two months and I am ready to be strong now.=)

3. what is your favorite season?
I am a sucker for fall and spring. I love changing my wardrobe around to fit the weather and there are great times of transition going on.:) But I also love the blessed extremities of summer and winter. All the above.
 
4. favorite starbucks drink?
Every time I go, I get Strawberries n' Creme Frappe. I tried the famous Pumpkin Spice with a friend once, but I didn't really like it. Not a big coffee person.
 
5. what is your favorite part of your room?
My favorite part of my room is my bed. It has four blankets, lace I wrapped around it, soft lights near my head for reading, and lots of my favorite pictures surrounding me. It is so cozy and I love reading books, doing devotions, and doing anything there.:)

Oh, also the phrases I've put up on my walls make me happy. 

 
6. is there anything in your life you are unsatisfied with? how could you change that?
Yes, I am unsatisfied with my ability to make things extremely awkward and ruining stuff when I make careless decisions. Like, things will be going great and I let one thing get in my way or say something stupid, and I ruin it. I can be more careful with my words and think more of other people and how I impact them. Basically, I should rarely speak until I get better at it.:)

7. what do you believe in?
 I believe that there is a God greater than all my problems, that Jesus Christ my savior is greater than my worst thoughts, actions, and mistakes, and a spirit that is always living inside me to guide and comfort me.

8. what was your favorite fairytale as a child? 
 The Little Mermaid, hands down. I always loved swimming growing up and became very agile at swimming with my feet together, pretending I was a mermaid.

9. do you have any obsessions? 
1.My shows (Downton Abbey, Doctor Who, LOST, Grey's Anatomy...)
2.Christmas Cake
3.Organizing my Pinterest boards mercilessly

Source: tumblr.com via Rebecca on Pinterest

Source: memegenerator.net via Rebecca on Pinterest

 
10. describe to us your dream date.
As long as it's with someone who really likes me, that is all I dream (and hope for) date-wise. I also think it's really adorable if he gets nervous about holding your hand. :)

11. share some good reads with us (can be blogs, books, poems, whatever.)             
this adorable story about Sarah's grandparents and their love story.(+picture and love letter, *squeals at cuteness*)
Have motivation problems? Me too, big time. The lovely ladies at Fernweh give their tips on getting out of the endless pit of procrastination. Finals are coming up yo, they are coming up.
Below Stairs If you love Downton Abbey, you will love this, because Downton is almost entirely based on real events in this memoir. I originally read it for my AP history paper, but I kept reading even after I turned it in. So quirky and clever!

My Questions For You
1.What was your favorite memory from when you were a kid?
2.What is something you want to do in 2013?
3. What is your guilty pleasure music? (T~Swift, hands down.)
4. Have you ever tried doing something you saw on Pinterest? How did it go?
5. Who is your best friend(s) and why do you love them? (cuz' i know you do, your just that wonderful.):)
6. Tell about a time in your life where you have felt completely relaxed, at peace, and ecstatically happy?  
7.What do you believe? (stole Mere's question, but it's a really good question)
8. Describe your must-haves in a man
9. Favorite internet meme, go!=D
10. Where would you go to first if you lived in Harry Potter land? 
11.What would you get a tattoo of or what color would you dye your hair? (if you did)       

My 11 Nominees
1.Sarah. Your blog always makes me laugh and you are kinda my homegirl.
2.Lacey. I enjoy your posts a lot, because they are always insightful and I can relate.:)
3.Lydia. Your photographs and words give me chills in the most wonderful way.
4.Victoria. Your blog is intriguing; everything from your travels to your daily life.
5. Ashley. Hey soul sister, your letters and face make me happy.:)
6.Morgan. I adore your heart for God and your blog is a great vessel that speaks to my heart, you are such a sweetheart.
7.Natalie. Your a fantastic woman of God and inspire me to put Him first.I learn a lot from you.
8.Ashley. You are an amazing photographer and the way you write about Jesus stirs up my heart.:)
9.Kinga. You are a friend and it's been awesome watching you grow as you read, write, photograph, and dream.:)
10.Meg. You have amazing style and your craftiness and quirky thoughts make me smile.
11.Carlotta. You have serious talent, girl. I love it.:)

This was written over the course of a week. Busy week.:) Thanks for nominating me Meredith!I can't wait to see the nominee's responses! I hope and pray that you all are having a blast with your friends and family. I love yo' faces and have a great, relaxing weekend.

I miss our little talks.



Matt and Josh looking brave.

Best face award goes to....Savannah!



Cheese.



The boys playing with the baby zipline, trying to clothesline people and/or shake me off of it. :)



Me beasting it up with Danny in my wake (Photo credit:Mark)



Er mer gersh, we have the same shirt on! Brooke, Mitch, and I. Precious.

Ty helping with decorating the youth room.:)

Drew playing at Katie's little sister's quinceanera!

Katie and Kara giving Kelly her last toy, an elephant named Ellie:)

Kara and Kelly hugging *dies from cuteness*

Kelly and all her friends!

Kelly with her mom and dad!

Drew making a creepy face, Katie and her cupcake, and my cheeseburger cupcake.

I got some brown grocery bags and I cut this out of them and put it on my wall. I now have one that says: "it's real love" and it is very good.

Hey guys. It has been almost a month. I apologize for not being present.

A lot of stuff has been going on. I have made a lot of decisions recently and just mulling them over in my head has just made it harder to talk about them, not just on a public blog, but with those closest to me.

Right now and for the past month, I have been spending a lot of time by myself and a lot of strange dreams have been occurring and lots of thinking has been done. I look at other people and think, "I need to be more like them, they have everything going for them."  And that is not good, or true.

I am so fearful of the future that I let that fear speak for me, even if I know that there is God, who is so great that I have nothing to fear or worry about. I am afraid that I will (or already have) made mistakes that I can never be at peace with or turn around.

The main one is if I choose the wrong college. With the big holiday season coming up, family members will be questioning my plans for not just next year, but for years after. I honestly don't know, and I know they will be all like "That's fine, you still have time" but I always feel like they are a little disappointed in my answer.

I want to leave, but what if it's wrong?What if I do awful in the classes? What if I get in debt because there is no way I can afford private school?  What if I leave and I find out it is not where God wants me to be.

But what if I don't go, and I miss something that could be really, really special. 

"How can I leave without hurting everyone that made me?"
~Regina Spektor, Small Town Moon

Sigh. It is so scary. I have to make this decision. I usually push all this to the back of my mind, and focus on having fun and enjoying wherever I am. But it is still there, along with countless other things to do.

I am sorry for this rant, but I just need prayer for God's guidance in my choices, and that I will make choices for Him, not for myself, my family, friends, or anyone else.And if you have experience with the whole college thing, let me know what you think.Because you guys are really fantastic and seriously have great, God-given wisdom.

I hope you all are well. How was your November? It has been a rough month for me, but I know that things will get better this month and in the new year.;)

October In Pictures

Pretty sky before volunteering with children of divorced parents.

Patrick and Isaac. We were singing in choir and Isaac(right) was flipping through my history book and said "PARKOUR?!" really loud when he saw that picture.:D



Courtney, Lauren, Savannah, and Savannah's friend whose name starts with an...M?!Er mer gersh, I am so bad at names!

My mom found some yoga pants for me. Now I am a true yoga master, I have the pants.

Katie looking mighty fine before the homecoming dance.:)

Hailey & Jake dancing after we won our homecoming game!

That time it was too cold at Sonic, so we all piled into my car with heat...hehe:)

My camera!

Go back to middle school, you get your face painted.

Post its for secret project!

I had so many people drawing on me that day...

Random swing self-portrait shoot.

Mitch at BARF night (Bring a Real Friend!)

Trust jump!

Wow, looking back at my planner, October was full of so much! A lot has changed since the beginning of the month, my heart, my mind..a whole bunch!
.first cross country meet (attended, I'm not cray enough to run that far(it's a good cray))
.My last homecoming game/ dance!
.Babysat twice (and one time I put all 3 kids to sleep, 10 points to Gryffindor!)
.I got accepted to my local community college and visited a Christian college about 30 minutes away.
.Got all As, B and one C(darn college algebra) for the quarter
.Brought a real friend to B.A.R.F. night (my youth group's evangelism event!Full of S'mores and games and fun)
.Collected food for our local food bank with my youth group!
.Halloween was fun. Fall fair at Drew's church, then football playoff game with Hailey, Moriah, Amanda, Sarah, Maddie, Marissa, and Amy!We won!:) I dressed up as Amelia Earhart

It was a crazy month and I am so excited to see what else God has in store for me this November. I've learned a lot and cannot wait for things to be set into motion.How was your month, did you celebrate Halloween?