Forget.

I saw this on Pinterest and thought, wow. This is such a powerful saying. Forgiveness is truly important to do. Like previous blogs, I've mentioned that holding on to the past and the people who hurt you only brews bitterness, but I never came up with these words and they are truly amazing. "Forget what hurt you but NEVER forget what it TAUGHT you."
Some of our best lessons in life are through our heartaches, pains and trials, and though those times when we've been broken down and torn apart, we get help from God and rise back up, grow a little bit stronger and a little bit wiser. Some of our greatest moments in our lives are the moments when we have that clarity that surfaces and makes us realize that all the hurt led us to where we are now. We must not forget about where we came from, and who we've grown into be, but our past doesn't define us. Just like whom ever hurt us doesn't define them. Forget the resentment toward them, but never forget what you learned from them and the experience.

This may be a simple and short blog entry, but I was inspired by the words in this quote and thought they spoke for themselves enough to not go into so much detail.

 So just remember, when you start thinking about your past, don't see it in a negative light, don't start getting upset or angry, be thankful for it. It taught you something valuable and made you into who you are.

Keep It To Yourself

Keep It To Yourself by Kacey Musgraves is a song that really made me think. Sometimes I think it is so easy to fall back on people you've been with in the past because they are familiar, because they know you, because they've seen your quirks are somehow still interested. When you are single, it is tempting to text, chat, call, or whatever form of communication via technology, because its easy. Being single does not mean that you should just settle for what you've had in the past. There is a reason that every person you dated is in your past, there at some point was a time when it did not work out, they hurt you, you hurt them, they ignored you, you ignored them, they cheated, you cheated, whatever the case may be, there was a reason why it ended. It is not fair that a person who you've previously dated suddenly gets bored, single or out of options and they contact you because you are single too. Just because you are single, doesn't mean you are available for them. You don't have to be the fall back person, you don't have to be the last resort, you don't have to be somebody's comfortable place to turn to, you are better than that. You are going to be somebody's safe haven, somebody's first choice, somebody's dream person. Don't sell yourself short, don't give into the late night temptations of texts and Facebook chats, keep it to yourself and if they turn to you, tell them to keep it to themselves. Kacey Musgraves really out did herself with this song...here are the perfect lyrics that you should turn to when faced with the situation that you are feeling you need a fall back or when someone is making you their fall back. 

"You turn on the light and you turn it back off, because sleeping alone just ain't what you thought, its the drip of the sink, its the click of the clock and you're wondering if I'm sleeping, you heard from your friends that I'm doing okay and your thinking that maybe you made a mistake, and you want me to know but I don't wanna know how you are feeling. Keep it to yourself, if you think that you still love me put it on a shelf, if you are looking for someone, make it someone else, when you're drunk and it's late and you're missing me like hell, keep it to yourself. If you see me out and I'm standing alone, well it don't mean that I am gonna need a ride home, if you walk up to me like it ain't what it is, well I know that it ain't gonna end with a kiss so keep it to yourself. If you think that you still love me, put it on a shelf. If you are looking for someone else, when your drunk, and it's late and you're missing me like hell. Just keep it to yourself. When you're drunk and it's late and you're sad and you hate going home alone because you are missing me like hell, keep it to yourself. Keep it to yourself."

Stay strong, you deserve better than to be somebody's last call.

Iron Sharpens Iron

"Iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend"-Proverbs 27:17

Sometimes I think we get caught up in having a lot of friends to hang out with, that we forget to think about the quality of people we are surrounding ourselves with. It is not worth it to have a lot of friends so you can have options of people to hang out with when you are feeling lonely or bored. There is not a point to be around people who don't make you a better person. There is no point to be in a "friendship" with somebody who hurts you with their words, or constantly lies. Friendships that survive are friendships where each person can trust the other person, where lies don't have to be told to make themselves look better. Iron sharpens iron. Don't waste your time hanging out with people who don't make you be the best version of yourself. There are so many television shows and movies that show people being friends with bad people saying "they are okay once you get to know them" when in reality the friend they are describing is not a nice person, they just put up with it. I believe in kindness, I believe in forgiveness, I believe in helping out your fellow person. What I don't believe in is being in a friendship with somebody who doesn't make me feel good about myself, someone to who doesn't encourage me, support me in my failures and successes, or surrounding myself with someone who tears other people down or makes up lies about other people just to make themselves look better. I'd rather have a few good friends who help me be a better person, who pray for me, who remind me that kindness, honesty and truth matter. As sad as it may seem to end a friendship with somebody who you have fun times with, just ask yourself, does this person make me into a better person or hold me accountable to be a good person? If the answer is no, maybe you should rethink your friends. Good people are out there who are good friends, people who will love you and accept you and make you into a better person without you even realizing it. Iron sharpens iron...remember that.

Anxious.

Lately I have been feeling anxious. There are so many events and possibilities coming up that I am just left feeling anxious. I feel anxious about graduation and completing all of my classes to do so. I feel anxious about trips I have planned. I feel anxious about what job will become my career, and how soon after graduation will I be able to be employed full time. I am anxious about meeting some pretty important people who mean a lot to some of the people I hold closest. I am anxious about the future and what it holds. I am anxious about so many things I was getting so overwhelmed. I love going back home on weekends because not only do I get restored by seeing some of the people who love me most in this world, but I get to drive for about 4 hours home, and 4 hours back. In those 8 hours I do a lot of thinking. It is sometimes just me and the radio, and sometimes it is just me and the silence. Songs can trigger thoughts or the beauty surrounding me with the mountains or the fields on my drive. This past weekend I went home for Easter and was so thankful and blessed that I did. I also got to watch the Bible series on the History channel with my parents and it made me realize I need never to be on a break from reading the Bible. Each time I read a book, or a chapter or even a verse I have a different mind set and the words hit me differently. I was skimming through my Bible because I was feeling so anxious about the future and without fail one of my favorite books in the Bible helped me out with the right words I needed to hear. "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be known by God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6,7 In a way it actually makes me kind of sad to think about how much I let the pressures of the world and the constant need to know everything all the time get to me when I know that my faith will see me through anything and everything. I know that God has His perfect timing and that He and Jesus and the Holy Spirit are here for me always to pray to and trust in. I need to slow down and start enjoying the moments more and feeling anxious about the unknown less. Whatever happens is going to happen. All I can do is put my thanks and trust up to God and let Jesus take care of my heart and the worries that can fill it. The anxiousness I feel doesn't help me, it doesn't get me any where and it has no place in my life. I need to be better at letting go of the things I feel anxious of and put my trust into God.