In The Stillness...

I'm sitting here in my room, listening to all the noises outside; Kookaburras, pigeons, parrots, cars in the distance and the occasional crack of the wood floor that is old and worn. My two windows overlook tall, thick trees that seem to ring of history and steadiness. There's a Kookaburra laughing, a pigeon cooing gently and a mock-jay whistling a calm, morning greeting. Other than that; Silence. Pure beauty. God is in each gentle noise, whispering His promises and love. The Bible says that all of creation will sing of His goodness and that the Earth longs for His return. I can feel it now. He is in the longing, cooing, whistles and very heartbeat of the earth.

Sometimes we search so desperately for a lone voice in the wind when, in fact, His voice is a medley. A beautiful symphony of sounds coming from His creation. How much love does He have for us! He designed the wind to hit the tall grass in such a way as to make a gentle sweeping sound that invites peace and freedom. The trees can gracefully rustle in a late fall evening, which makes us feel a calm surrender, while the crickets lull us to sleep at night with their soft chirps. He designed everything to compliment each other in a harmonious tone. And God comes in the silent whisper in a sacred space of God-appointed sights and sounds.

As I'm sitting here in this calmness, I'm realizing that this is the quietest my heart has been. Maybe when we say to sitting in "silence", we mean soundless. But rather we should mean "stillness". Maybe "silence" isn't a soundless state, but rather a spiritually steady state. A meditation that invites us to silent communion with our creator, that as we all know, is never a true, blank silence.

The word "Meditation" comes from the Latin phrase, stare in medio, which means to stand in one's centre. If we meditate on the Lord in this stillness, we align ourselves to the centre because God is our centre. He brings unity to all our parts, body, mind and spirit. And when we meditate everything we have is focusing and centering on Him. It's in those times that our "Silence" speaks volumes. I think those are moments that this "Silence" opens up doors of pain so God can come and flood those open doors with His love and life.

My Friend.

So I'm sitting here, in a terminal, at a gate, that isn't mine yet. I don't leave until 11:55 tonight and it's only 5:35. Needless to say, I've got quite a bit of time on my hands.
Now there's not really a point to this blog other than the fact that I have time and I have a whole lot of mixed emotions and words that I would love to be able to process with someone but I'm alone. There's not a whole lot of ability to do that. What I would give to have a friend right now. But it's in these times that God reminds me that He's my friend. He's my supporter when everything feels crazy and I'm so weak that I don't feel I can stand. He's my Guide and Director when I am lost in a giant airport with heavy bags. He's my Provider when I have to pay for an extra bag I didn't anticipate. He is my Peace when I find out that my bags are 15 pounds too heavy and I have to change it an hour before we leave. He's my friend. When I'm sitting alone in an airport, writing a blog.  He is everything. There's no role that He cannot fill. There's no desire He cannot meet, or place someone in our paths to meet. He gave us Jesus when we needed something tangible, the Spirit when we need someone personal, and gave us Holy God when we need our God. He's everything.I love that He knows us so well- That when we are overcome with emotion, we can sit in silent surrender and let God take control. The words don't matter. You don't have to find the perfect words or expression. Sometimes the best way to let God in and know you, is to sit and allow it instead of constantly strive for Him. I think often times, we get so caught up in going to the next level with God or in our lives that often, when God stops to show us how to be content, we keep running and leave God in our dust. And then we look back and realize that the reason we couldn't find Him in front of us, was because we left Him in a lesson of contentment behind us. He's waiting for us to turn around a walk back to Him. He's just waiting :)

Anaheim!

Arrived in Anaheim, California! I was telling everyone that I would definitely blog while I'm here but I'm realizing how hard that may be. My thoughts are so incredibly jumbled right now. I'm excited but mostly scared of my next step. I have no idea how to process these feelings or how to react to my circumstances. I'm already finding myself wanting to go into retreat mode and bow out gracefully and then God reminds me that He is in this plan too. He keeps showing me that this is what I'm supposed to do, He gives me peace and assurance, He protects my heart even now while I'm so vulnerable.
It has hit me though. Quicker than I thought it would, actually. I have realized how long I'll be away. How far. How different. But mostly that I'm alone. And I know that the first thing that come to people's minds is; "But you're not alone, you have God!" Yes. True. But it's still very different and not as tangible as a hug from a friend or a house to go chill at to escape everyday life. But still, God is the center of it ALL. He is the clarity in the haze. He's is my anchor. And writing these words just make me see that even more. Listening to some Gungor. Typing a blog. In another state. God is near. He's hear. He's talking to me and He's talking to you.


I don't have much more than that right now...I'm mostly trying to process through blogging ;) Thanks for reading :) Later it will be much more interesting!


Here's a few pictures though-

Outside the Airport

At IHop at 2:30 A.M.!

I accidentally ripped my ticket. Totes Awk.

24 days!

Hi sweet friends!
Just a quick update on my life and my journey into Australia!
I leave in 24 days! I can't believe how quickly it has come and I'm dealing with a lot of very mixed emotions and my poor family has had the brunt of it. I didn't realize how difficult it can be trying to clarify emotions in a transitional period like this. I feel so excited and ready to embark on such an adventure but at the same time, I sit in a room with all of my friends, chatting and having fun, and realize that I will miss out on a lot of life with these people that I consider family. So I've been a little grumpy, a little blank. Not knowing what to do.


I've also heard a few things and I know that they are spiritual attacks trying to instill doubt into my dreams. So please pray against that if you think of me.


I'm also in great need of a few things still and praying for provision and trusting God that He will provide as He always does :) And on a happy note, my wonderful brother had a high quality camera that he no longer needed and gave it to me instead of selling it! HUGE blessing and one more thing I can thank God for providing.


Any prayers or provisions are welcomed and appreciated! And I sincerely thank you for all of your support on my journey. I feel so blessed that God has placed you in my life. Thank you.


So quick prayer requests if you think of me,
- Provision for a laptop, clothes, and the rest of the money for my plane tickets
- Protection in my travels and my new home
- Peace among the doubts, stress, fear and separation anxiety.
- Opportunity beyond just Australia. Whatever that may mean :)
- Life-Giving Friends in Australia who will encourage me and support me




Much Love to all of you.


Cheers,

Bethany

An Au Pair, a juice fast and a lot of poo.

So. 2 major things happening!
       1- I'm on a juice fast! Well, not entirely juice- I'm also incorporating raw fruits, veggies and nuts into my diet because I just don't do well without any sort of solid. Bad things happen-trust me. I'm on day 5 of the "Cold-Turkey" juice fast because before that I was on a juice fast but still having one meal a day. So technically speaking I've actually been doing this for almost three weeks but it wasn't working as well as I had hoped before so I decided to go crazy. I'm so thrilled with the results I've already had! I've lost 4 pounds, had more energy and gotten sick. Now that sounds awful but the sickness is just my body ridding itself of all bad toxins! So my lymph nodes are incredibly swollen, my throat hurts and my muscles are tense but that's only because they are trying to get rid of all the crap I've put into myself over the years and those places are where the crap gets stored. It sucks and I've missed two days of school and sleep, but it will be worth it in the long run! The rest of my family said they were going to do the same but so far it hasn't happened. I'm hoping they all really run with it because it's so, SO good for you and helps you detox, lose wight, clear up dietary, physical and mental ailments and just gives you more energy and stuff! I'll be trying to blog more often to keep you updated on my little journey :) Alyssa and I have been recruiting friends to do this with so let me know if you want in!


       2- I'm going to Australia, mate! A couple of months ago, I decided to put a profile up on AuPair.com and see if I could land an Au Pair job somewhere. (Au Pair; An au pair (plural: au pairs) is a domestic assistant for children and housework from a foreign country working for, and living as part of, a host family.) So I was contacted by a lady who was interested in hiring me and we talked a bit and then I didn't hear from her for over a month. Needless to say , I just let that thought go. Until I was contacted by another lady (On a different website; GreatAuPair.com) in Toowoomba, Queensland Australia with a husband and four beautiful children who was interested in hiring me. So we started e-mail and Tuesday night I was able to skype with her and their current Au Pair, Mimmi, who is returning home in a week to start an internship! They were both wonderful and I had so much fun talking to them and getting a "tour" of the house over skype. I was able to meet a couple of the children and ask my questions. We then e-mailed the next day and officially decided that I'm going! We both feel very comfortable and are so excited at this opportunity! So it will either be in early June or late July- we're all hoping for July since it will give me a bit more time to gather funds, prepare, book a plane ticket and be approved for my visa. I should know by Monday :) There are a LOT of things I need that happen to be very expensive and I need them in a short amount of time.


        So I created a "Faith List"- a checklist of things I'm trusting God to provide- A laptop, Camera, Visa, Clothing, Supplies, Airline ticket, etc. Plus things that I'll need once I get there- A Homeopathic doctor, a "backup family" who's Christian so I can fellowship with them, a Church and friends. Needless to say; Your prayers are appreciated! Anything you can help with is a massive blessing. I'll keep you updated as this journey ensues. Love you all!

Fat? Not me.

I was reading a homeopathic care book earlier today and came across the section titled, "Emotional Problems- Anorexia and Bulimia". I was intriged by the idea that those severe lies could be antidoted with herbs, so I continued reading. About half way through the first paragraph it said, "The disorder usually occurs in adolescent girls who fear becoming fat and develop a distorted impression of their own body image."  I was nearly shocked with an epiphany for my own life. These eating diorders (both of which I have struggled with in the past) are not a fix, they're a prevetative! Then I asked myself, how can a girl be so sure that she will become fat that she'll starve herself to prevent it? She may maintain a healthy weight her whole life. Why would she automatically assume that she is destined for obesity?
And then it hit me- like a Mack truck. Moms. These girls hear their mothers time and time again say, "I have no self-control", "I've gotta lose weight", "I never did lose that baby-weight", etc. So it's only natural that they would adapt the same mind-set or, even scarier, go the opposite direction to make sure they never have to feel that way about themselves. The past generations wonder why my generation is so twisted with eating disorders and suicide- it's not us. We are reeling from the generations before us and trying to stop these lies in their tracks. But how do we try and stop these lies? Well, generally we go to men. We try and find our self-worth in boys instead of food and then backslide when these boys let us down- Leading us straight to food, obesity or the feeling that we are too fat and that's why guys don't love us. So then we slim down and flirt like there's no tomorrow just to get feedback.  It's a crazy cycle that has to stop!

Mom's what do you say in front of your children? Not just your daughters, but also your sons! Do you realize that you are shaping their view on women and they will go a seek out the girls with eating disorders?? How about instead of, "Man I need to lose weight" just go and actually do something about it! Get yourself on a schedule, change the food you buy and have self-control!

~Get some accountability. Make some changes. Just small ones- they don't have to be giant!

~Studies show that not eating after 7:00 PM can help you lose 10 pounds a month!

~Switch to Almond or Coconut milk instead of Dairy since dairy will bloat you and is not naturally healthy. Think of it this way- A; You're drinking a cows breast milk. Ew!  and B; A cow feeds her calf a type of milk that is meant to fatten that baby up- and FAST! It will do the same to you.

~Your body will often send the same message when it's thirsty as it does when it's hungry- aka drink instead of snack! More than likely you are just thirsty!

There are SO many ways to help your self image as well as your children's. I feel sick when I think of the crap I went through because of some of the women in my life- who I thought were mentors no less- who completely distorted my self image through their own self-image. Don't be that person. Be an influence of positivity and confidence on my generation! You are needed. And you are wanted!

Do you trust Me?

So, there I am, near death. Gasping for breath, spine numbing, eyes blurring and then I see it. The park! I was almost there. Now you may say, "Wow, you're crazy pathetic and I'm never speaking to you again." You try pushing two kids in a double stroller up a 70 degree angled sidewalk on a cold and windy day! Go on. I dare you- I DOUBLE DOG dare you.

So I finally get to the park and the girls play a bit (We stay there for a whole ten minutes before Izzy gets cold and wants to go home- I was feeling the same) and then we start to head back home.
 

            To get home you have to decline that hellish sidewalk and then cross over Austin Bluffs- which is sometimes a busy street, but really not enough to worry about. After we cross the street and are safely on the sidewalk, Izzy says, "Bethany, [in her oh-so-adorable baby girl voice], you wouldn't let me get hit by a car, right?"  ...I was stunned. Of course not! I stopped the stroller and got down to her level and took her sweet little hands, "Isabel, I would never ever let you get hit by a car. I would never let anything happen to you." She still looked a little unconvinced, "I promise. I pinky promise. Do you trust me?" She nodded her head. "And hey guess what?" She looked at me, "What?"   I smiled, "I love you."           Doesn't this just remind you of God? Not that I am in any way comparing myself to God. But it's like when we are "baby" Christians, God pushes us in a stroller- He buckles us into the seat and tells us to stay put while He guides our stroller over the sometimes scary street of life. The stroller is our vehicle to get us to where we need to be.
          With a baby we buckle, harness, and lock to make sure that there is no possible way for them to get hurt. As children get older, we let them get out of the stroller for small periods of time but still have rules, and boundaries set up for safety- Although much less intense. Maybe they scratch their knee from falling on the sidewalk or stub their toe- but it's nothing they can't bounce back easily from.  

          As we get a little older or more mature, God allows us to walk beside Him, sometimes He even lets us push the stoller saying, "This decision is up to you, Beloved." So we can see how it feels- guiding ourselves along the path, with Him giving us the directions (Think GPS). But at some point in our lives He decides that we are mature enough to push the stroller ourselves- often containing other precious children of God inside. We mature and grow out of having to be told exactly what to do, when to do it and where to go. He allows us freedom. Isn't that what He came for? As children (Or new Christians), He needs to place tons of rules around us to keep us safe- But eventually they turn into second nature and He trusts us with ourselves- Not the world around us, or the situations or other people. Just me. Just you. He trusts us! And then we have to trust Him with everything else. And at the times of fear and doubt, God looks us in the eyes, takes us by the hands and tells us everything will be OK. Regardless of the situation or how badly we mess up, He still knows the end and He promises us that it will be wonderful. Sometimes He asks, "Do you trust Me?" And we nod our heads.  He looks us in the eyes and says, "I love You."

I'm so glad that I have someone I can Trust- Who trusts me too. What a Glorious God we have. What a Wonder.

Babies, the Devil and Me...

So I haven't blogged in a while. Mostly for lack of ability to formulate clear thoughts and the execution of said thought. There is SO MUCH  on my mind...but it's like a jigsaw puzzle in that noggin' of mine. I only have pieces of thoughts and they are all floating around looking for a continuation. So if this blog is kind of random- that's why.

          I've been really focused on dreams lately. My Dreams. My hopes and desires or the future. The hopes and desires that God has for my future. Attacks on my future. I know I'm supposed to be a wife and mother first and foremost. Not only a mother for my children but also for the motherless and orphaned in this world. I know I'm supposed to work to inspire and instill hope into girls and women of all ages and I'm so excited to pursue that! But I'm really hesitant to have kids all of a sudden. I've been nannying some kids these last few weeks, and I walk away so tired and emotionally drained, that I don't see the worth in it. I'm being brutally honest here. I know that kids are a blessing and a miracle but it scares the POOP out of me. I feel so bad for parents, how do they function? 6 hours and I'm ready to sleep for a week. I KNOW that kids, babies, teenagers are a GOOD thing. But I can't get past the years of crap that parents have to go through just so that they can help their kids succeed. I have so many doubts and fears but I know that the reason I have so much anxiety about this is because the Devil is trying to discourage me from fulfilling an important calling that God gave specifically, with love, to me. I've known that being a good wife, mother and homemaker is my main calling. It's not fancy or easy- it's rough, exasperating and draining. Right? But it's beautiful..........right? I really want to have kids. I'm excited! I hope that when I find out that I'm carrying that tiny little person in me- a soul- that I will feel like I can conquer anything and that  I would  do absolutely anything for the little one. I hope that all those long nights will turn into nights of intersession for this babe. I hope that we don't ever fight. I hope that our relationship will be stuff of legends. I hope so much. I hope....


God please give me clarity, strength and hope for the future. Show me children through Your eyes- because mine are clouded. Forgive me for the lies I believe about this subject and open my eyes to the Truth. For YOU are Truth.
With Love,
Your Kid

Christmas where is your joy....

So I threw a Christmas party tonight. I was so excited, I got a new dress and spent a whole bunch of money on the supplies for a gingerbread house making contest (That turned into one massive gingerbread house) and I was cleaning and getting ready for the past 2 days. Hardly any sleep was slept last night. I was so excited. And then the party runs aground. A whole bunch of people called last minute saying they were going to be really late or only be able to stay for 30 or 40 minutes or they just couldn't come at all. Nearing the start of the party when I was getting these calls, texts and e-mails, I realized how heavily I depend on the integrity of others. Hoping and praying that they will keep their word and be there for me. Is that selfish? Is that wrong? I seriously don't know. I feel like a major loser because I know people didn't enjoy it- which made me realize how heavily I depend on peoples' approval. Not at my physical appearance, but my emotional and social capabilities. Or rather in-capabilities. I pride myself in throwing enjoyable, well thought out parties where people feel relaxed and entertained. I thought I could throw one all by myself without a hitch. But I ended up with far too many to count. Which brings me to this song by Relient K;

 I hope it snows this week,
A snow flake on your cheek
Would make this Christmas so Beautiful
But that would just bring the pain
Cause things can’t stay the same
These Holidays won’t be wonderful

I was trying to figure out why all of these petty things were such a big deal to me. And I feel like I want the holidays to be filled with as much Joy as they can be. A time where life can stop and people can see beauty in things. But the beauty is in the life. The small broken stepping stones that are cracking beneath you, make you that much more thankful for the solidity of a wholesome stepping stone. Does that even make sense? I'm not pleased with how tonight went or with how dumb and petty I'm being. But I'm glad for the learning opportunity. I'm glad for the experience. I guess that's what God meant when He said to give thanks in everything. (1 Thessalonians 5:18) Not necessarily thankful for the circumstance itself but for the opportunity the circumstance brings. Everything has a hidden door.

 "Each problem has hidden in it an opportunity so powerful that it literally dwarfs the problem. The greatest success stories were created by people who recognized a problem a turned it into an opportunity."  

~Joseph Sugarman  

So here I am...trying to be thankful. Looking for the opportunity.

(P.S. I'm really sorry if this sounds incredibly selfish. I just need my thoughts out of my head. :/)

Pumpkin Crazy

With all of the holidays coming upon us, everybody and their mother is making pumpkin cookies, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin bread...etc. Well here's yet another Pumpkin Bread recipe.This has been in my family for years and is absolutely DELICIOUS! Please try it. You will not be disappointed. You do, however, have to make the altitude adjustments if you're over 6,000 feet as follows-

For each tsp., reduce baking powder 1/2-1/4 tsp
For each cup, reduce sugar up to 2 tbsp
For each cup, increase liquid 2-4 tbsp

*Delicious Pumpkin Bread*

Ingredients;

·         3 ½ Cups Flour

·         3 Cups Sugar

·         2 Tsp. Baking Soda

·         1 ½ Tsp. Salt

·         1 Tsp. Cinnamon

·         1 Tsp. Ginger

·         1 Tsp. Cloves

·         1 Tsp. Nutmeg

·         1 Cup Cooking Oil

·         4 Eggs

·         2/3 Cup Water

·         2 Cups Pumpkin

Sift together dry ingredients in a large bowl. Then add all remaining ingredients and mix well. Pour into 3 greased and floured 9x5 loaf pans. Bake at 350^o for 50-60 minutes.  Scrape around sides of panwith spatula as soon as the bread comes out of the oven- this will help life the bread from the pan. Then put bread on a cooling rack.

If you want to get really crazy, you can also add this wonderful Icing that I use on everything

*Yummy Icing*

Ingredients;

·         1/3 Cup butter

·         1 ½ Tsp. Vanilla

·         2 Cups Powdered Sugar

·         2 Tbsp. Water

Brown butter carefully in saucepan; add vanilla. Stir in powdered sugar, and add 2 Tbsp. Water, adding more as needed. Don’t get the icing to thing or it will make your dessert soggy.

Death By Stress

Rest. Relax. Rejuvenate. Stupid words to you? Story time!


 Last October I was checked into the ER due to a severe migraine, loss of vision, numbness in both arms, inability to comprehend or formulate words and nausea. My sister and mom were afraid that I was having some sort of heart attack- Let me just say that it was a really bad day. The doctors gave me two anti-nausea drugs, oxygen and liquids and 4 hours later I was released, little did I know that this was the beginning of a massive problem that put me out of school for a semester, multiple doctors and problems that are still following me. My parents found huge knots in my back, neck and shoulders that could definitely cause nerve compression so I went to a massage therapist to help loosen my back up, and it helped! But because it was releasing so many toxins at once, it made me really sick and I had to stop. The migraine was so intense that we think it damaged something in my brain that disabled a lot of my reading and comprehension ability so school was a nightmare, I was nauseous almost all the time, fatigued, dizzy, and was having a hard time forming thoughts. I went to my homeopathic doctor and a nutritionist and they helped with a lot of things- lactose intholerance, wheat intolerance, a really high level of metal toxicity (I'm still trying to figure out where that came from) and several other things. This went on for a year. The intensity of the symptoms lessened over time but I still can't read for longer than about 10 minutes, can't speed read anymore, get easily fatigued, feel nauseous most of the time, and have to consistently rest so I don't over do it and end up with this stuff again. It has ruled my life for the past year- I try and push through it but it regularly puts me out. People get frustrated with me when I don't jump into activities that involve a lot of action and stuff - saying I'm a "party-pooper" but what they don't realize is that I have to protect myself. I know my body's limits....Fast forward to yesterday, when I experienced almost the exact same thing that I had experienced 1 year ago. Thank God it wasn't the same intensity as before but it really scared me, I was thinking, "Seriously! This is not happening again!". This time I didn't have as bad of a headache till later but my whole left side went numb- leg, arm and even face. I was so scared. I was afraid that my body was gonna really be a mess afterwards.






Let me tell you something; All of this stuff happened because of STRESS. I wouldn't let my HEAD relax. The knots in my back got there because of the amount of stress I was putting myself through. I know my body's limits but had know idea what my emotions' and brains' limits were. In America there is a huge problem with people not letting themselves Relax. It is not a selfish thing to relax. God had a day of rest. Not 10 minutes- a whole day. And He created nights for us to rest ALSO. You have to take advantage of the times of rest. Get yourself into a regular sleep schedule! 


 Short Sleep duration is linked with;

• Increased risk of motor vehicle accidents
• Obesity
• Increased risk of diabetes and heart problems
• Increased risk for psychiatric conditions including depression and substance abuse
• Decreased ability to pay attention, react to signals or remember new information.

A healthy amount of sleep is between 9 and 10 hours. I can pretty much guarantee that you aren't getting that much. On top of sleeping, you should also be taking time throughout the day to relax. Just take ten minutes every couple of hours and do deep breathing exercises, give yourself a body lotion rub down (Maybe a lavender scented lotion since that is a natural relaxant). Resting is not a selfish thing! It's selfish not to relax. I understand if you have children and there is just no time- but I say this out of the love in my heart. MAKE TIME. They need you to be the best you can be. They need you to be healthy and live a long life. Stress can cause- Depression, Diabetes, High blood pressure, Weight gain, Low immune System (or susceptibility to disease), Heart Disease and even Cancer. You are no good to ANYBODY if you aren't functioning properly, not thinking clearly, and not being as healthy as you can be. Allow yourself rejuvenation! Your body can only take so much, I'm pretty sure that even Wonder Woman went to the spa every once in a while. Your kids will understand. They will probably thank you for it!




Take the time to relax. It's a gift. Unwrap it.

"The time to relax is when you don't have time for it. "

 ~Attributed to both Jim Goodwin and Sydney J. Harris

We live longer than our forefathers; but we suffer more from a thousand artificial anxieties and cares.  They fatigued only the muscles, we exhaust the finer strength of the nerves.  ~Edward George Bulwer-Lytton

The mark of a successful man is one that has spent an entire day on the bank of a river without feeling guilty about it.  ~Author Unknown

Half our life is spent trying to find something to do with the time we have rushed through life trying to save.  ~Will Rogers, Autobiography, 1949

Mountains and Hills. Shapes and Molds.

Before you start reading this post, be warned! I am a mess today. I'm writing to get things off my mind- hoping that something profound and possibly uplifting will slide onto this page. 






I have found myself completely re-thinking who I am and why I am who I am. From experiences to personality, everything influences the person you are and who you will be. I remember being in a hospital room on my 8th birthday and learning that my baby brother was diagnosed with A.L.L. (Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia) which meant 3 years of heavy chemotherapy and 7 additional years of the doctors watching him to make sure it didn't come back. The steroids that they had to put him on, the threat of hospitalization hanging over our heads in the "Sick-Season", and the near-daily visits to C.H.O.A. (Child Hematology Oncology Associates) made my childhood and pre-teen years very scary and dull. I learned to read books instead of go out for sports, and school myself because we had to be pulled out of school due to my little brother's lack of immune system. I thought this situation ruled my life. I look back on my life and remember doctors and nurses as my family and friends. I always thought the your situation makes you who you are- IT DOESN'T. Your situation merely teaches you how to properly climb the hill we call life with as much grace and positivity as possible. It shows you how important and wonderful life is. It gives you perspective. It was so hard to watch my little brother suffer like he did, but God brought my family out of it stronger than ever. Of course we asked the "Why" questions, but God has shown us over and over again that He didn't cause the situation, He made good from the bad. Kicking Satan's sorry butt all the way through it. Each time we climb over something it gets us a little father up that mountain so we can see the beautiful valleys below- and each time we become more and more enamored by God when we look down and see that He brought us through each bit, one step at a time. And that those "bits" have shaped us and molded us into the beautiful , crazy wonders that we are today.

Morihei Ueshiba - “Study how water flows in a valley stream, smoothly and freely between the rocks. Also learn from holy books and wise people. Everything - even mountains, rivers, plants and trees - should be your teacher.”


Aldous Huxley - “My father considered a walk among the mountains as the equivalent of churchgoing.”

People Watching away

I'm sitting here at church at 9:00 on a Wednesday morning and there is SO MUCH going on on my head! Firstly, you should know I'm a people watcher. I love trying to guess what things may have gone on in a persons' life just by looking at them. Right now I'm looking at a young mom with two young, adorable, blond boys. One looks like he's around 11 and the other is probably only 4. The youngest one has the cutest little voice and facial expressions. They are doing some kind of school- it sounds like a type of history. I couldn't help but think what a wonderful and exciting time this must be for the mom- to get to challenge and teach your children may be a task, but oh, how wonderful a task! God has put moms and dads in charge of actually raising a soul- a Child of God. How peculiar that our Jesus trusts us to take care of His children. I cannot wait until God blesses me with such a responsibility.





If you have or have had children, remember to be thankful for this blessing, God trusts YOU. He Designated you for this child specifically. You are CHOSEN.

The Lying Game

So I promised everyone that I would write everyday. I haven't been very true to that promise, mostly for lack of something to say. Do I actually have something worth while to express? Will anybody read my posts anyway? Doubts. Lies. All to easy to believe.

I find myself believing lies in every area of my life. My body. My mind. People's intentions. Even my personality. These lies are eroding to me. They chip away at my entire being until I finally find myself in a sort of bog. And the scary part? i don't even realize that I'm believing them.

Today, go and ask God to show you the lies you are believing. Ask him to reveal them to you. Mostly hiding in plain sight- the Devil works subtly. Know the enemy. Create a battle plan. Have you seen the fashion industry lately? Satan has worked so subtly over the years that now we have half naked women in malls where anybody could see them. He works through commercials and icons to tell us how ugly we are. He tells us that we have to lose more weight, get bigger eyes, fuller lips, higher hair. NO! That is not how God created us. We are made in His image! How glorious that he formed us with His fingers to absolute perfection. We get into trouble when we mess it up with chemicals or depriving our bodies of nutrients because we're trying to lose weight....in order to look like some else!

My sister and I after a day at the lake- no make-up! 

YOU are beautiful! Whoever you are. God is impressed with you. He is proud of His work. You are jewel. If you feel sad or empty today, know that I am sending you loves and hugs! I love you.

Love, Bethany

Nutiva Hemp Shakes

This stuff is the bees KNEES! This fantastic, all organic, shake is packed with insoluble fiber from hemp and soluble fiber from inulin for good digestion. One serv ing provides 11 grams of raw organic fiber. (Fiber helps you to digest food properly and keeps you thin) Hempseed is one of God's most amazing superfoods! Hemp contains all 8 essential amino acids and the bonus fatty-acids! This stuff tastes wonderful and is fabulous for breakfast lunch or dinner! I have fallen in love with this greatness- go out and get yourself some! Go to http://nutivahempshake.com/berry.htm for more info. This is great!


~bethany

Surrender

              Hello world! Sorry it's been so long since I've posted- alot has been going on.
Yesterday at 2:00 AM we dropped my twin sister, Alyssa, and my Dad off at the airport! They are going to Costa Rica to teach First Aid and CPR to the natives there as well as providing Bibles for each home. It has been an interesting experience thus far so we'll see how the rest goes! When one of my family members goes on a missions trip- the whole family is involved, so the last several weeks have been entirely focused on this trip. We're pretty much pooped over here! But they are safely in Costa Rica right now and will be back at the beginning of June :)
             This trip has been such an opportunity to put everything in God's hands. I think that so often we surrender all of the easy things and situations but quietly hold back the important things in our lives. It's not always a war of wills, sometimes we just don't realize that we are still holding back. It is so important to constantly be asking God what we need to surrender to Him- because He is the only one who can show us :)
I hope you all remember, today, to surrender to God- everything situation and every person. Blessings to all of you!

~Bethany

Post-Prom

So everyone knows that prom has come and gone but still; I'd like to show you some gnar-gnar nail designs done by yours truly :)
                               

Abby's nails #1

Abby's Nails #2  (Before we took off the polish around the nails- sorry :/)

Simple and elegant lace nails 

Still very classy but with a little more pizazz! 

There is SO much you can do with some nail polish and a steady hand! Maybe next time I'll be able to post some designs before prom :p

Sunburns and Sweet Alternatives

So, I was talking to a friend this morning and she was saying how she got this gnarly sunburn but didn't have any Aloe Vera to cool her burning skin- people there is so much more that you can use besides Aloe to soothe you're burnt skin (ew, burnt skin- that's a lot grosser sounding than I thought it would be)!  Look to your fridge for sour cream- it not only helps to relieve the burn but it will brighten your skin as well ;) Or if you just happen to have a banana you're not using- mash it up and rub it on your sunburned area! Also if you have anything with eucalyptus in it, that will help too. Remember, there are always things in your fridge to help with anything you need!

Here's a quicky blogget

     So here's a little bit about myself- I'm not a writer. I love talking, but for some reason when I try to put my thoughts down on paper it comes out like gobblygoop :p  And yet I want so badly to share with you all of the weird and helpful things I have learned and loved over the last few years- be it mayonnaise in your hair for conditioner, honey on your lips for chap-stick, fun hair styles and make-up tutorials or just some encouragement to help you through your day. From my heart to yours be blessed! 

   You know how some days you feel like you've accomplished soooooo much?? I've had one of those days! I am now the official owner of Oo Oo Feathers! I'm selling beautiful, hand-made feather earrings that are funky and fun :) You can like Oo Oo Feathers on Facebook if you feel the urge :D

Here's a preview of my earrings and my super beautiful twin- 

Feather Earrings and Sweet dreams,

                  Bethany <3