Good Bad Examples

I am a very ambitious and goal oriented person, as you may know. I was awake and thinking at 6 AM this morning and I've decided that one of my biggest goals in life is to be the very best person I can be not only for myself, but for my family and friends, my community, and my world. (I was an active 4Her throughout grade school incase you can't tell.) I am always striving to be that person: friendly, loving, giving, caring, honest, intelligent, genuine, etc.. But the opposite is also true: I consciously strive to not be selfish, mean, dramatic, or any other derogatory adjectives. We have the ability to decide our attitudes and how we handle stressful situations and this just goes hand in hand with that: we can decide to be good or bad people.

I also began to think about some people I know, and we all know people like this, who do things that we disagree with, things that get a rouse out of people, things that disappoint people, and who are typically known for a bad trait or two. You know, you can choose your friends but you can't choose your family... That sort of thing. Sometimes it's so hard to see the good in those people and it can be so difficult to love them, but the truth is, there is something good to take from every situation. For one, these people are good bad examples of what not to do or who not to be, and in being a good bad example, they are encouraging us to strive for that better person and they give us the opportunity to do so. I once read that the people we feel deserve love the least are those who need it the most and that's how I want to live: I want to love and accept everyone even those who make it particularly difficult and in doing so, I want to set a good example. I really do believe that love can change the world and I believe that in loving we bring not only ourselves closer to God, but others as well. I'd like to share an excerpt from a chapter of Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller that I read recently.

"..to be in a relationship with God is to be loved purely and furiously. And a person who thinks himself unlivable cannot be in a relationship with God because he can't accept who God is; a Being that is love. That is why God tells us so many times to love each other."

I challenge you today to love and care for those around you with everything you've got and to inspire others to do that same.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Guitar String Jewelry

I've still yet to think of a catchy name for it, but here are a few pieces I've made so far. Some of the guitar strings were used by Madison and a few by Jason Crabb. Note: the earrings aren't made of guitar string: they're just extra accessories. They're all for sale, so if you're interested, don't hesitate to contact me. =)

Turning 20 and La Maison on Telfair

So a few weeks ago, I turned 20. I like it pretty well... now, at least, but actually turning 20 just felt weird. Suddenly the maturity of being an adult was now matched with a number. I know... you're technically an adult at 18, but with "teen" at the end of my age, I still felt just that: a teen. Entering a new decade of life left me with no excuses of not being a full on adult and it forced me to accept the fact that birthday parties just aren't what they were as a child, so for the first day or two, I had to adjust.

On the 29th, two days after my birthday, Madison came and picked me up dressed in slacks and a dress shirt, looking rather sharp I might add, and his arms full of roses and a gift wrapped in lavender. Inside the lavender wrapped gift, were the most gorgeous and elegant black ear rings I've ever seen. They're now my absolute favorite, even beyond their beauty, because he gave them to me. There's just something about your man giving you jewelry, beautiful jewelry at that, that makes it so much more special. So we walked to the car, got in, and he began playing a mixed CD he made for me, full of some of my favorite feel good songs. He knew I had been intending on making one for like a year and had just never gotten around to it, so he did it for me, which made for a pleasant surprise. Our reservations were for 7 pm in downtown Augusta, in an intimate French restaurant, La Maison on Telfair. The ambiance of the place was elegant, intimate, and quiet. The vegetables, the freshest I've ever tasted. The steak, flavored unlike any I've ever tried. We soon learned that the chef was from Germany, interned at Euro Disney, and grew the vegetables he served in his very own garden. Our three course meal lasted for two hours allowing us to escape from life's chaos and to simply enjoy conversation with one another. That night, I decided that my 20th birthday was my best thus far, but I foresee spending the rest of my birthday's with him being even better and better.

I encourage you to learn more about La Maison on Telfair at http://www.lamaisontelfair.com/index.html

and definitely to go experience it for yourself if ever in the area.

Update

I can't believe it's been 6 months since I've blogged, which means 6 months since I've signed into my account and read other various blogs that I dearly enjoy. So tonight I will be catching up on both accounts. For now, here's an update and a new blog. For the sake of not being too lengthy, I'll update you on a few things at a time which will encourage more blogs in the future. I've have quite a bit to talk about.

New Year's Resolutions- I am proud to say that I'm looking pretty good on sticking to my resolutions this year. I've successfully completed 6 of 14 and am continuing to conquer the other 8. Number 2 on my list was to maintain all As in school, and for Spring semester of '10, I've done so. Number 5: apply for as many scholarships as possible. I am spending time each week doing so. A week ago, I was chosen for one that I applied for and it is being presented to me on July 25th! Number 12 on my list was to read 6 books this year: a resolution which has proven to have been set at a low standard seeing as I'm on my 8th so far and am only half way through the year. I read the Harry Potter series and I fear there won't be another fictional series that I enjoy as much. I foresee revisiting the series in the future as well. J.K. Rowling's writing is brilliant; she makes you fall in love with these characters and her plot twists are unpredictable. I've also done some volunteer work this year (Number 14) and intend to continue doing so.

Wedding Plans- They're coming along! Madison and I have finished registering at Bed Bath & Beyond and intend to also register at Target as well as Wal-Mart soon. Our honeymoon has been booked! We are spending 2 days in Paris and 3 in London making for a 7 day honeymoon (including travel). We will depart on the 13th, the day after our wedding, and return on the 20. I'm planning to finish choosing bridesmaids gowns this week as well as beginning to assemble our invites (which we've purchased). This past week we began making a few minor upgrades to the house where we will live for a few years. Right now, we are currently transforming an old junk room into a master bathroom with the help of Jeff & Sheri and my parents. We are also planning on adding a deck onto the back of the house, which really excites me! Other than that, a few closets need to be painted and then all that's left is to rearrange and move in! I'll be sure to blog before and after pictures of our progressions!

That's it for now, but expect more blogs soon. Hope you're all doing well! =)