Violated

I hate when life unexpectedly slaps you in the face with pain that I'd imagine a bag of quarters to be. On the flip side, there's always a more positive perspective to counteract that feeling. Last night, someone broke into Madison's truck in ATL while he was inside enjoying a lifetime experience of a concert, and they stole our new GPS/stereo system. The only word that describes this feeling is "violated". We feel violated. Someone thought it was ok to invite themselves into our personal space and take something that was ours completely careless of how it would affect our lives. Ultimately all that matters is that he's safe. It really could be so much worse, they could have taken more than they did, invoked vandalism to partner their thievery, or even worse, Madison could've walked up at the wrong moment. As wide of a range of emotions this makes me feel, angry, violated, hurt, fearful and frustrated, the point here is to focus on the only thing that matters which is the fact that my husband is safe and alive. Material things are nothing at all. Upon expiration they can be replaced, unlike a human life.

You might wonder why I'm writing this blog. Writers will do write to relieve thoughts, feelings, or stress. They may write for self-expression, or with a motive in mind to make a difference. They may even write because not writing isn't an option. And this blog is a little bit of all of that. Despite whether or not anyone ever reads this, I've put my feelings into words freeing them from my mind. Ive satisfied my need to analyze this situation in its entirety through verbalization.
In the occurrence that someone does read this, I hope what you take from it is the concept of life that I believe in most: the direct correlation between perspective and attitude which drives our lives into the direction of our choosing. That's the beauty of it. I can and will choose to see the bright side of this, the big picture, which will continue me on a path of positivity.

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Universals

This weekend has been quite rigorous for me as far as Quantitative Methods go. I labored for 7 straight hours on Friday over only 6 statistics homework problems. I even had to bring out my trusty friend, my rice sock, to sooth my neck pain from the strain of constantly looking down to read and from calculating 13 hand written pages worth of mathematics. Believe it or not, I found some moral perspective amidst the madness.

Fact: Math is a universal language, understood by everyone, everywhere regardless of origin. If you think about it, pain is too. At some point in all of our lives we face some form of it. Now here's where it matters: if pain is universal, so should be understanding. Even when all we may see on the surface is a problem we can't understand, or a person who's actions we can't understand, there are underlying variables, or pains, that may be unknown or undefined. Once these variables are acknowledged, once we know what someone is dealing with in their life, it's so much easier to look past what appears to be "a problem", or their flaws, and to simply discover an understanding that leads to resolve. That being said, it's important to face every challenging action that one may bring towards us with a deep breath and an understanding that it is simply what it is. 2 + 2 = 4. IT JUST IS. The coefficients of our lives combined with the variables we may face result in the beings that we are. And that's something that's simply a universal truth.

Faith

I'm lying in my bunk tonight with a heavy heart for a family that has faced their worst fears as parents. On December 7, 2010 they discovered that their son, only 21 years old, was murdered after he'd been missing since they last saw him over Thanksgiving dinner. They are soon to be reminded of this on the upcoming one year anniversary of their loss, as if they'd ever forgotten anyway. I'm sure whatever feelings they've managed to get through at this point will soon resurface in a way that is more painful than they can imagine. My spirit has been burdened for them for about a week now and I can't seem to pray for them enough. Tonight though, something occurred to me. When we truly have faith in God, when we truly believe that our prayers will be answered, when we lead faithful lives, God proves his faithfulness to us in return. It's one of those "you get out of it what you put into it" kind of things which is incredible if you think about it. How much hope that offers! If we simply choose to live a life of faith, everything will really be ok. Please remember this family in your prayers too.. Pray that comfort, strength, and peace find their place-today and tomorrow and in a few months when the holidays that once held a promising feeling of joy will no longer feel joyful for them but will stand as a reminder of what they've lost. It breaks my heart to think of a time once regarded as so good is now tainted by such a tragedy for this family. If God cares about the desires of our hearts and we all desire peace for this family, they are surely to find it. That's what my faith tells me anyway.
A friend posted this scripture on twitter tonight and I find it very relevant in this situation.
"God is close to the broken hearted". -Psalm 34:18
Your prayers are much appreciated.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Stop This Train

You know... out of the list of qualities I like to think I possess as a person, being honest is one of the most important ones to me. And in the name of being a good blogger, I want to write what I know and bare my soul fearlessly. If I'm being completely honest with you, lately I've been dealing with this whole growing up thing that I didn't know I had not dealt with: I've been mourning the loss of my childhood. Don't get me wrong, I'm not AT ALL unhappy with my current life. In fact, it's better than it's EVER been. But I suppose there's just some things we all deal with in this progression that is life, and growing up is simply one of those things. I'm finding myself clinging to the things that bring back that childhood feeling for me: watching The Lion King, playing Nintendo, a familiar song that I loved as a kid, anything really that takes me back to a time and place. You know that feeling.... that nostalgic feeling that for a moment allows you to forget that you are an adult with the responsibilities to match your age.

Stop This Train is a song by John Mayer that I've always admired as a songwriter. It's undoubtedly brilliant lyrically and his melodies are always just as brilliant as his writing. Until this past week, I never appreciated it the way I do now though. I've listened to it a hundred times before but this time it reduced me to tears. It says simply how I feel: so scared of getting older, I'm only good at being young. The thing that frightens me so much about getting older is that everyone else is getting older too and there's nothing I can do about it. If you've never heard this song, take a listen. Here's to clinging to those memories and allowing them to encourage me to continue making more. Tomorrow, today will simply be yesterday and I want yesterday to always be worth redesiring.

Scholarship Entry

I entered a scholarship contest and with your help, I could potentially win! There are only 10 remaining days of voting and each computer can vote once per hour. For some reason, the option to vote on cell phones is unavailable because FB hasn't enabled this feature yet but laptops and desktops are a go! If you were to have any downtime and have access to a computer, I'm begging you to simply click the link below, then click vote! Your support means so much to me, as would this scholarship!

..and if I'm not mistaken, one voter will be chosen for a $500 scholarship too!

Thanks in advanced!

http://apps.facebook.com/offerpop/Contest.psp?c=23657&u=8205&a=100142423390621&p=98010892793&v=Entry&id=89208&rest=1

Help Me Help Others!

I've recently tweeted a request for you to join me on my Free Rice team, Making a Difference, and I wanted to take a moment to further elaborate on this request so that you have a thorough understanding of what my team is about, how it helps others, and what it entails on your part. In case you aren't familiar with Free Rice, it's basically a game of questions and answers where every correct answer donates 10 grains of rice to starving children in Africa. There are various subjects in which you can choose to play like English Vocab, English Grammar, French, Spanish, Italian, German, Mathematics, Literary, and Art. I've personally enjoyed using this tool to strengthen and reiterate the little bit of French I've learned in classes. All you have to do to join is create a free account, or simply log in by connecting to your facebook (it entails maybe 2 clicks of your mouse at most). But don't worry, Free Rice doesn't post to your facebook page unless you click "Share". This is an easy fun time passer, especially if you're anywhere with a few seconds to waste. As I've previously said, giving is a gift itself; the opportunity to make a difference in the life of another, and Free Rice only entails giving a few seconds of your time! Anyone and everyone is eligible!

My personal goals for my team is to bring people together so that we can see the impact we can make as a team. We currently have 3 members, including myself, and have already donated 22,000 + grains of rice for those in need. If only 3 of us can donate this amount, imagine what 5, 10, 50, or 100 of us could do! I am enclosing a link to my group page so that it's easy for you to join: http://freerice.com/content-group/making-difference-5.

So as my final plea, please consider joining my group. By helping me, you are also helping others, and in return helping yourself in the gift of giving. The feeling you'll get inside is irreplaceable. Thank you to those who have joined and those who are soon to join! It means a lot!

Hello Again

Ahh, if the road were only paved with good intentions it wouldn't be so rocky! I've definitely INTENDED to blog more this summer than I have, but busy and exciting things have been happening so I beg your forgiveness. Just a brief update, Jude is doing well though he and Bruce still don't play well together. That being said, Bruce is doing well too. This summer Madison and I both pitched a few songs for our first time which resulted in a positive reaction, and therefore lead us into adding "business owners" to our personal lists of adjectives as we now own our own publishing company. Speaking of business, Fall term starts back on Aug 29 and I will continue to obtain my business degree which is ever nearer! I also intend to continue writing for The Alchemist and will post links to my publications as they come into fruition. Our tour schedule has been busier than ever this season so on our days home we've learned to make time to relax despite the little things that may need not-so-mandatory attention around the house. I've successfully NOT reached my personal reading goal for the summer (of 10 books, should've been easy breezy), though I read Kara DioGuardi's biography this past weekend. You see, a particular series met it's official close at the box office this summer and my attention to any other literary existence was non-existent. Can't help it, I had to say my proper goodbye! However, Black Friday came early this year and presented itself in the form of "Border's Going Out Of Business Sale" which means our in home library is now complete with the proper oh-so-comfortable furniture we basically got for a steal of a deal. So, I'm a happy girl!

Recent pensives:

"Difficult" is a temporary adjective best erased by time and experience.

Xoxo,

Hey Jude

On Sunday, we were home for our annual family reunion, which landed on Father's Day this year. My dad came, and as we were walking out to see Bruce (dad hasn't seem him in quite a while), we noticed that a kitten had run under our porch. Dad and I "kitty watched" for several hours, I found some food, and tried to lure it out from its hiding. By the end of the day, my determination and persistence (and a few stealth skills) paid off, and I caught him. I held him, pet him, and calmed him. While doing so, Madison and I noticed something was wrong with his mouth and that he was injured on his side. The more we examined, we realized that his lip had been detached from his gums and wouldn't hold up... his entire bottom jaw was raw gum. From what we've read on Google, we're thinking this kitten was possibly tossed out of a moving car. First thing Monday morning, we took him to the vet for an exam. We refrained from naming him even though he'd already captured our hearts until everything came back clear and we knew we could keep him. The vet stitched his lip up and we brought him home this morning, and as you already know, we've named him Jude. Happy early birthday to me! =)

Some of you have asked how he and Bruce are getting along... Due to Jude's oral surgery, we haven't mixed them yet, but I'll let you know.

In other exciting news, I've opened a small online store for the jewelry that I make. You can access it through the link on the left side of the page! You will also notice that I've added the option for you to subscribe to my blog via e-mail!

Complete Wedding Album!

Just realized I never followed up with complete engagement and wedding photos... Though I've tweeted the link, my nature won't let me stop there. I have to finish what I completed here, on Randomocities, so here you go!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/64079839@N08/sets/72157626829015281/

The Gift of Giving

Ok, this was me:


A few weeks ago, I decided that the heat of the summer and my long thick hair didn't make for the best relationship. Besides, for a while, my heart had been set on donating to Locks of Love. So, I took the plunge. Keep in mind, my hair had never been shorter than BARELY above shoulder length, so this was very exciting not only because I was giving to someone with a greater need but because I was exploring uncharted territory for me! It was a bit scary too, might I add.. not having a clue what'd I'd look like with really short hair.

The minimum donation for Locks of Love is 10 in. We braided my hair, and cut it off quickly so that there was no turning back! If this has ever been something you've thought of doing, let me encourage you to JUST DO IT! Giving is a gift itself; an opportunity to make a difference in the life of another. It's so emotionally rewarding... if you aren't giving, you're missing our on some genuine happiness!



Since then, Jeff & Sheri were booked on the Opry which is always extremely fun and cool! When I found out that Aaron Tippin was also performing that night, the 10 year old inside of me was jumping with excitement. I was 10 in the year 2000, which was the year for Aaron Tippin's single, Kiss This. This was my favorite! As we were watching his performance, he sang a tune which I was unfamiliar with while putting together a bicycle. I didn't understand at all, but once he finished and explained that in every show he performs he does this, then donates the bike to Toys for Tots. My respect from him went from being that of a 10 year old enjoying a catchy melody to that of a 20 year old seeing someone with a giving heart.


Also, Madison and I have recently begun sponsoring through Compassion International. Our little girl is 10 years old, her name is Winifred Apeley Nubi, and she's from Ghana. She enjoys singing, playing with dolls, and jump roping. She lives with her aunt and helps around the house. It's strange the way we found her, the way she spoke to us. When we first began talking about sponsoring, Madison told us that he wanted the child that no one else would pick, one that's been overlooked in the sea of faces, one with a great need for us. I began going through our stack and choosing faces that spoke to me, and ended up with a stack an inch thick! At that point, I went back through and began reading information on each child. When I got to Winifred, I began to weep as I read her packet. She reminded me so much of myself at her age but the biggest thing that stood out to me was that she lived with her aunt. My aunt took care of me while my dad worked and was one of the largest female roles in my childhood life. For everything Madison and I were looking for in a child, she fit. I can't tell you how much the opportunity to help her has been a blessing in my life. I only hope we can be as big of an impact in hers.

It doesn't take anything drastic to be a giver. Everyday presents us all with countless opportunities to commit acts of kindness, large or small. You will always find what you're looking for, for example, you will find a way for a horoscope to pertain to your life if you believe in horoscopes. So believe in giving, and seek the opportunities to do so! Open the door for someone, smile at them, provide your time, attention, labor, or whatever you can offer in a given situation. And even beyond that? Find things around your house that are no use to you, like old clothes that you never wear, and provide them to someone with a greater need! If you take a minute to explore ways to make a difference, you'll find 'em! Just look!

...Everything boils down to perspective... which is a whole 'nother blog that I'll be writing soon. But for now, here are a few of my favorite ways to give back.

www.locksoflove.org

www.toysfortots.org

www.freerice.com

www.goodwill.org

www.samaratinspurse.org

www.compassion.com

www.rhmc.org

ww5.komen.org

Xoxo,

Speak Up!

Okay, I sat down tonight to transfer my Paris/London journaling into a blog, but in rereading what I wrote (and considering how much I wrote), I thought this would be smarter. If there's anyone who really cares to read it, I'll blog it. I didn't know if maybe my writing meant so much to me because it was my experience or if anyone would actually be interested in it, so I'm letting you decide. If you are awaiting my Paris/London Journal blog, leave a comment and let me know. Now's the time to speak up!

If not, I'll blog again when I can. =)

Shan

A Brief Update

Hey there,
I don't have all of our wedding photos to share with you yet, and I've yet to write a blog about our wedding and honeymoon because I keep waiting around for time to include ALL of the details. Basically, I plan to copy my journaling from our honeymoon to my blog, but the transfer of pages of handwriting into text, well... it'll take some time, and the print is at home!

For a very brief update, I'm currently still in school and will be taking 3 classes come Wednesday (pray for my endurance, please), and still write for the Alchemist. I'm also enjoying married life and taking care of my own household now.

We're currently on our Life is Great and Gettin' Better West Coast Tour with 2 dates remaining and a 2800 mile drive home ahead of us. It's been a great trip so far; we attended the 53rd Annual Grammys, and I even got a few days of visiting in with a high school friend of mine, Sara Anne, who attends UCLA.

Here are a few pictures from our trip to LA, Hollywood, and Santa Monica Pier to hold you over 'til the next blog.
Thank you for your patience.

Xoxo,

The First of Our Wedding Photos

We have a few wedding photos in that I'd love to share with you! I'll post more as I get them!
Shan

http://www.donnanphotography.com/wedding/shannon-madison/#disqus_thread

Engagement Photos

Hi everyone,

I have the best intentions to blog quite a bit in the near future to update you on our wedding, honeymoon, and life in general. For now, I'd like to share a link with you of our engagement photos taken by Andy Donnan out of Augusta, GA.

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and New Year! I'll be in touch soon!

http://www.donnanphotography.com/engagements/shannon-madison-engaged/#more-4393