A God of Small Things, Big Things, and Things In Between

A lot of the time when we contemplate having an eternal, infinite God so huge that he created the entire universe and everything it in – from tiny little atoms and their components to everything they make up – we can feel overwhelmed and doubt if that same God has the time, patience, and/or interest to consider us and care about our problems. I mean, why should God care if I pass my Psychology exam if there are so many bigger things to focus on – like ISIS? But when it comes down to it, God is a God of big things, small things, and things in between.

How do I know this? The Bible has lots of references, such as Matthew 6:26-34.

"Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

Matthew 10:29-31 is another verse that shows how God is interested in things both big and small.

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

These verses illustrate several points, two of which I am going to focus on. The first is that God cares about the birds and the plants. Compared to how many children are going to bed hungry, the many diseases plaguing the world, political turmoil, and countless other things, birds and plants can seem inconsequential to us. Yet, as Matthew 10:29 says, not one sparrow will fall to the ground and escape God’s knowledge. So, though these things seem small and inconsequential to us, they are important to God. The second point is that God cares about us. As Genesis 1:27 tells us, humans are made in the image of God. We matter to him. Although all of his creations are special to him, we are the most special – the most important – to him. And as you can see from the verses above, if he takes care of things that are of less importance, he will take care of us, who are worth so much more. God is a God of both big things and small things.

Aside from the Bible, I like to look at my own experiences for proof that he cares for both big and small things, and even the things in between.

A couple months ago I woke up with a horrible stomach ache. Not to get into TMI territory, but I thought I was going to be sick. Seriously. Instead of getting up and doing something – like going to get a bucket or pills – I sat in bed and prayed to God to take away my pain. I won’t say the pain was gone instantly, but it did begin to fade instantly. A stomach ache doesn’t stand up next to all of the issues going on in the world, but God cared enough about me to take away my pain almost instantly when I asked.

My family got a phone call from one of my mom’s friends late at night a few weeks back. She said that her brother had been in a motorcycle accident and was in ICU. He had internal bleeding and was in an induced coma. He hadn’t been wearing a helmet. The family had been asking for – and receiving – lots of prayers. He should have died. But he didn’t. He is going to recover. God cared enough about this man’s life that he allowed him to survive an accident that should have killed him.

So we can see that God is a God of both small things and big things. But what about the things that fall somewhere in between suffering from a bit of pain and almost dying?

A couple weeks ago I woke up in the middle of the night and was hit with the realization that I’m going back to school and that if I don’t get more scholarships then I don’t have enough money to cover all of the expenses. I knew I had enough money for tuition, but what about books? What about gas? What about food? This is something that I’ve been anxious about for a while, but it just sort of hit me at that point. Was I not supposed to go back to school? Did I make a mistake when I decided to pass up the opportunity to become a grant writer so I could go back to school? Was I not supposed to be a teacher? Had I royally screwed up? I said some prayers and finally managed to fall back to sleep. I was too lazy to turn my alarm clock off when it came on, so I just laid in bed for a few minutes and listened to the radio. After a while a commercial came on that was basically encouraging people to become teachers. “That’s uncanny,” I thought. Later on that day I got onto my school account and saw that I had been awarded another scholarship.

God cared enough to take away my stomach ache, to save a man's life, and to encourage me and help me out financially when it comes to school. If you ask me, that's awesome.

The next time you feel weird asking God for something or you start doubting if he really cares for you, try remembering the things that he has done for you so far in your life. Look at the Bible. Reflect on the times someone you know told you about answered prayers. God cares. He cares about the big things, the small things, and even the things in between.

Cheers!

Molly

The "Ideal Body"

DISCLAIMER: None of the images featured in this post belong to me. I found them all via Google image.

Here's what I don't get:

The perfect "real" body. So what, the Victoria's Secret models have fake bodies?

Okay, I get the idea. There's no way the VS models naturally have such small, toned bodies; the DOVE campaign women are showing off [what I assume are] their natural bodies. Not a lot of women look like the VS models, so the idea is to present more "natural" looking bodies as the ideal body. But what I'd like to know is, Why do we need an "ideal body"?

One of the women featured above has been a recent victim of Fat-Shaming, and the other has been criticized for being too skinny. There is plenty that could be said for this, but there are two things I'd like to say. One, Kelly Clarkson just had a baby, and Giuliana Rancic is as skinny as she is partly because of her cancer medication. Two, WHOSE BUSINESS IS IT???

Every time I get on Pinterest, I'm bombarded with images of fit girls in sports bras and shorts. Here's something that I frequently come across:

It's totally great if you look like this. Really. But what about those who are still just skinny? Not to mention, this is still kind of insinuating that curvy and robust is at the bottom of the pyramid. If we really want to empower women, we need to accept them all; not just "the new skinny."

This really makes me scratch my head:

If the goal isn't to look fit, why post a picture of a perfect set of abs and that much-desired thigh gap? It's not like feeling fit and looking fit are one in the same; I feel fit, but I definitely don't look like that!

I get it. Fitspiration. There's nothing wrong with striving to be strong and fit. However, it's when things like this show up that my hope for humanity decreases about three feet:

Have you never had pizza? Double Stuf Oreos? Chinese food? Cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory???

I believe that our society is making a true effort to help women love themselves and feel beautiful. However, I also believe that in our attempt to make ourselves feel beautiful, we fall back on old, childish habits like tearing someone down to elevate ourselves. There's nothing wrong with wanting to be fit and strong ("the best you you can be"), but there's also nothing wrong with loving your "natural" body. I feel like we find ourselves in one camp or the other, and, like rival high schools, we go after each other like wolves defending their territories.

Confession: I play the comparison game. I look at other girls and think, "Oh, I'm doing much better than they are" or "My legs are so much more attractive than theirs" or "My body looks similar to theirs, and they don't look too bad, so I must be doing okay." I'm not positive, but I'm willing to bet that I'm not the only person who does this. It isn't fun.

I don't want to play the comparison game anymore, and I don't want anyone else to play it, either. I want us all to look at each other and acknowledge that we are all created differently, and we're all beautiful in our differences. On the bright side, I do believe that we are making progress in this area and are becoming more encouraging. Unfortunately, the encouraging thing can get a little... off course?

Jessica Kane, who a lot of people would consider to be plus-size, went to the beach without a coverup. People told her she was brave. Her [shortened] response was "THIS WAS NOT BRAVE. Things that DO take bravery? A family battling tragic illness, a mother trying to beat addiction, a person trying to break free of domestic violence, reaching out for help when you have already planned your suicide and feel like you can't breath one more day. THAT is brave. Not wearing a swimsuit at the beach." Check out the original post here.

Why should we be considered brave for not being ashamed of our bodies? We are all human, whether we're size 0 or 32 or 74 or 102. Real women are not skinny, curvy, strong, or whatever. The following meme sums it up perfectly.

Another celebrity who has been in the media for weight issues is Demi Lovato. In case you missed it, she posted a picture of her lack of a thigh gap with the caption: “You don’t have to have a thigh gap to be beautiful. It is possible to love your body the way it is.”

During an interview for E! News, Lovato explained, "For some reason this whole thigh gap thing has kind of swept over what people think is beautiful. And if you have that naturally, then that’s totally fine, you’re still beautiful. But my body doesn’t naturally have that. I wanted to show my fans out there who don’t naturally have [the thigh gap] that it’s okay. You don’t have to have what you see in the magazines if that’s not what your body naturally has." I couldn't agree more!

Health is what's key. If you are diabetic, pre-diabetic, suffer from high blood pressure or any other weight-related disease, then you have something to worry about and need to start paying attention to your body. But needing to lose weight because of health-related issues is not related to beauty or attractiveness; it's not that you need to "fix" your body because there's something "wrong" with it, it's that your body isn't healthy and needs a little TLC. However, health comes in many different shapes and sizes; there are larger-than-average people out there who don't suffer from weight-related issues. So unless your doctor recommends weight loss or you're really bothered by your weight, don't sweat it (the same goes for people who are smaller-than-average).

"Real" women are not curvy. "Real" women are not skinny. "Real" women are not strong or fit. Real women are curvy, skinny, strong, fit, and everything else. You want to know who isn't real?

Sorry; I couldn't resist.

You are beautiful if you eat a burger or a salad or an entire package of Cadbury Creme Eggs. Starving yourself isn't beautiful, and neither is gorging yourself. Healthy is what's beautiful, and, as discussed earlier, healthy comes in all shapes and sizes. Don't starve yourself and don't gorge yourself (and don't beat yourself up for eating all of those Cadbury Creme Eggs). Go for more walks, drink more water, eat more fruits and veggies, and do more of the things you love.

Be happy and be healthy, because that is what's beautiful.

Molly

P.S. If nothing tastes as good as skinny feels to you, then good for you! As for me, I'll follow up my salads and protein shakes with my DQ Blizzard. (It's all about balance ;) )

National Encourage a Young Writer Day 2015

Today is Encourage a Young Writer Day 2015! I am a young writer myself, and I rely heavily on encouragement from my family, friends, and professors. Unfortunately, I know that not every young writer has the awesome backup support that I do. For this reason (ie the lack of encouragement), Encourage a Young Writer Day is extremely important.

I'm a young writer myself and I understand how important encouragement is.
Photo courtesy of Sabrina Bailey from The Red Room Photography.

Now, what constitutes as “young”? I know a lot of people in their 30s and 40s who are aspiring writers. Don’t they deserve encouragement? Well, yes and no. Writing is a very difficult profession because it is an art form, and heaven knows artists are never satisfied with their work; therefore, all writers need encouragement. However, I believe that people who are older are typically better able to handle the pressure and hold themselves up better than people who are in their 20s or younger; they aren’t as fragile because they’re more experienced. BUT, age is relative. Compared to 70, 30 and 40 is young. Compared to 90, 70 is young. So wherever you fall on the age spectrum, listen up, because this day can be for you, too!

Writing is challenging. It’s an expression of internal thoughts, feelings, and desires. It’s not easy getting what’s inside to go outside. Emotions and dreams aren’t easily translated on paper, but there’s very little that compares to the feelings that come with successful expression. It takes time and patience to develop the talent of translating thoughts and feelings into words, phrases, and expressions. Unfortunately, some writers and dreamers are encouraged in all the wrong areas; they are encouraged to give up their daydreams and focus on something more… tangible and “reliable.”

If you are one of those unfortunate writers who has been encouraged to give up, listen to me: your dreams are not silly and they aren’t unreachable.

If you start to doubt whether or not you’re really a writer, the answer is yes. Writers write. What makes a writer a writer is not the ability to write perfect, beautiful poetry or prose the first time, every time you set your fingers on the keyboard or put pen to paper; that’s a fantasy and a complete lie. First drafts (and second, third, and forth drafts) suck. As long as you are writing (anything more complicated than a grocery list counts), you are a writer.

Writing isn't easy, but it's worth it.
Photo courtesy of Ashley Escola Photography.

Writing isn’t easy, but it’s worth it. Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do it. As long as you are able to get words on paper or a computer screen (or even if you have to narrate your story and have someone else write it for you), you are succeeding at writing.

Don’t worry about being perfect. Don’t worry about what others will think about what you write. Focus on yourself and your story, and go write something!

Molly

For more encouragement for young writers, check out MelissaTagg’s guest post on Christy’s Cozy Corners. 

For more on how first drafts always suck, check out Anne Lamott’s essay here (warning: foul language ahead. But it’s definitely worth the read).

Motivational Monday 18 - Apply Yourself

Have you ever looked at a task or considered a goal, decided that it was too insurmountable or impossible, and just given up? Sometimes, rather than facing challenges head-on, it’s easier to just give up, go home, and forget about it.

Image source.

Challenges take us outside of our comfort zones, and heaven knows people love their comfort zones. The problem is that a lot of things we desire, a lot of things that we deserve, lie outside of our comfort zones.

Image source

I’ve given up plenty of times. I am human, after all. However, if I had given up on every single thing that had ever given me trouble, I would definitely not be where I am today. Chances are, you have the same situation. We change over our lifetimes and we change when we are challenged. Some things that would be different if I had given up would be my weight (I’d be about 20 pounds heavier), my education (I wouldn’t be getting ready to graduate from college with an associate degree), my writing (this includes books, short stories, blog posts, and even status updates), and my relationships.

I am a member of Phi Theta Kappa, the “oldest, largest, and most prestigious honor society for two-year colleges.” One of my chapter advisors has this saying when it comes to applying for scholarships: “You can’t win unless you apply.” During my first semester as a Phi Theta Kappa member, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to apply for the scholarships. I was busy with homework and life and, besides, what were the chances that I’d actually win? But I ended up applying. And let me tell you, it was hard work! I went into it thinking that I just had to answer a few basic questions, only to find out that I had to write essays and get letters of recommendation. Rather than giving up, though, I pushed through. And guess what? I got a scholarship.

My advisor’s little saying, “You can’t win unless you apply” can also relate to life. You can’t win unless you apply. You don’t live a satisfying life unless you put some effort into it. Let’s face it: life is hard. Unless we want to merely survive in life, we need to put some effort into living.

Whatever goal or task you’re facing right now, I want to challenge you to apply yourself. Don’t take the easy way out. And even if you don’t come out on top, you can at least take comfort knowing that you didn’t give up and that you had the strength and ability to keep going, no matter how tough the situation seemed at times. And that’s the point; it’s not always about winning, but about knowing your limitations and pushing yourself further each time (to a healthy extent, of course) to become a stronger, more confident, you.

Get out there and fight for what you deserve!

Molly

"Why Me?"

“Why me? What have I done to deserve this?” This might be a phrase you think after experiencing car troubles, getting laid off at work, or even when you’re sick. Even during Bible times people thought bad things happened because someone had done something wrong. See what the disciples asked Jesus when they came across a man who was born blind:

“Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” (John 9:2)

As children, if we do something wrong, we get punished. A toy gets taken away; we get sent to bed with no dessert; we get grounded. Because of these upbringings, I don’t think it’s unnatural to think that if something bad happens then it must be because we have done something wrong. The thing is, though, life rarely works this way.

Maybe one reason why we want to believe that bad things happen because someone did something wrong is because it doesn’t seem fair if that isn’t the case. Why should someone good and innocent experience such grief and pain? It might make us feel a lot better if there were legitimate reasons why such tragedies happen. But life is rarely fair.

The good news is that, as Christians, we can have faith that God has everything under control, even the bad things. When Jesus’ disciples asked him who had sinned that the man was born blind, Jesus responded:

“‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned… but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.’” (John 9:3)

We may not like all of the crappie stuff that happens to us, but we can take comfort knowing that God has a plan for us. As Christians, we can know that God works all things for the good of those who trust and love him (Romans 8:28). Even if we can’t understand why things happen, we can know and trust that God will work things out for us.

Take comfort in this: it isn’t just bad things that happen to undeserving people. We did nothing to deserve Jesus’ love or sacrifice, yet he gave it freely.

Image courtesy of Google Images.

 And we are not alone in our suffering. Even Jesus knows what it’s like to suffer for no fault of his own. He did not deserve death, yet, because God loved us so much, he came and died a sinner’s death on the cross. God has a plan, always. Jesus did not want to die, but he knew God had a plan. Right before he was taken away, “He withdrew… knelt down and prayed, ‘Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.’” (Luke 22:41-42)

Whatever you are going through, or whatever you will go through in the future, remember: God knows what you are going through and he will be there with you and see you through.

Happy Easter everybody!

Molly

God the Father

Image courtesy of Sabrina Bailey from The Red Room Photography.

Spring semester has only just begun and I already feel beaten and worn down. It’s not that the workload is heavy; in fact, it’s relatively light compared to previous semesters. The problem is that I’m not ready to be responsible. I’m not ready to make myself do the little homework that I have; I would rather watch TV and surf the Internet (in particular, waste hours browsing Pinterest).

Since I’m feeling stressed out about my responsibilities, I’m stressing out about everything else that’s going on because, well, why not? I’m already stressing out, so why not stress out more? Why focus on just school pressure when I could also focus on the troubles I’m facing with finances, relationships, and my health? It’s an all-out stress fest over here.

If you are human (and I’m assuming you are), then you can probably relate to my situation. You might not have the exact same troubles that I’m having, but you probably have troubles of your own that just seem to pile up. It can be exhausting right? It would be so much better if we could just crawl under a rock and hide for the rest of our lives.

Hiding under a rock is no way to live. Also, it's a bit creepy. Image courtesy of Google Images.

 Unfortunately, hiding under a rock is not an option and it’s no way to live a life. The good news is that it’s okay to wallow (just not for very long). We have legitimate reasons to be stressing out.

If you’ve accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior then you’ve already got someone there to listen to you rant and vent. Some people might say that it’s bad to complain to God, but you know what? He created us. He knows us. He knows when we’re really upset; pretending not to be upset isn’t fooling him.

Jeremiah, one of God’s prophets, complained about how God “deceived” him (Jeremiah 20:7-18). He complained and whined… he had good reason to be upset. As a prophet, he wasn’t exactly well liked. (Would you like someone who talked of destruction?) God knew how tough Jeremiah’s situation was; he wasn’t even angry at Jeremiah for complaining.

God “examine[s] the righteous and probe[s] the heart and mind” (Jeremiah 20:12); God isn’t shocked by our anger. It’s okay to come to him and complain, just as Jeremiah did. And I don’t know about you guys, but I feel so much lighter once I’ve explained to someone how I really feel, especially if I’m angry.

Here are two things about accepting God as our Lord and Savior:

One, we are children of the Most High King. We are sons and daughters of the King and Creator of the universe. We are nobility. Pick your head up, look yourself in the mirror, and remind yourself that you are a son or daughter of the Lord God Almighty, who gives strength to his people.

Two, we are the adoptive children of God. We have the right to run up to him, crying “Abba,” “father.” He is a loving father who does not want to see his children suffer. He waits for us with open arms and will comfort us in times of trouble. “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” he promises (Hebrews 13:5; Deuteronomy 31:6). Also, “He will wipe every tear from their eyes” (Revelation 21:4).

Life is stressful. Cry if you must. Wallow (but not for long). Realize and accept that you are only human and can only do so much on your own. Then turn to God and take your problems to the cross. He is the loving father who is waiting to comfort us in every trial, no matter how trivial something might seem.

Cheers!

Molly

Motivational Monday 17 - Broken Crayons

GEUSS WHAT???

I am 20 years old and I still love coloring. I color with the kids when I volunteer in Sunday school. I color with my friends when they come over for a visit. I color when I’m by myself. The fact is, I love to color.

Over the course of my life, I have realized that even if broken crayons aren't as fun to use as brand spankin new crayons fresh from a brand spankin new box of crayons (the 96 Crayola pack with the built-in sharpener), they still do their job. Crayons are crayons, broken or not. They have a purpose and their purpose (usually) is to make beautiful artwork. I use them to color pictures. Other people use them to make awesome melted crayon artwork. It doesn’t matter if they are broken; they still have a purpose and they can still serve that purpose.

People aren’t crayons. No, people are more complex than crayons. The purpose of people is to do more than make art. (And honestly people can create a lot more interesting art than crayons can.) If crayons can function properly after being broken into so many pieces, then we, as people, can still manage to function no matter how many times we’re broken.

Is it fun to be broken? No. Does it happen anyways? Yes. Can we choose to keep ourselves from being broken? Probably not. Can we choose to function properly after being broken? Most likely yes.

Each and every person has a purpose. Whether it’s to love someone, care for someone, create something, do something… whatever it is, we all have a purpose. That purpose doesn’t go away simply because we feel incapable of completing the task. Our ability to complete our purpose is not taken away just because we feel incompetent.

If crayons can still color after being broken, then you can do your purpose, no matter how broken you feel.

So go out there and live your life, do your purpose, and maybe color a picture or two (or if you’re more creative, make some melted crayon art).

Have a good week!

Molly

The Sinful Nature

Disclaimer: I could say plenty about this topic, but to save time, I’m only mentioning a few basics.

Do you find yourself (or someone you know) asking if one is really a Christian if they still feel the urge to do sinful things? What about when one does sinful things? If a Christian has the Holy Spirit inside of them then they should only want to do (and then only do) what the Spirit wants, right?

Wrong.

The thing is, even though we may have the Holy Spirit living in us, we’re still human and, consequentially, sinners. The human nature is to sin while the Spirit’s nature is to do the will of God. Just because you invite Jesus to live inside of you doesn’t mean that all of your sinful urges are *poof!* magically gone.

Christians are humans, just like everyone else. What makes us different is that we realize that we are sinners, we realize that we need a savior to save us from our sins, and we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior. In return, we attempt to mimic Jesus in the way we live our lives; that’s why we are called “Christians,” or little Christs.

Even Paul, who wrote a lot of the New Testament, had the battle of God’s will versus sinful nature inside of him.

“I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?” Romans 7:15-24

Jesus is the only man who does not have sinful nature. As Christians we might have Him living inside of us but that doesn’t mean we don’t have sinful nature. So the next time you start to wonder “Am I really a Christian?” because you [have the desire to] sin, ask yourself instead if you believe Jesus is the Son of God who came to die on the cross for your sins and if you are attempting to live your life as He did. If the answer is yes, then, chances are, you are, indeed, a Christian. Don’t worry: we’re all human here.

Molly

Motivational Monday 16 - A Quick Pep Talk

GUESS WHAT???

You guys have survived Christmas (and everything that goes along with it)! Give yourselves a big round of applause.

The New Year is almost upon us. 2015 is sure to have its share of ups and downs; things are sure to occur to make you doubt your ability to go on. But you know what? You can do it. You’ve gotten through all of the previous years and their share of obstacles; you even survived Christmas 2014! You can do anything; you can survive. I know you can.

I hope you all have a happy (and safe!) New Year. Go out there and make it the best year yet! I know you can do it.

Cheers!

Molly

The Season of Getting

Merry Christmas everyone! As I said in my latest Motivational Monday post, this is the time of the year that has pretty much all of the stress of the year stuffed into just a few weeks; it’s the season of joy and giving… and rising blood pressure.

With all of the hype and stress that goes on, it can be easy to forget the real reason why we even celebrate Christmas in the first place. Instead of remembering Christ’s birth, we’re struggling to remember what it is that our friends and family have been asking for.

I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’ve heard the spiel “it’s not about the gifts” one too many times. Honestly, by emphasizing that it’s not about the gifts, we can inadvertently forget that the season really is about getting; the entire Christmas season exists to help us remember the gift of Christ’s birth.

The whole reason why we even have Christmas is because God sent his son to die on the cross for our sins. He made the ultimate sacrifice so that we wouldn’t have to. He gave us the most precious gift. Even if we might not mean to do it, we can almost snub God’s gift by stressing that Christmas is not about the gifts.

It’s nice to get together with loved ones during the holiday season, but that’s not why we celebrate Christmas. We celebrate because God gave us an amazing gift. Instead of worrying about finding the perfect gift for every person in your life, take the time to remember the whole point of Christmas. It’s not supposed to be a stressful time; it’s supposed to be a time of celebration!

I hope you all have a merry Christmas and a happy New Year! Don’t stress the small stuff; don’t put more stress on yourself than needed. And if you’re still stressing out over finding the perfect gift for someone on your list, how about you introduce them to the reason for the season (if they aren’t already acquainted with it)? God gave us his good and perfect gift not so that we could stress out every year, but so that we can experience freedom and salvation.

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given.” Isaiah 9:6

Cheers!

Molly

Motivational Monday 15 - The Holiday Spirit

Image courtesy of Sabrina Bailey from The Red Room Photography.

Because it’s the season of giving, a lot of people are going to feel the pressure of spending a ton of money to bestow wonderful gifts on family members and friends. A lot of people’s credit card debt is going to sky rocket between now and December 25^th (and possibly even January 1^st). The knowledge that you have to find these wonderful gifts, paired with the knowledge that these wonderful gifts are going to cost a ton of money, is enough to make any person’s blood pressure rise.

We like to stress the importance that it’s the season of giving and not getting because, for some reason, people believe that focusing on the getting takes away from the Christmas season. Unfortunately, focusing on the giving can have the same effect. If you are so focused on the giving, you might find yourself worrying that you aren’t a good person if you can’t find these wonderful gifts for your family and friends, so you’ll be pressured into buying these gifts that you might not be able to afford, and the issue described in the above paragraph will commence.

I think it’s time that we stop stressing the giving part of Christmas. It’s not about the giving or the getting; it’s about celebrating the birth of Christ and spending time with loved ones. And if these loved ones are worth your love, they won’t care if you get them wonderful gifts or not. If we do things correctly, they’ll be happy just to spend time with you.

The holidays have always been a stressful time for my family. We’ve never had the money, but my parents still wanted to give my brother and me pretty much everything that was on our Christmas lists. This led to arguments. I’ll admit that I did want EVERYTHING on my lists when I was growing up, but now it’s not about the getting to me. It’s not even about the giving. I just like spending time with my loved ones; that’s what makes the holidays for me.

My family and I were watching Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas (the REAL one, not the live action one) and I was struck how the Whos all grasped the concept of Christmas. Although I’ve known the point of the story for years, I think it just sank in for me. Everything was taken from them. Not just their gifts, but their decorations and their food, too. But they still all got together at the end of the movie to sing songs. They didn’t let their situation define their Christmas; they knew it was about much more than stuff.

Image courtesy of Google images.

So, wonderful people, please don’t worry about giving this year. Don’t worry about getting every single person in your life a gift that they will love. Get your loved ones something meaningful and from the heart. And please make sure that you can afford everything that you’re purchasing; I’m sure your friends and family will understand if you can’t get them gifts. Do you really think they want you to go into debt because of them?

Can I take a second to suggest handmade gifts for your family and friends? Most people I know would love to receive a batch of homemade cookies. (If you aren’t a baker, though, I might suggest you try something different!) As for your kids, I would say it’s okay to get them some things that are on their wish lists, but how about you make sure that they REALLY want it and will use it for years to come before you go out and spend hundreds of dollars on said thing?

I honestly can’t tell you everything I’ve ever gotten over the years, but I can tell you that every year I decorate the house with my family, bake cookies with my family (and eat most of them before Christmas), look at the Christmas lights, watch Christmas movies that I've seen so many times over the years, go see my dad’s family on Christmas Eve and my mom’s family on Christmas Day. 

Family photo with Santa at my dad's family's place.

Memories make the holidays. People make the holidays. Things don’t make the holidays.

Cheers!

Molly

Motivational Monday 14 - The Good, The Bad, and The New Year

Happy December everybody! The year is drawing to a close; so many things have happened during the past 365 days, both good and bad. A couple weeks ago we had a couple days to reflect on our blessings, and I encouraged everyone in my Thanksgiving Post to forget about all of the bad things for those couple days. Unfortunately, just because we ignore our problems doesn’t mean that they go away.

Bad things happen to people, both bad people and good people. And for some reason, bad things just tend to pile up all at the same time. As the saying goes, when it rains it pours. The good news is that it can’t rain forever. Even in Ohio, one of the dreariest places during November through April, the weather doesn’t stay bad forever. It sometimes seems like the snow and slush and rain in sleet and all the other nastiness will never end, but the dreary season does eventually end and we’re gifted with beautiful weather.

Even the nasty snow and ice can be beautiful. Not everything is completely evil,
not even the bad things that happen in life. Photo courtesy of Sabrina Bailey from
The Red Room Photography.

As the year comes to a close, it’s okay to reflect on everything that’s happened this past year, both the good and the bad. Sadly, bad things are never going to stop happening. But instead of being discouraged by everything bad that has happened, I want you to realize that you’ve survived a lot. You have the potential to survive whatever happens in life. Remember that as you go into the new year.

Just like bad things are never going to stop happening, good things are never going to stop happening, either. So remember the good things that have happened this past year, and realize that even better things are on their way. Never give up hope, no matter how bad things seem; you never know what good thing is right around the corner.

Christmas is a time where both good and bad things happen. The world is full of joy and happiness; it’s the season of giving. At the same time, people are full of stress and their blood pressure rises. It’s like the whole of the year stuffed into one month. But, just like you’ve survived the year, you can also survive the Christmas season. I promise the stress won’t last forever!

Ah, Christmas. The season of joy and rising blood pressures! Photo courtesy of Sabrina
Bailey from The Red Room Photography.

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and a great New Year! Remember: you’re going to survive (both the Christmas season and the New Year)!

Molly

Giving Thanks for Blessings

Some background info: every month, I need to fill out a calendar that shows that I’m actually doing something with my life, then send it in to my case worker so that my family can still get my fraction of government benefits. I need to send it in by the fifth of every month, but it needs to be sent out at the end of the previous month so that it gets there BY the fifth so that I don’t get a “sanction.” Before I can send it, though, I need my professors to sign it, validating that, yes, I have been going to class.

I forgot to have my Tuesday/Thursday professor sign my paper yesterday. That normally isn’t a problem, because I can just have her sign it on Thursday, but this Thursday is Thanksgiving and the college is closed for the rest of the week. So I freaked out a little bit and rushed to school to see if I could catch my professor and have her sign it, even though she’s usually not in her office when I’m not in class (meaning, I usually don’t see her on Mondays and Wednesdays).

I was already on my way to school when I realized that I forgot to pack a protein bar. I have fifteen minutes between my classes on Mondays and Wednesdays, so I don’t have time to eat a real lunch or stop to get food. I knew I had a handful of almonds in my backpack, so I figured they would have to tide me over till I got home.

Since I knew my professor usually isn’t in her office when I’m out of class, I figured I would have to email her when I got to school and ask when she would be available to sign my calendar. I pass her office on the way to the computer lab, so I took a quick peek in when I passed.

She was there!

I ended up interrupting an audio recording that she was doing, but she signed my calendar anyways cuz she’s just awesome like that. (Then she put a sign up outside that said “Do Not Disturb.”)

So that solved one problem. I still didn’t have food, but I was still planning on having my almonds. However, when I finally made it to lunch time, I knew that they were not going to be enough. I knew my professor always has pretzel sticks in her office, so I decided to run by there and see if she happened to be in her office again.

On my way there, I passed a bake sale. They had “cuties” (mini oranges) for 25 cents. So I bought one. And then, my professor was in her office again! (And NOT making a recording!) She gladly gave me two pretzel rods, and she even gave me an apple and a granola bar. I was only searching for something that would hold me over until I got home, but by the time my search was over, I had enough to eat then and there, and then some.

For me, nothing other than “miracle” describes my entire morning/afternoon. My Tuesday/Thursday professor is never in her office when I pass by on Monday/Wednesday, but she was there TWICE today. I got my calendar signed and I got food (more food than I needed). Although I will admit that my professor is awesome for signing my calendar for me and giving me food, I’m giving God the glory for one, giving me such an awesome professor, and two, allowing me to catch her twice when I needed to, even though odds said that I wasn’t going to see her.

I kept thinking of the Bible story about the little boy with the loaves and fishes and how Jesus took something so small and blessed it so that He could provide for all those in need. This stuff didn’t just happen in Bible times – it still happens today.

No matter how unlikely something may seem, no matter how hopeless or desperate a situation, God is never going to leave you alone. He’s always going to be looking out for us, whether we’re driving on the road during a snow storm, facing unexpected crises, or just looking for a quick snack to tide us over. He’s always going to provide whatever it is we need – and then some.

This Thanksgiving, I challenge you to think of all of the ways God has blessed you over the year. Really think about it. Then take the time to tell him thank you.

Have a happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Molly

Motivational Monday 13 - The Thanksgiving Post

Image courtesy of Sabrina Bailey from The Red Room Photography

Happy Thanksgiving week everybody! No matter what your take is on the history of the holiday, remember that it’s still a time to take a step back and acknowledge all of the blessings that you’ve received. There’s a lot of negativity in the world today, and a lot of complaining about pretty much everything, so it’s important to take the time to stop complaining and give thanks for the good things in life.

I think the most common complaints that I hear are about jobs/employers, the lack of support from family members, and money. I know a lot of people who can always find something to complain about. I can even find stuff to complain about. Sometimes we have legit reasons to be upset, but that doesn’t mean we have to let these unfortunate things keep us from being happy. No matter how bad your life may seem, there’s always something to be thankful for.

People complain about their jobs a lot. They either don’t get enough hours, they get too many hours, they’re denied certain benefits due to them, etc. It’s reasonable to be upset about this stuff, but don’t let it keep you from being thankful. Do you know how many people are looking for jobs and would be happy to take on the one you spend your time complaining about? Think about how you would really feel if you lost this job. Would you really be happier? Whatever the answer, realize that you are blessed to have a job in this economy.

Other things I hear people complain about are their family members, whether direct or extended. I myself have complained about certain family members. They don’t help out around the house, their sole purpose in life seems to be to make your life harder, they’re freeloaders, they take advantage of you… the list can go on. However, when you start to get upset about a family member (or even a friend for that matter), think about how many people have nobody to turn to or talk to on a daily basis. And when you contemplate spending time with that family member this holiday season who you would rather not have to deal with, think about how many people won’t have anyone to spend the holiday season with.

Image courtesy of google images.

I don’t think I know a single person over the age of ten who has not, at some point, complained about money. Money makes the world go ‘round, after all, and if you don’t have it, then you can’t buy the stuff that you want. But then, even if you don’t have the money, you can buy stuff, and go into tons of debt. People are going to go out this Friday and spend a ton of money on stuff that they really don’t need, and probably charge a lot on a credit card that they can’t afford. Money is a sensitive subject. But I think it’s important to think about all those people in the world who can’t even afford to give their children adequate nutrition on a daily basis. Think about those who can’t afford to take care of their families and watch their loved ones starve to death. Money might be a tough subject in your life, but it isn’t as tough as it is for some people.

Sometimes it’s okay to complain. Our complaints aren’t always unfounded, and we have a right to have them. It’s when our complaints become more numerous than our joys that we see a problem develop. So this holiday season, instead of complaining that you have to work on the holiday, be thankful that you have a job; or, if you don’t have a job, be thankful that you don’t have to work during the holidays. And when you have to spend time with people that you don’t particularly like, think about all those people who will be spending the holidays lonely. And when it comes to money, think about those who are less fortunate than you are. Realize that you are blessed, no matter your situation.

As the wise Albus Dumbledore put it, “Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.”

Image courtesy of google images.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Molly

Motivational Monday 12 - The Impossible

You know how people say that it’s impossible to lick your elbow? Well, I can lick my left elbow. Not the right, but I can somehow get my left arm in such a position that I can lick that elbow. I’ve also met one other girl who can lick her elbow. So there are two theories here: either people are lying when they say that people can’t lick their elbows, or this girl and I are just freaks of nature.

Whatever the reason why we can lick our elbows, it still remains that we proved the doubters wrong. According to those who believe it is impossible to lick your elbow, we have just accomplished the impossible. Sure, licking your elbow is a pretty trivial thing, but it’s still awesome to know that I’ve proven the impossible to be possible.

How many things have been called “impossible” only to be proven to be possible? People used to believe that man can’t fly. I’m sure it seemed impossible to believe that man would ever walk on the moon. If you traveled back in time and told the people of the past how many miraculous things we’ve accomplished by today, I’m willing to bet that their response would be one of two things: have you thrown in an asylum, or shout “Impossible!” Or maybe both.

I think just to be on the safe side, you probably shouldn’t be taking any trips to the past.

Have you heard the saying “Nothing is impossible; the word itself says ‘I’m possible’”? Well, I’m sure there are some things that will always be impossible, but there are a lot of things, as we’ve already discussed, that are and will be possible. I don’t know what you’re going through, or what the “impossible” is for you, but I want you to know today that it is not impossible. You can do it or get through it (whatever “it” is). Remember: the impossible just takes longer.

Cheers!

Molly

Motivational Monday 11 - A Lesson from NaNoWriMo

If you hadn’t guessed by now from my posts, I am a writer. I have been writing since I was young, but I began writing more seriously at about fifteen. I have been working on the same novel (and its sequel) since then. Because I have been focusing all of my writing time on this project (my baby), I have been averse to starting any other project. Thus, when introduced to the concept of NaNoWriMo, I decided that it wasn’t for me.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with NaNo, the idea is that you write an entire 50,000 word novel in the month of November. You are supposed to start an entirely new project for NaNo, although some people “rebel” and build onto the novels that they’ve already been working on, aiming to add 50K by the end of the month. I’m already finished with my novels and I’m in the revising/editing stage, so I wasn’t even going to sign up to “rebel.”

Although I am still working on my “baby,” I take time off during the time that I’m in school so that I can focus on it more clearly. I don’t want to divide my attention between schoolwork and revision/editing, because I’m afraid I might miss something while revising. However, all of this academic writing has begun to stifle me. I knew I needed to do some creative writing soon or else I would go insane. So I decided to sign up for NaNo about a week before it started.

Image courtesy of NaNoWriMo.

 I have never, never, never experienced such abandon when it comes to writing as I have experienced while writing this novel for NaNo. The idea is to write an entire 50K word novel in one month, so you really don’t have time to second-guess yourself. Some of the stuff that I’m writing is utter garbage, but I’ve noticed that if I let myself get stuck on that scene, I wouldn’t have been able some of the awesome scenes that follow.

I think there are a lot of times in life when we get so stuck on something that we don’t move forward onto the awesome stuff. We’re either worrying about past mistakes that we’ve done, or holding grudges about something that somebody else did. We hold on to the past and don’t move on to the future; and when that happens, we don’t get to experience the awesomeness stuff that follows.

There’s definitely a lesson to be learned from the abandon of NaNoWriMo. Besides learning how to write without second-guessing yourself, it teaches us that no matter how awful something is, it’s not like it’s going to keep us from experiencing something great. Even though I can change what happens in my novel (eventually; in the months of January and February), I can’t exactly change what happens in the past. But that’s OK: the point is to just keep going, because if you stop, you won’t experience that awesomeness that’s going to follow.

So whether you’re writing a novel or living your life, don’t sweat the mistakes; either they can be fixed, or they won’t end up defining the bigger picture. The key is to just keep going!

Cheers!

Molly

The Author of Life

No matter what’s going on around me, I know that God is in control. And the good news is that God, who is in control of everything, loves me and promises to take care of me. Sadly, I still don’t always trust him as much as I should, and I freak out when something doesn’t go the way I plan, or if I’m trying to make plans and I can’t see how they’re going to make out.

If you’re like me, you might be interested in reading my Control Freaks post.

It’s taken some time to get used to, but I think I’ve finally come to accept the fact that God is the author of life. I’m a writer, so this metaphor helps me. When I write, I understand my characters wants and desires. I [usually] know what’s going to happen before they can see it coming (whether a disaster or something wonderful). I love my characters and I will never abandon them. So it makes sense that God, the author of life, loves me more than I love my characters and that he will never abandon me.

Sometimes life doesn’t go the way I plan and I get upset. But it’s not up to me to be upset. It’s not up to me to be upset at God for letting these things happen. Because God is the author of my life, he gets to decide what happens to me, from beginning to end. The good news is that just like how I will never leave my characters to suffer through a trial on their own, I know that God will never leave me. Also, I will never let something bad happen to my characters without planning some way to redeem them, and I know the same goes for God.

Even though my life is my story, God is the author. It’s not up to me to decide what’s going to happen or what’s not going to happen to me in life; that’s God’s responsibility. My job is to deal with the circumstances when they come my way, and trust that my author won’t leave me to struggle through the obstacles alone.

God loves us and he doesn’t want to harm us. I know there are plenty of authors out there who enjoy putting their characters through trial after trial, and sometimes the main characters dies at the end. The good news is that God is a benevolent author! (And even if you do die, if you’re a Christian, there’s no better happy ending than spending eternity in heaven with God.) He won’t let you go through trial after trial without having those trials mean something, teach you something, or lead you somewhere in the end.

Remember: God makes all things work together for the good of those who love him (Romans 8:28).

Cheers!

Molly

Motivational Monday 10 - The Blank Slate

Disclosure: I have consumed more chocolate bars than I care to count over the past 24 hours. Therefore if my post does not make sense, please don’t blame me; blame the sugar. Thank you.

My neighborhood had their trick-or-treat this weekend, and I have no self-control when it comes to snacking, so I have probably consumed about 2,000 calories worth of chocolate from late Saturday night until early Sunday evening.

Candy is delicious, but only good in moderation!

For those of you who have been keeping up with my blog, you probably know that I’m also a health-buff and promote healthy living. So you can probably jump to the conclusion that not only am I physically ill from all this sugar, but I am also a bit disappointed with my lack of self-control.

However, there is good news: tomorrow is a new day.

Isn’t it wonderful to know that no matter how badly we may screw up, we always have a chance to get it right the next day? It doesn’t change the fact that we did mess up, but it does mean that we don’t have to be defined by our mistakes. Tomorrow is always tabula rasa, or a blank slate. We have the choice to either make the same mistake again or learn from our mistake and make new choices based on that.

Now, the fact that there is always a tomorrow does not give someone the excuse to screw up over and over again. If you start the day thinking that you’ll get it right the next day, or the next day, or the next day, you pretty much give up your right to the blank slate theory. Tomorrows are meant to redeem mistakes, not confirm them. Besides, infinite tomorrows are not a guarantee.

No matter what mistakes someone may make today, that doesn’t mean they have to be defined by them. People learn by their mistakes; so instead of saying, “I’m a failure because I failed,” try saying, “I might have failed, but now I know what doesn’t work and that will help me figure out what does work.” Trial and error.

So while I might have cheated severely on my diet today, that doesn’t mean that I’ve completely screwed up my life and I have no other choice but to give up healthy living. I can have a fresh start tomorrow (which will probably include a couple meal-replacement smoothies and/or a salad, along with several glasses of water).

Remember: just because someone made a mistake today, that doesn’t mean all of their tomorrows will be the same.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go into a sugar coma for the next several hours.

Cheers!

Molly