Monday, June 18, 2012

Belonging.

Something I’ve recently discovered… that I struggle with trying to find where I belong…

I don’t really feel like I belong with my friends that have husbands and families.

I don’t really feel like I belong with my single friends… because I don’t have a mindset of drinking and partying all night.

I sometimes don’t feel like I belong at home because I’m 26 almost and should be living alone according to society.

I sometimes don’t feel like I belong much of anywhere.

I long desperately to be loved. To find my place by someone’s side. But I’m slowly having to adjust to and learn that is not something that I can readily search for.. that is obviously out of my control. It’s definitely so hard to find a place where you feel like you belong.

But in my deepest thoughts I realize that I belong with God. By him. Walking with Him. Talking to Him… Letting Him be my guide.

Sometimes its so very hard to turn our lives over to God, isn’t it? We still struggle with the wanting to control our own destiny until we realize that.. we are in no control at all of our own destiny. That no matter how many knobs we try to turn, no matter how many windows we try to break, no matter how many tree’s we try to climb… if it’s not Gods will.. If its not God’s way.. it will never happen.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him.. And he will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6

Because.

Just because no one has been fortunate enough to realize what a goldmine you are.. Doesn't make you shine any less.

Just because no one has been smart enough to figure out that you can't be topped.. doesn't stop you from being the best.

Just because no one has come along to share your life.. doesn't mean that day isn't coming.

Just because no one has made this race worthwhile.. Doesn't give you permission to stop running.

Just because no one has realized how much of an awesome woman you are.. Doesn't mean they can affect your femininity.

Just because no one has shown up that can love you on their level.. Doesn't mean you have to sink to theirs.

Just because you deserve the very best there is.. Doesn't mean that life I always fair.

JUST BECAUSE GOD IS STILL PREPARING YOUR KING.. DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOURE NOT ALREADY A QUEEN.

Just because your situation doesnt seem to be progressing right now.. Doesn't mean that you need to change a thing.

Keep shining, keep running, keep hoping and keep praying.. Keep being exactly what you are already: complete.
~TD Jakes

Friday, June 15, 2012

This speaks to me.

"Ignoring the accumulation of wounds, offenses, slights and injustices that we have endured can lead to an outbreak of serious problems that debilitate relationships & end productivity. Confront the issues and receive healing." ~TD Jakes

So much of my life I have spent keeping silent about things that hurt or affect me. Too many times I have made excuses for the people that wound me. Too many times I have been too understanding about why people CHOOSE not to be active or present in my life. Too many times in my life I allow my friends pardons where there should be none. *I* am important too. Through my discovery of my NEW self and through my walk with God, I am learning that while I can turn my hurts and anguish over to him, I ultimately am the only one that has the power to stop letting people hurt me.

I am taking that power.

Monday, May 28, 2012

Sharing with you..

My little makeup corner! 

This blog is slowly but surely becoming a hodge podge of several things for me, and I love it! I have some deeper posts coming up soon, but today I want to share with you something I've been dreaming of and working towards for a couple of months now. For what seems like centuries, I've been doing my makeup at my computer desk, with my makeup strewn all about and in different containers.. Ya'll are probably aware that I still live with my parents, so sometimes my room tends to get a little cluttered. All of the purging I did was to create space in my room to allow for me to get a vanity set.. but my thinking changed. I decided to get an accent table, and some storage. I'm currently still looking for a vanity stool but my computer chair works okay currently. I am a bonafide, certifiable makeup junkie. I have been since I was in high school. Only recently I've gotten into the higher end (Urban Decay, Too Faced, MAC), but drug store makeup has always worked for me.. I feel its just as good as the other stuff. And so since I've gotten more into makeup recently, I've wanted to have a nicer space in order to do it. It makes me feel more grown up, I suppose. 

This is where I've been doing my makeup. Tiny tiny space. 

This is where all my makeup was stored.. in the yellow container with pull out drawers, on top of my filing cabinet, lol. You can see all my makeup brushes and other things scattered all over it. 

THIS is my new area to do it!! SQUEEEE! I'm so excited! The table has a pull out drawer, and then the white storage thing has 3 wicker baskets that you can pull out. All in all, this only cost me $218.00 at BIG LOTS! Yes! Big lots! I was so surprised to see such nice stuff there for cheap!

This is the left side of the drawer that pulls out. I found a 3 slotted drawer organizer at Target for like 3 bucks.. Everything that is in this drawer is the things that I use the most. My 2 urban decay palettes.. naked & naked 2.. blushes, mac shadows, woodstock & uzi by urban decay. 

The right side! Just has my bare minerals makeup (the ONLY makeup that doesnt make my face look like crater world), my contacts, and some other junk. I still haven't COMPLETELY organized this the way I want it. 

Now to the storage part!
This is the top wicker basket... the pink thing was in the dollar section at target! It holds all my lipsticks, glosses, lip liners, etc. Then the sweet lookin Hello Kitty tin basket (I'm obsessed with Hello Kitty, so ya'll know she had to make an appearance sooner or later!) is just eyeliners and some mascara. 

The second wicker basket holds bronzers, blushes, and all my makeup palettes. Which, I'm thinking of some other storage solutions for those, so that should change soon. Then the 3rd wicker basket is empty. 

This little gray thing sits on top of the storage shelf and holds things that I just haven't found a home for yet.. I somehow have 3 unopened pencil sharpeners!?

Just a fun instagram picture... I cleaned my makeup brushes today too.. they definitely needed it.. they are stored..

Here!

Another fun instagram picture... ya'll know I'm a nail polish junkie too.. and these are the only 3 perm nailpolishes that will be on my table.. they are absolutely gorgeous! 

I hope you enjoyed a tour of my new little favorite space; where is YOUR favorite space?

Saturday, May 19, 2012

Playing catch-up.

I'm so sorry for disappearing on this blog. I've worn myself thin between two blogs and began losing my inspiration. So I've actually put my nail polish blog on an indefinite hiatus. I may or may not eventually blog again there, but this blog will definitely become my main focus.

I have so much to write about.

The other day I could button my favorite pair of jeans even after washing them! I honestly dreaded putting them on! I was all huffy & puffy and ready to blow my house down.. then I slipped them on my legs, then over my thighs then ahah! They buttoned.. comfortably! It felt amazing. I may or may not have done a little bitty happy dance after buttoning them. It's just affirmation that focusing on my diet and lifestyle change.. even though very difficult, is working. I'm learning to hold myself accountable for what goes in my body. Up until last Wednesday, I'd had no fast food in 2 months. But I allowed myself a medium french fry and a large sweet tea since it was always my favorite... and while it should've been yummy and tasty, all I could think about was.. "why the Hell did i love this so much to eat it 4x's a week?!"

I've recently had to overcome my first bout of depression. I've been in a very unhealthy, unfulfilling relationship for the last 2 years. I was searching for love in the wrong place. I wasn't aware of how much it affected every facet of my life until a couple of weeks ago. I actually got pretty emotionless.. very cold-hearted. VERY depressed. I actually wound up splitting with this person for good Monday a couple weeks ago. I know that it was the best decision for me, and my growth, because a lot of those black clouds I'd been living under actually started to dissipate. This is the first time I've been truly single since I was 19. I've been in a cycle of one bad relationship after the other. Searching for love in places that I somehow know I'll never find it. I feel very desperate to be loved from another human being. And wherever I can get that, I take it. It's a cycle through my relationship with God, and healthier living, that I'm learning to break. I've let go of the need to find love. But have instead decided to let it find me. But I sometimes still wonder out loud to myself, "Will I ever find my husband and have my family?"

I still live at home with my parents. After getting myself into a lot of debt and hardship, they were kind enough to let me move back home, and I've been here ever since. I've been comfortable here. They don't watch my coming's and going's or tell me what to do. However, my dad is a very very sick man. But we don't know the reasons.. because he refuses to go to the doctor. He's pretty much given up on life, it seems like. He hasn't been out of the house in a year. He sleeps upwards of 18 hrs a day. My mom & I had plans to go to a wedding today, and Friday morning he jumped all over my mom for 'ruining his effing weekends' because me & my mom always go out on weekends and 'leave him with the dogs.' And I've bitten my tongue for so long, watching his disintegration, that I exploded. I told him all he ever wants to do is sleep. And that Wednesdays (which are my day's off from work through the week), I typically stay home so he doesn't have to deal with the dogs. I've literally stayed home every Wednesday for months, and he still chooses to just sleep. He'll get up for a few hours, then go right back to sleep.

But everyone has tried talking to him. Trying to convince him to go see a doctor. And he refuses. So there's really nothing anyone can do. But he tends to make me or my mom feel guilty for going out and doing things. Every time we go to dinner, we ask if he wants to go. And he mumbles and says he doesn't feel like it. Every time we go on vacation, we ask if he wants to go. He says no. He says that when I get his age (72) that I'll understand why he sleeps so much. But I've known 90 year old's that are much more active than him. Instead of facing the reasons he's given up on life, he seems to find alternate things to blame it on, and make others feel guilty for living. Which has lead me to the decision to try to find a house to buy in the next 6-8 months. Which will allow me time to get my car paid down, and pay off the rest of my credit cards. Basically any money that I don't have to spend, will be going into savings.

My original goal had been to own a car by the end of this year, but I honestly can't keep living in this depression. I dread coming home every day. There's just a cloud of depression that hangs over this house, and I know its not healthy for me to live in.. especially when I'm trying to rediscover myself & walk more with God. I honestly don't know how my mother still does it.. she's always had such a beautiful spirit and it seems to be so crushed lately.

But after he and I fought Friday morning, it lead me to do a lot of bible reading when I got to work. I actually discovered a few favorites from Psalm's and my new new favorite from Proverbs, which I will be sharing on this blog eventually. I'm still brand new in my walk with God, but every day, through various circumstances or instances, I feel Him draw me nearer to Him. Such as Friday morning. I've found a new bible that I want to get. Don't laugh, but I've been using my 'Extreme Teen Bible' that I got when I was first forced into church by some friends. I love it, but I want a more 'traditional' bible to use in conjunction with it. I found this amazing thin-line bible which would be perfect for me to carry around with me. Any idea's on which translation I should get? I kind of like the NLT.. But I think the NIV is more traditional? HELP!

Happy Saturday to you all, you know I love you.

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Purging.

Sorry that I haven't posted in a few days... I am definitely still continuing on my journey of self-discovery and discovering my relationship with God... I've had a busy week. I was on vacation from work starting last Monday, and I actually had millions of errands to run. Then on Wednesday my mom and I took off for the Biltmore and stayed in Asheville Wednesday & Thursday nights. We got home Friday afternoon about noon! So believe it or not, my vacation hasn't felt like much of a vacation at all, lol! I need a vacation from my vacation. Anyhow, I'd had plans to do an art thing today, but I guess that didn't pan out so I spent most of the day purging things! I've been on this "purging" kick lately. Like purging clothes, shoes, purses, etc that I don't want/need anymore. I've never been a purger. I've been more of a clutter-bug really.. I won't go so far as saying hoarder, but I know I have tendencies. I cannot believe how much stuff I have kept over the years. SOOO much stuff is going to the Goodwill... I have kept so many clothes, purses, shoes, and such that I literally ran out of room in my closets... so it began taking over my floors.. It was getting bad. But I'm definitely on the road to being semi-clutter free... its an awesome feeling. Its the first time in my life I've been able to look at something and WANT to get rid of it/give it away.

I'm also about to embark on a pretty intense weight loss journey. I don't have much support, so I'm going it alone. Sure my parents support me, but as far as a workout buddy, I have no one. So its definitely more strenuous/upsetting to have to do it alone, but I'm definitely very motivated. The person I started this journey with actually began working out with her other guy friend, and well... kind of left me in the cold. I'm trying not to be bitter over it, but it upsets me because WE were supposed to do it TOGETHER... and I just feel like she abandoned me. So I've decided to join a gym and dedicate myself to going atleast 4x's a week. I've already started eating better, drinking more water, etc.. so I know that intense exercise is the last element. I'm tired of feeling like a "fat" person. Or crying when I look in the mirror because I hate how I look. Its definitely to the point that I NEED to do something about it, instead of just "willing" the weight to fall off. I can't even stand being naked anymore. So, heres to starting a weight loss journey. I'll be sure to document things here... My starting weight tonight is.... 206 pounds. I'm at my heaviest I've ever been. My entire life I was barely 120 pounds soaking wet.

My doctor has warned me that my birth control may make it very difficult for me to lose weight. I'm hoping the odds aren't against me and that once I get myself into a routine and dedicate myself.. that it'll get easier and I'll feel less discouraged. Here's to hoping.

Thursday, April 12, 2012

To do's

"The little plans I tried to carry have failed, O'dear God. But I will not sorrow, I will pause a little while, and try again tomorrow." - Anushree Karnani

My to-do's:

1. Continue on my discovery of my relationship with God. 

2. Begin taking care of myself again, IE putting on makeup, accessorizing, etc.

3. Get regular pedicures. It is summer, after all.

4. Save as much money as possible -- this means cutting out buying a lot of nail polish, or frivolous things. 

5. Read the Harry Potter series before summer is over... yes. A geek. I know. 

6. Rediscovery of myself. The things I love, and the things that make me happy. 

7. Be a little more understanding.

8. Learn more patience. 

9. Get organized. Everywhere. Closets, bathroom, filing cabinet, computer desk. 

10. Live life with a smile.