Be the star!

"There are two ways to shine: be the star, or the eye that reflects it. Today I decide to be the star." That thought actually came to me as I drove home from school yesterday. There are so many times in this life where we have the opportunity to stand up for what we feel, what we believe. It really doesn't matter if someone else thinks our decisions are "right" or "wrong". What matters most is: does that choice ring true to my own belief in accordance to how I feel I should live my life?

I am making a lot of decisions in my life right now. Some of them, I have been afraid to make because I was worried about what others might think of my choices. I have come to the conclusion that every decision I make impacts me the most, and the only opinion I should really consider is my own.... not oters, so much. I should listen to the other opinions to get information regarding my decisions, but base the decision on what I feel lis the right thing to do. Wow, that is really a powerful thing to learn!!!

Acceptance

"We work so hard to find acceptance, and then discover the acceptance we are truly looking for is our own; to believe, to feel and to recognize that we were perfect all along. Those "imperfections" we found in ourselves are nothing more than traits that make us who we are. When we get to where we can truly accept ourselves, then what others think and say about us means very little. Then an odd thing happens, these other people look at us and say, oh that's just who they are." - Max Crapo

It never ceases to amaze me the things we learn from our friends. I love that true friends are like mirrors, and can reflect to us the lessons we need to learn the most. For a long time I have struggled with self esteem. I felt that happiness came from sources outside of me... and the more I did for others the "happier" I could feel. I have discovered this is not the case.

Recently, I have discovered that there is a beautiful person that looks back at me every morning in the mirror. I actually feel she is pretty cool! I have always hidden from the camera-by being behind one. It's been pretty amazing to me to see myself in pictures. In the last couple days I have looked excessively cute, and have had 2 friends take my picture... it feels really good to like myself!

Profound thoughts

"I believe with all my heart that life is not black and white. It is not only shades of gray, it is all the colors of the universe. Only when we step out of our black and white world do we actually begin to see it." -Max Crapo

What an amazing quote from my friend today. I have been seeing things through eyes for the past 24 hours, and this quote really struck true to my heart.

I know I have posted this picture before, but I have been spiritually touched today- and I want to share it. Would this picture be as moving in black and white? Would it have the same feeling, the same impression? For me, honestly, this picture would not draw me in if it didn't have the colors. That is what grabbed my attention enough for me to take it in the first place. I want to move out of that black-and-white world, and live in a universe of color- to see and feel and sense all the wonderful things God has given to us. Isn't that why He gave them to us in the first place?!

Valentine's Day!

Since my cute niece was born 10 years ago... I think, Zane and I have had a tradition. We go to my brother's house, and my sister's house, and give them a "Heart Atack"! We put cut out hearts all over the door, and write each of them a special message about how much we love them. It has been so much fun for so long! It was so cute today at 8:45 when my phone rang, and it was my favorite T. She asked me "Brittany, did you put all those hearts all over my door?" I told her she was being silly, of course I did!! Then she opened the door and found the hearts we had written on.

I have felt like Valentine's Day has become so commercialized that it drives me crazy. Why is there only 1 day a year when my husband should remember to tell me he loves me? I have told him no flowers for Valentine's... so today, instead, he took me for a drive with my camera, and we took pictures together. We even found another bald eagle- a male this time! He is beautiful! I want to share some pictures from the day!!!

A really long day...

My frineds Mike and Nikki are on vacation. Tammy and I have been tag-team taking care of their two beautiful boys. What a surprise it was this morning at 5:00 when my phone rang saying thre was an emergency with one of the kids and Zane and I needed to get there immediately! Zane, sicker that I remember for a long time, dragged himself out of bed and we ran over quickly. The 10 year old boy we are taking care of had just gone through a grand-mal seizure. Tammy and her girls had taken care of him... but it was a good idea to take him to the hospital to get things checked out. I held this sweet boy in my limp in my lap while Tammy got dressed: Zane laying on the floor like a dead man. Ane then came the second seizure.

I cannot begin to explain the feeling that came over me as I sat, holding a seizing child. I prayed quickly, sang a hymn, and held him until he finished. It was only one minute... but the longest minute of my life.

We drove to Primary Children's Hospital where this young man was poked, prodded and tested every which way. We arrived around 6:00 A.M. and finally were able to return about 5:00 P.M. It was a very long day.

There were many important lessons I learned today, but among one of them was: some things are truly more important than others. A loved friend or family member are priority over anything else there may be on this planet. Jobs come and go, we may hold 50 in a lifetime... but there is only 1 of a particular person, and they can never be replaced.

Happily I can report that the IV came out... and we brought the sweetest young man home to sleep in his very own house today! The Lord is a Lord of miracles, and he truly does hear and answer our prayers!!