Fall

Hello Readers!

    I have been on a bit of a ride of events over the past few weeks! I have helped put a fall festival together, had a nephew born, a sister engaged, and a load of many other things I won't get into! I've been so busy I must admit I have been struggling in staying faithful in the small things. Not that I couldn't make the time, but I honestly just didn't make enough. That's the truth. I have no excuse! I'm actually leading up to something here, just give me a moment! I'll get there eventually!

    I have been busy, as many people are this time of year, but I was driving down the road, and I caught myself speeding a bit so I slowed down. Once I did, I noticed that autumn is indeed upon us! It is absolutely beautiful! I thought to myself, how can I speed through this back road, through this season, and not notice the beauty all around me? So I slowed down some more. Thankfully no one was behind me, because I was probably going ten or fifteen under. I watched as the leaves slowly fell, and as the car in front of me blew them into their own little dance across the road and into the air. Last night, I watched as the moon climbed into its proper place from behind the Tennessee hills. It was beautiful. There truly isn't a better word. The daily miracles God bestows upon us through His creation are truly ineffable (Adj: Too great to be expressed through words)! This morning on my way to work, I had the pleasure of seeing the amazing sunrise! I will never tire of that! Our God is truly amazing!

    Take a moment to see the beauty this season. I don't think I will ever comprehend why God has made it possible for us to take pleasure in the glory of His creation! I am glad He does!  

    On to my point! As I had been speeding through life from one thing to the next, God simply told me to slow down, take time to enjoy the simple things in life. To be faithful in the small things. It's a bit of a pun really, today's post, but autumn is here, don't forget to fall on your knees daily in prayer! I know it's cheesy but, this is seriously what I believe the Lord laid on my heart to write! This season can become so busy that we become like the leaves blowing in the wind and though that can be a beautiful thing, I think we often forget that we must also take time to be still!

"Be still and know

that I am God..."

Psalm 46:10a

I am probably one of the worst at not being still! Because of this, I feel my Father reminding me almost daily to do just that!

"Be still my child!" "Stand still my daughter!" "Slow down! You will miss something wonderful!" "Wait!"

    Why is it so hard? Or more honestly, why do I make it so hard? I feel as if I am I child not understanding my Father's will. Sometimes not willing to understand. I can't say I have always wanted to understand or even give Him time to explain. Not that He owes me any explanation! I sometimes want to go my own way, because I feel as if I understand that. Oh the joys we miss out on when we go our own way in our own timing! These are too precious to pass up! we must die to self as the leaves are dying and fall to our knees in prayer and in humility! We can learn so much from the way God has chosen to conduct this earth, can't we?
    I have another cheesy point to my post today! I was discussing courtship with a friend who is about to be in that stage of life. She was asking me my take on it, where I would draw lines and such when or if my time comes. It got me to thinking about our courtship with Christ. That is what we are doing right? We are to marry Him one day right? So why not think of our walk and relationship with Him as a courtship? We are supposed to be getting to know Him, and we are supposed to be preparing for the big day! Inviting guests and laying up treasures for Him. Christ has definitely been doing His part! He showers me with blessings and gifts daily. He helps me to become a better person (if I let Him). He comes to call on me each and every morning, just longing to fellowship with me, even though He already knows everything about me! He has written me the most beautiful and probably the longest love letter of all time! If I were truly courting Christ, I would long to read that letter over and over again, until I could recite it by heart! I would run to the door when He came calling. I would let Him start a change in me for the better. I would return His favor of gifts with thanksgiving and love! Why don't we think of it this way? it sounds like the perfect fairytale doesn't it? Maybe it's the young girl inside of me, but I love it! I am courting the most perfect man that ever was, and He loves me enough to literally die for me! And one day He is coming to get me and we shall be married in the most beautiful venue anyone has ever seen! I shall sit by His side as He is crowned King of kings and Lord of lords! He shall rule and reign forever. And we shall live happily ever after!
    It truly is a real life fairytale! I am getting excited as I write this! Can you believe it? What love story! And we have a part in it! I know, I know, I'm preaching to myself again! I want to make a change, in that, I want to work harder at getting to know Him! I am going to go read that love letter now! How about you? are you courting Christ properly? Wouldn't it be a shame if when the wedding day came, we didn't know our Groom? So let's get to know Him! Let's fall in love with Christ! Yeah, there's the pun! :)

    Simply,

          Sarah

Hiraeth

 Dehna aderachu! Good morning! 

  I miss it. I miss the language. The culture. The people. The slow pace of life. I miss Ethiopia. It has been about a year since my return to the states. I long for the country so much I feel homesick. Homesick for a place I lived for only three and a half months. A place that was never my home, not really. But what is a home? A place where you keep all of your belongings? Or a place you feel you belong? They are not always the same. Ethiopia became a second home to me in my heart. I miss it. I cannot describe the love I have for that place! That culture. Those people. The hardest thing about it all is I don't know if the Lord would have me return one day or not. My heart longs to run back and live among the people in the midst of the vast beautiful mountains full of mud huts and cattle. But. I hate that word don't you? But, I don't feel as if that is my calling. Maybe one day. Maybe... A word full of hope and also the possibility of utter disappointment. These are words that emphasize the fork in our path. The decisions to be made. So many more decisions lie ahead, I know. I hate those tough decisions of choosing between the will of God and the will of my heart. I know there is no decision to be made. I already made a decision to follow the will of God.

  It is times like these that I am at a loss for words. How can simple paper and ink describe the deepest aching of my heart? Sometimes they can't. Sometimes words can only touch the surface of heartache, but how else can we communicate it? My hobby of writing has shown me my love for new words with deep meanings. Sometimes I find English words that I love, and sometimes I stumble across a word from a different language that speaks for my heart better than any word I've found in my own language. Hiraeth. A beautiful word with a sorrowful meaning. It is bittersweet. Ethiopia was never truly my home, and yet, I'm homesick. I may never be given peace about returning, though my heart longs for it.

  Please understand, I am so grateful for my time I spent over there! I believe it changed me for the better! Though I miss it dreadfully, I am thankful for the time I had. I know the Lord has me here for a reason. This is my first home. He has replanted me here and continues to urge me to grow right here, even if only for a short season. Maybe one day He will replant me somewhere completely different. It may be somewhere I would have never thought of in a thousand years! That is an exciting thought! Some plants start they're growing process best in a certain soil with delicate care. Once they are strong enough they can be plucked up and replanted in the place they were meant to be. I feel as if that is what my Father is doing for me. Preparing me for new soil. Where I don't know, but He does!

  Though I may miss the land of Ethiopia and I may call this place my  home I am looking forward to my Heavenly home!

♪♫♪

What a day that will be,

when my Jesus I shall see!

When I look upon His face,

the One who saved me by His grace!

When He takes me by the hand

and leads me through the promised land,

what a day, 

glorious day that will be! 

♪♫♪

If I can love an earthy place this much, how much more are we going to enjoy our Heavenly home? This thought excites me! This place is going to pass away but I will be planted for good on the higher ground! No more wondering. No more uprooting. Simply peace that passes all understanding!  How I look forward to that day!

  Yes, my heart is still heavy with longing for far away shores, but I can be happy in knowing that I am not planted here forever! Better things await me on that shore beyond the skies than any other land I know!

  I hope you will pray for me! To have patience. To grow where I am planted for God's glory! To have peace and contentment as I grow! To not become weary simply because of the stagnant waters I feel I am in at the moment, but to use it to better myself for the great cause of Christ!

 To all my readers, Ah-me-sug-e-na-lew (Thank you) ! I truly appreciate you checking out my blog! Until next Tuesday! Caio (Goodbye)!

  Simply,

        Sarah

Growing Pains

   Growing up can be a tremendous challenge! It is also a huge blessing because it truly does test your faith! My faith has definitely been tested over the past couple of years! In so many ways I can't even begin to tell you! No list today! :) Lately, it has been, well, again, many things! I have been challenged, discouraged, blessed, grateful, impatient, and confused! I have struggled with college decisions, among other things, but one of the toughest struggles about growing up has to be watching your childhood friends choose the path of this world. I cannot tell you how difficult it is to watch the people you love dearly turn their backs on GOD. Either that, or waiting on God to make His will clear, before you move! I have been struggling so much with each of these lately, it has definitely been a challenge! Please pray for me as I go through this phase of life! I sure hope it is only a phase!

    I have had plenty of friends come and go over the years. I must say I believe I have some of the best friends in the world right now, even if I don't have many. I'm in a strange stage of life, in that I am only 20 but I feel my closest friends are in their 30s. I do have friends my own age as well, don't worry, but I have found friends in the adult figures in my life. I never expected that to be a possibly. It's a good kind of weird! :)

    Waiting and waiting and waiting!

^"And he saith unto them, 

Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? 

Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea;

and there was a great calm."

  "O ye of little faith..." that is me! I am impatient at times, I am fearful at times. Yet, my God is still in control! How can I fear? How can I struggle with my faith and trust in Him after all this time? I'm human, that's how. I worry. I become anxious. I begin to drown in my own fears that Christ can pull me from if I only ask Him to. My my! How can I? How can You, Father, still love me, as I am weak in faith after all of the miracles and signs You have given me? It is easy to judge the children of Israel for their weak faith in the Lord after all they went through. My God is just as real now as He was then!

  Every time I begin to struggle within myself and my soul becomes weary, my sweet LORD softly sings "Be Still My Soul" to my troubled heart. How can I, like the raging sea, not be overcome by  a great calm at His soft rebuke? My GOD my GOD! How can I not obey? Lord, I pray that You will still my heart! I pray that I can stand still where you have placed me. Maybe one day you will decide to pull my roots up from here and set me elsewhere, but for now help me to grow where you have planted me!

  Growth hurts! This seems to be a theme among a few of my friends lately. Or maybe it just stands out to me because it is the theme of my life right now. I'm not going to act like I have it all figured out, because I don't. I'm not going to act like I have a lot of patience, because I don't. I'm not even going to act as if I am strong in my faith, because at this moment I feel weak. So weak and tired of waiting on God's timing! "When?" I ask. "How long?" "To what purpose?" "To what end?" I don't understand why it can't be now? I then realize, I must sound like a whiny child in the ears of my LORD! How humbling to think of myself in this light! Father, I'm sorry! I don't want to whine or complain! You have given me all I need. How can I ask for any more? I don't deserve what You have already blessed me with! I don't deserve any of it! Help me to trust in You!

 

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart

and lean not unto thine own understanding."

  The Lord has placed this verse on my heart a lot lately. No, I don't understand, so why try to follow my own understanding? I have none in this situation! I must trust in the Lord with all of my heart! That seems easy until you are placed in a situation in which your trust is tested! I thought I trusted the Lord, and now here I am struggling. Peter comes to my mind at this time. He thought he had faith and trust enough to walk on the water, until he had actually taken that step! I also remember he did walk on water! It was only when he took his eyes off of the Jesus that he began to sink. O my God! Help me to keep my eyes on Thee! I am weak without You.

"In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths"

  I know You send challenges to help us grow. Yes, it hurts, but as I continue to hear over and over during this time, "Change=Growth=Growing Pains"! This is time is not in vain. I know this because I know You do have a plan for me! I know You only want the best for me. Please help me to trust in that!

 "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you,

saith the Lord, thoughts of peace,

and not of evil, to give you an expected end."

This quote has been continually on my mind

  Though this wasn't very detailed, I truly would appreciate all of your prayers! I thank you all for reading both my light and heavy hearted posts! May God bless you all! Until next week!

  Simply,

      Sarah

My Journey from Gluten Glutton to Gluten Free

[08.23.16]

This post may be a bit on the long side, so bear with me! I am going to be writing about a month long diet here! I have been having some minor health problems over the pass few years that have been gradually getting worse. I have just recently opened up to someone about it for the first time about a month or so ago. I don't want to get into all of that here- yet! Maybe one day I will face it and just come out and tell you guys what has been going on, but for now we'll keep it vague. Anyway, I had come to the end of my rope! I was tired and felt weak and just sort of depressed to be honest. I was feeling sick and didn't know what my problem was. I felt it was somehow my fault and there was nothing I could do about it. Weeelll,... I decided to start looking for a solution, or err, the problem. Which I believe could possibly be gluten! If it is gluten that would explain a lot! So why not try it? What could it hurt? Well, I will miss pancakes, and my almost-daily-bagel, also cookies, and BP&J sandwiches, wait,... can I eat anything? I heard that there is gluten in coffee once... Will I survive? So here we go on my first true diet ever, which I didn't even think of until I was two days in!

Week 1

[08.19-08.25] :

Well the first couple of days weren't that hard to be honest! I did pretty good even if I do say so myself! I went to Wal-Mart and bought salad stuff and fruit, and OHMYWORD IS THAT GLUTEN FREE COOKIE MIX??? It was! Thank my Father in Heaven for this wonderful blessing! "Now please GOD, don't let this be some cruel joke" I prayed as grabbed it off the shelf. It wasn't! You can't tell anything is missing! The first night was a bit tough going to Demos and not being able to eat the bread, but the AMAZING chicken salad made up for it!

I've been doing great since then! Until Tuesday, that is. I work in an office and people we give business to bring us things such as business cards and notepads. Some of them are very kind and bring Hershey's chocolate and muffins (I'm a sucker for a good muffin!). Tuesday, I was brought a bag full of doughnut holes! The aroma was seeping through the bag and drifting my way. I am a glutton for doughnuts and the temptation was getting to be too much to bear, so I stood up grabbed the bag with determination, and placed it in the back room. Once I sat back down, I must say I felt sort of proud of myself! LOL! A silly thing like that was good for me. I could proudly say "I am still going strong on day 5"!
I must confess though, I messed up on the 25th! Not on purpose though! I was happily making a taco with my corn tortilla and I took two bites and realized I didn't even think of the seasoning! So I checked, and yup! Gluten! UGH!!! So I gave my tacos to Bekah and made a breakfast burrito on a corn tortilla. I made a gluten free muffin mix on Thursday night and I must say they weren't great, but they weren't they bad either! They don't have the same consistency, or as strong of a taste, but still satisfying! I can do this!

Known Slip Ups:

•Two bites of a taco with gluten in the seasoning :(

What I Learned:

•Gluten may not be the solution to my problem, but this experiment has been good for me none the less!

• Denying myself of even the simplest things is difficult, but in the long run it is good for me.
• Cutting gluten out of my diet truly wasn't as hard as I thought it was.

• Eating healthy can be hard work, but the outcome is so much more healthy and tasty!

•Giving up gluten does not mean giving up all bread and/or tasty treats. I can still have muffins! (Which is a great thing to know!) but I simply have to make my own!

•Maybe I'll be a better cook at the end of this thing... Or I'll live on salads... Who knows?!

•It's hard living the gluten free life, because well, people. I know this always my main complaint in any subject, but hey people can be pretty annoying sometimes! I don't hate the human race, by the way, I just don't always like people okay? okay. On to my point! You have to ask if something is gluten free and you always get "the look". You gluten free peeps out there know what I'm talking about! You know the look that makes you wonder "do I have an extra head or something?" Because they look at you like you're plain crazy sometimes! Why is that so weird to ask? It may be an allergy! I'm not trying be a health freak or "one of those people" as you call it. Yes I have been asked this ( I think they were joking? I hope so anyway! LOL) But, would it be so bad if I were???

• I know more people that are gluten free than I thought I did! YAY! More recipes!!! And pointers! I can use all the help I can get!
• Coffee doesn't have gluten in it, but some creamers do

Week 2
[08.26-09.01] :

Dun Dun DUN!!! I made it to round two! Woo-hoo! Yay me! Okay enough of the self praising thing Sarah! People will think you are either really self-centered or just plain crazy. Ahem. Now where were we?
This gluten free diet is starting to become a habit now. Like I said, Starting!!! At times I reach for something with out thinking, but soon realize I can't eat it. But I must say, I am starting to get used to it!
I made breakfast for dinner the other day [08.29]. I made pancakes, gluten and non-gluten, and I was told there isn't much of a difference in the tastes! So, I'm not truly missing out, now am I?
I just received some new gluten free recipes from a friend and I am excited to try them and let you know how they go! I may not get to it until next week unfortunately!
I have been noticing a huge difference in myself recently! Especially this week! I feel more like myself! I don't feel totally beaten down with exhaustion all the time. My skin is starting to clear up (though I've still got a ways to go there!!!). I also have been a bit more sociable. I've actually had people tell me these things! For me that is a big deal! My usual nicknames at home are things such as- Hobbit, or Hermit. My room is called my cave on a pretty regular basis! Lol! Maybe you see the picture! I'm not normally known as one to start a conversation, or be social! Maybe I'm not as introverted as I once thought-though I still believe I am an introvert (always and forever)!
[08.30] So glad Mexican and ice cream have gluten free options- even if it isn't exactly healthy...
[08.31] I baked the muffins! I couldn't wait! They were actually pretty good! I may try them again though just to get it exactly right! I still have a Lava Cake recipe to try :)

Known Slip Ups:

•I may have accidentally licked my finger after making (egg-free, but not gluten-free) pancakes for my family... That's not too bad though is it???

What I Learned:

• I am so blessed! The more I've looked for guidance in my diet, the more I have seen the daily struggles of others. People struggle with celiac disease everyday, and I am simply trying this out to see if its a problem. Some people become crippling sick if they eat something that has even come in contact with gluten!
• I have learned more about some diseases that cause gluten sensitivity.
• My focus has been improving a little bit.
• This may sound weird, but I have even seen a difference in my spiritual growth! Maybe food affects more than we all realize!
• Another coffee fact -though coffee is gluten-free, it can mimic gluten after consumption. But it hasn't been proven to do so with organic whole bean coffees. (Ethiopian coffee, here I come!!! :) )
•Dairy can also mimic gluten after consumption in some people- So far I don't believe that is the case with me. But I don't consume a whole lot of dairy on a daily basis though, so it may be?

Week 3

[09.02-09.08]

Wow! I can't believe I'm starting my third week of this diet! I have three more to go counting this week! I may end up staying on it after the month is up, but not being so strict on myself. Then again, we will see how I feel!!!

[09.04] I messed up!!! I ate chicken alfredo without the noodles, but forgot that there is flour in the alfredo sauce... and then I had ice cream- that's safe right? Well, unless it was cookies and cream... yeah. I messed up bad guys! I'm sorry! Seriously, I am so sorry! I was feeling it for the rest of the day! I bet it would have been a lot worse, but I decided I was not going to let that ruin the great day I had been having. I drank over 3.5 liters of water to clear all of that gluten out of my system! I felt so much better! I still felt like I was recovering, and I slept pretty late the next morning. I am going to make it through this guys!!! I simply must be more aware!

[09.05] A friend gave me some gluten free cookbooks!!! The Gluten Free Bible and a slow cooker recipe book as well! I also had another friend give me a pumpkin bread recipe. I am so elated about this guys!
[09.08] A friend of mine kindly gave me some gluten free cookies! They were good!

Known Slip Ups: 

•I had chicken alfredo sauce and cookies and cream ice cream... don't worry, I was properly punished for this misdemeanor!

• I think I may have made a mistake I don't know about because there was one night I felt awful! I don't know why though! Like I said, still learning!!!

What I Learned:

• Some people are allergic to not only gluten but all flours!!! 

• Rice Krispies are gluten free!!! As are rice Krispie treats!!! YAY!... and Duh...

• I'm almost convinced gluten is my problem now... At least a small part of my problem anyway! Then again it may be caused by many things, but I would guess it is caused by yeast as well. Good news! That is fixable!!! Maybe I should try to see if that is the problem too...

Week 4

[09.09-09.15]

[09.09] I went out to eat with friends and got my first glance at the nutritional guide (sounds fancy doesn't it?) at O'Charlie's. I ended up getting a salad that was pretty good!

[09.13] I must say now days its becoming such a habit that I almost forget I am even on a gluten free diet! It is becoming easier as I go! I'm still learning though! The other day I was trying to make some garlic biscuits (gluten free of course) and I only used coconut flour! So of course they crumbled and fell apart! Silly me! I truly don't know what I'm doing! Not yet anyway! I'm learning through trial and error, and that's okay! I am truly thankful to have friends that are gluten free and actually know what they are doing! It is so helpful!

Wow! Week four has come and gone!!! I can hardly believe it! I haven't opened this journal up to write for a few days and I lost track of time and let week four slip by without writing hardly anything about it! Let me catch up!

My amazing mother went shopping and bought me gluten free bread among many other gluten free products! I am so excited about that! I have no idea what happened to this week to be honest with you! I did eat gluten free, but I don't think anything else exciting happened besides my mom getting me some gluten free products! Ooohh! Wait! I did make gluten free pancakes again but this time I put blackberries in them and I basically deep fried them in vegetable oil to make them more crispy, and OHMY! They were delicious! I will be doing that again in the future for sure!

Known Slip Ups:

 •I used only coconut flour in an attempt to make garlic biscuits.

What I Learned

• You can't make bread with only coconut flour! It just falls a part! Hehe! Yeah, I'm truly that ignorant about this stuff!
•Oats are gluten free, which makes chocolate oatmeal cookies gluten free as well... I shall make some soon!

Week 5

[09.16-09.22]

I have got this! I know I can do this! I got my weeks mixed up a bit and thought I was starting week four when I was actually starting week five! Time has flown by! I have been gluten free for over a month now as of Sunday! Who would have thought I could do this? Not me! But here I am! Maybe I shouldn't, but I feel a bit proud of myself! Even though I should have backed off the sugar more than I did!

[09.18]  I got the chance to try a gluten free slow cooker recipe. It was super easy and my whole family seemed to like it! I may try another soon! I made chocolate oatmeal cookies, and I have missed those! I would really like to try a bread recipe this week but I would have to find the time to go buy the flour... I may have to do that next week!

[09.19] I had leftover pancakes, eggs and a small glass of milk for breakfast. I packed my backpack and went on a short "hike" with some friends. We munched on our snacks we had brought. They had crackers and such and I had an apple ( I got the better end of that deal right?) We went out to eat and I got a salad that came with a crescent roll on the side! I set it in the middle and let them have at it. The salad was satisfying. I didn't have time for supper because I went to a church meeting, but I was so hungry when I got home I ate a small plate of chicken, green beans, and radishes at 11:30pm! Yeah I'm crazy I know! I didn't want to go to bed on an empty stomach! Had it not been out already, I probably would have simply gone to bed,... but it was out, sooo... Do you see how badly I need self discipline???

[09.20] I have been slowly backing off the sweets, but I'm going to try even harder this week! I've been eating too much sugar in the mornings! All of the pancakes I've eaten are smothered in sugar and I can't be doing that! That defeats the purpose of a diet! Not that I am trying to lose weight (which I probably could/should)! Again with the self discipline thing! I have got to work on that!

Known Slip Ups:

•None. Just need to back off of the sweets a bit more!

What I Learned:

•You can do anything you set your mind to! If you are determined you can do it!

•It is very difficult to do something you are uneducated about! I suggest if you do decide to go gluten free, read up on it! Learn more about it before you try it. If you don't you are setting yourself up for failure! I did read up on it a bit, which is why I decided to do this, but I wish I would have studied it more! I've been learning as I go!

•If I set my mind to do something, I can be super stubborn! You will not change my mind!

A bit of a sermon for you guys! I was realizing how determined I had become to make it through this diet and stick to it, even though it was something I never thought I could do. A sermon called "You Can Do It" was preached Sunday night. I thought yes, look at how far I have come in this thing I never thought I could, but because I became determined to do it, I have done it! This has applied to other areas of my life such as foul worldly music, among many other things. I purposed in my heart to do it (or not do it) and I got to it! It is easy to do right, when you decide to do right! Don't think "I'm not going to do this or that ever again!" Think, "I am going to please to my Heavenly Father today"! One day at a time. You can't simply focus on what you can't do! You will become discouraged! Believe me I know! Focus on what you can do to bring the LORD glory and praise in the way you live. Whether that be food, music, clothes , language, movies, or whatever. These are things the Lord is still working on in my heart, slowly changing one thing at a time. We must all place our focus on pleasing Him, because that is why we are here. To bring Him the glory and honor He so richly deserves! Ahem. That was free.

 

    Simply,

         Sarah

The Secret Struggles of a Writer

  Every writer knows, there is something a bit different about us. We have weird quirks and weird mindsets. We see the world in a different way. I'm going to spill the beans about our secret struggles. I call these struggles because, well, we can't really help but be this way, even if we try to change we end up deciding it's just who we are! So hold on, it's about to get real!
Grammar
• We are always correcting your grammar, whether silently or aloud. Incorrect grammar can be irritating!
• We are sincerely grateful when you have correct grammar and may just ask the good LORD to bless you for it!
•We even get irritated with ourselves for making grammar or spelling mistakes!
Communication
• We are not always the best communicators. Unless you give us a pen and a piece of paper!
• We love using words that are not commonly used.
• We might be bad at telling stories in person on the spot, but give us sometime to pull it together, and you may be surprised at the difference!
Reading
• Writers love to read. I've never met someone that writes and doesn't read!
• We find pleasure in playing with sentence structure. We know we are a bit nerdy :P
• We not only read, we enjoy finding ways to re-write phrases in our heads.
• Completely fangirling over a sentence is common. "Ooo!!! I love that sentence!!!"
• Writers also secretly have the names of their favorite book characters picked out to name our future children, umm... or characters
Personality
• Many writers have a love of lists... Duh!
• Many writers have a love for old things, such as typewriters... and history, of course!
• A lot of us have a deep appreciation for music, even if we are not musically inclined.
• We are usually organized in some way, if not completely OCD!
• We are somewhat introverted, and sometimes a bit socially awkward.
• We are usually pretty observant. We subconsciously notice and take mental notes of everything to use later in writing.
• Words are beautiful. A lot of writers can get more pleasure from reading the description of a picture than simply looking at the picture itself. Words are prettier to us. Or we enjoy looking at a picture and we see words to describe it in our head. (Now that is fun!)
• We can usually be entertained by our own thoughts. Writers have a crazy imagination! You have no idea how crazy our head can be!
Fears
• We secretly are intimidated by other writers
• We have a secret stack of scribbling's hidden away that we will probably never show to anyone, because they aren't completely perfect. But we will never throw them away, because they are a piece of us.
• Some writers are never discovered because they never believe they are good enough to share their work.
• Who knows how many drafts we have ready to go, but we aren't ready to shared that part of our souls quite yet. So next time someone asks you not to read something- DON'T READ IT! It's not some cute game! We hate it when people say " If you don't want anyone to see it, then you shouldn't have ever written it!" This is like telling an emotional girl not to cry. Come on, its gonna happen! Just let it be!
Writing
• We sometimes write in our head about the things around us.
• Our families know this, but we make super weird and serious faces while writing. So if you see this face -Do not disturb! It means "Light bulb!" and when you speak you could possibly switch that off :( Not good.
• Two words: Writers block. Not good. We feel so useless when we catch writer's block! We also feel awful to hear someone else caught it! (But at the same time we feel relieved it's not just us or it wasn't us this time! lol!)
• We read and re-read our writing out loud to make sure our grammar is correct and we sound like somewhat normal human beings!
• We are stone walls when we have a light bulb moment!  We will probably have to be shaken before we hear anything!
• We know when we have inspiration we must run! Write it down as quickly as possible! Because if we don't grasp it now, we may lose it.
• "Oh! I have a great idea for a new story!" said the writer with ten other stories waiting to be finished.
• We love getting to know our fictional characters
• Sometimes we are even surprised at our own plot twists. Wow, didn't see that coming! And that is the joy of writing! When something amazing appears on the paper, and you didn't originally plan it.
• We all have that extremely irritating moment when we are writing in past tense then half way through we realize, over half of it is in present tense!
• "What are words?" is something I believe we have all asked ourselves as we stared at a blank sheet of paper for an hour.
• When writing at one o'clock in the morning, we have different styles and tastes than we would at ten o'clock in the morning
• If the FBI were to look at our search history, I believe most writers would be behind bars, or in insane asylums!
• Though we love to write, it can be a very frustrating challenge!
• We always struggle keeping within the word maximum on essays
• We go through the same emotional roller coaster our reader will, even though we are writing the story!
• We struggle knowing when to stop writing. Because we could always add so much more...
Why We Write
• We don't always understand our own thoughts. We write to spill our souls onto a piece of paper in order to better understand ourselves.
• We are dreamers. We still believe dreams can come true. We like to be the one to make them come true. If it can't come true in this life, why not create a life in which it can?
• Writers are very passionate about their work. If they write stories, the characters are very real to them, so handle with care! We grow to love them almost as much as we do the real people around us. We love them, grieve with them and rejoice with them as if they are childhood friends.
• Most of us had a dream of becoming a famous writer one day, but later decided (probably in high school) that we couldn't handle that sort of pressure and just stuck to writing for ourselves.
• We write and will continue to write because the process is simply, well I don't know if there is a simple way to put it! It is relieving, stressful, an escape, frustrating and an absolute must! We feel as if we don't write we will boil over! We feel things so deeply, we have to have a place to store some of those feelings and emotions. Our head doesn't have enough space to occupy all of our thoughts at once.
  I hope you guys enjoyed this list! If you have any questions or comments about my secret struggles as a writer, comment below! Thank you all so much for reading! I still can't believe I actually have people reading my scribblings!


  Simply,

     Sarah

15 Years Later...

 

  Wow. Time flies. I can't help but feel a bit weary as this anniversary comes around. To think fifteen years ago, I was a five year old watching in horror as the twin towers disintegrated into nothing, is a wild thing to think about. It seems like it was only yesterday. How can something affect the heart of a child so deeply? I was five! How many five year olds can remember things they saw on the news? How many can understand? That day, I did. I saw not only builds fall, on that sunny Tuesday morning, I saw people jump from them. I could spend so much time in that dark place of sorrow and terror for our country, or I could see that that time not only brought the towers down, it brought people down to their knees! Churches were filled all over the country the next Sunday. People cried out to GOD for mercy! The disaster brought this country together and to GOD. But what happened to that? Fifteen years can numb a person to reality can't it?
  We say "We will never forget!" But do we truly remember? There are still horrible things happening in our country today! We are still being attacked within our own country! Our enemy isn't always someone with a bomb strapped to their back or with a gun hidden in his backpack. We have an enemy that is far worse and more destructive than that! No wall will keep him out! This enemy is sneaky and attacks quietly. Sometimes so quietly we don't even notice what we have lost! You think I'm talking about the Devil, right? Wrong! Though that is true about him as well! I'm talking about you. Yes, YOU! You are your own enemy! Your flesh can destroy this country from the inside out and you are too busy worrying about another terrorist attack to see you have the ability to destroy this country, and you are! We are, as a whole! We let ourselves do whatever we please, take whatever we want, and give precious time that isn't even ours to give to some stupid gadget or game that is complete void! We are thieves. We are spoiling this country of her true value- of the very foundation on which she stands! Where is your money going? Where is time being spent? What about your heart? Where is it? If we don't use what God has given us, we are as thieves in the night. The freedom to worship God is going down the drain, and we can only complain! I remember a story my pastor once told from the pulpit. Parents were all furious because prayer had been taken out their children's public school. The school board had a meeting and invited the parents. The principal asked who all was upset with the new school law. Every parent raised their hand. Then the principal asked who all actually practiced prayer at home on a daily basis outside of mealtime. Not one parent could raise their hand. We may say we believe something, but as a great preacher once said: You truly only believe what you practice. So I ask you, What do you believe? Ask yourself! What do you believe?
  Are you helping or hurting your country by the way you live? By the things you condone? I don't care what your Facebook posts say! What does your life say? Those can be very different things! As I have heard many preachers proclaim, Your silence is your approval! So are you speaking out? Or are you too afraid to face the crowd and stand up for what's right? The world should feel uncomfortable around you! They should feel as if you have something they don't! It isn't you that is different, it is what you have! So don't be prideful, but be Christ-filled! Everyone around Him knew He was different! They should feel the difference of Christ working in and through you!
  In light of the anniversary of September 11th, not only do I want to charge you, I want to encourage you. Though we can be our own enemy, we can also be a place of help for one another! That is a choice only you can make! Church is a hospital to those that are hurting! Whether you are wounded by yourself or another, church is where you can find healing. My GOD, the great Physician, is the healer of all wounds! So no matter what happened or what caused you this pain, He can fix it! Thank GOD, He can fix the broken hearted, and heal the heart that has turned to stone! Thank GOD He can reposition the feet of those who wander, and restore the eyes that have ceased to look on Him! So don't wait! Ask the good Lord to show you your faults. Then wholly give them to Him!
  People ask why did God let this happen? Why did He allow the towers to fall? My question is this: Why did He allow them to stand? We are living in filth and sin and yet God is merciful enough not to wipe us all off the face of the earth! Though it is hard to look at the events of 9.11. and see a merciful God, can you not see it? He opened our eyes for a little while, but then we went on our way as if nothing had happened! If we are so calloused and hard that we can't see God trying to get this country's attention through events such as that, what will it take? The Lord's voice is a still small voice, why must he scream through death, terrorists, and destruction to get our attention? He longs to have a loving fellowship with us and yet we have pushed Him so far from us as a country that He must use drastic measures to get us to kneel for one day! Then what America? Will you continue down this path? My readers, you can help! You can make a difference! It all starts with you! It starts in your home, and in your heart. Make it personal!
  Now just to clear the air, I understand not all death, sorrow, and pain is brought upon someone out of the wrath of GOD. Sometimes it is to place you in the position to make a difference in the lives of others. Sometimes GOD has reasons beyond our understanding. I know no one likes to hear that answer, but it is true! How can a person, understand an intangible GOD? I can say that I've been reminded of something's about my GOD as I've read a certain book. One of my favorite quotes from this book is this: "God cannot be contained in a building". God is not only in a church. God cannot fall with a  building! Which I am so happy to know! My God is all powerful and He can do anything He pleases! I don't know about you, but I want to be on His good side! Can we meditate on these things this week? Can we think, What can I do to better my life, and my country? How can I please an almighty GOD? Can you be more faithful? You may be going to church physically, but are you going spiritually? Are you taking your heart? Or are you going out of simple duty and nothing else? Continue going, but put your heart in it! Fully!


  Thank you for bearing through this post! I know it isn't the brightest, but I pray you got a blessing! God Bless America! And may we NEVER forget!!!


Simply,
  Sarah

About Me

     This is the page where I'm suppose to tell you the basics about myself. Thanks for checking it out! I've always had trouble describing myself, as others have as well, I'm sure! But it is a completely different thing when I'm writing!

  I am the second oldest of five girls. No boys. But that doesn't mean I don't have "brothers"! I have "adopted" many "brothers" as time has gone by.

    A good book on a rainy day is quite tempting to me! I also enjoy writing, drawing, and painting. I love quotes. I am also a sucker for new words with deep meanings. I am silently correcting your grammar. I am a quiet person, but once you get me to open up, I will ramble on forever! Especially if you can catch me when I'm super tired or nervous... weird, I know! I love messing around, and making grate cheesy jokes! I love to rattle off useless random facts that no one cares about. New and weird advances in science are exciting to me! I immensely enjoy criminal history. The process of solving a murder case intrigues me. I really like puzzles. Also, designing and decorating is kind of my thing! Crafts are always fun! Coffee is a great weakness of mine- though I don't drink it everyday. A close second has to be peanut butter M&M's. 

  On a serious note, I have dreams of being a missionary one day. Where? I honestly don't know! But, I have had this desire since the age of nine. 

    Though all of this describes me, the most important thing for you to know about me is I love my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!!! Not only is He my Lord and Savior, but He is my king and my best friend. I hope my blog is a reflection of this fact!

  So much for not knowing how to describe myself... :P

Simply,

   Sarah

Dear Future... Self

Dear Future Self,

  Well, Sarah, we have come a long way! Well I hope you have gone even farther once you read this! Let's say you are my future self ten years down the road. I have such high hopes for you! As you already know, but may have forgotten, I am writing a series on my blog to all of my "Futures".  It is now your turn! What can I say to my future self? "Do better"? Honestly, it is a bit awkward writing to you, or umm, me, whatever!
  I hope everything works out. Wait, what am I saying? It always does when you're within GOD's will! Maybe not in the way you dreamed it would, but in the way GOD had it planned from the beginning.  I'm guessing that you are married- Maybe! If not don't be discouraged! GOD can still use you! And He will use you if you let Him! I could say the same thing to you if you are married! Don't become weary in well doing! Never tire of reading and studying the Word of GOD! Never get out of church! Always stay out of any "gray areas". You know what happens when you don't! You slip and fall from GOD's will! Draw closer not farther from the LORD! Continue to read- History and constructive books not only fictional! Be a prayer warrior!
  In ten years, if you're married you may have kids! I hope so anyway! If you are a mother, then I must ask, do your children see the light and love of Christ in you? Are you keeping a schedule? Don't get lazy! (Kids or not!) Girl, I need to be preaching to my present self here! I have a lot of work to do! You on the other hand should have this stuff down! You should be spending your time working in other areas in order to grow and become more and more like the woman GOD created you to be! Again, if you are married, are you submitting to your husband? Do you love him unconditionally? Does he see the love of GOD in you?
  I wonder if you  have figured out what to do with your life. I sure hope so! Have you continued to write? Please always write! Even if you never earn money from it, you have so much more than that! I wonder if writing continues to be a deep part of you as it is today. Are you a missionary's wife? What kind of man is your husband? Is he meek and quiet or is he more exciting and bubbly? Is he a admirable and able leader? Is he a steady father? A valuable husband? Does he have a satisfying work ethic? Does he lead your family in a daily devotion each night? What is his family like? How do you get along with them? Are you a valuable mother? Do you read to your children?
  I want you to remember, not to take anything for granted! Don't fight with your husband in front of your children! You can have those discussions later! Don't correct your husband in public or in front of your children! Raise him up in front of others! Make him the king of your home! Make home a place your family longs for! You are the home maker! Your spirit will affect the rest of your family! Keep it in check! Take time to teach your children things and make it fun! Even if it is something that would be easier and faster for you to do on your own. If it is a chance for your children to learn, use it! It does matter and it will make a huge difference in their lives!
  Now if you aren't married, that's okay. I know you want to be someday. In ten years I hope you are! But lets say you aren't.  Please tell me you don't have ten cats! lol! Don't worry so much! You are doing fine if you are within the will of GOD!  Don't mind what people think, their opinion doesn't matter! Pleasing the Lord should be your main goal! Learn from your failures, and rise up and do better! One mistake is not the end! Are you having personal devotions daily? You haven't gotten lazy have you? Honestly I struggle with this now! So I hope by the time ten years have passed you have this struggle behind you! Keep your house clean! Take care of eveything you own! Be true to your word!!! Be true to the Word! Follow the guidance of your pastor! People around you should see you respect him by the way you live! Don't be a hypocrite! Please stay faithful! Not only in your life, but in your heart! Remember your actions affect those around you as well as yourself! You have come too far to become lukewarm! Keep going! Keep growing in the LORD! Serve Him for the rest of your days!


  Simply,
    Sarah (You/Me)

Dear Future... Children

 

  My dear future children,


  How I long for you! I have so many hopes and dreams for you! I hope I can raise you right. I hope you see my love for the LORD in the way that I live. I hope that you grow to love and know the LORD Jesus Christ as I have- and more so! I want to see you do better than I could ever do. I hope the Lord uses me to equip you for your future of serving Him, despite my flaws and weaknesses. I dream that you grow to have love and respect for your father and I. Not because we deserve it, but because it is what the LORD asks of you. I dream you grow into a joyful young lady or gentleman, with a heart overflowing with love and compassion for others. I dream that you have a heart full of beautiful childhood memories.

  I want to play ball in the backyard with you, to teach you to cook, and sew. I would love to cuddle in bed with you in the morning. I will adore watching your eyes light up as I read your favorite stories. To watch as you take your first steps, and hear you speak your first word, will mean so much to me! I dream of us having tickle fights, and playing hide -n- seek through the house. To watch you get dirty from head to toe with the biggest grin on your face will be precious, even if you track it in the house!
To help you get ready for church will be a pleasure, even if you run off half way through! Teaching you character and manners, and then watching as you start using what we have taught you on your own will be a wonderful thing to see.

  I want to teach you from home, as I was home schooled. I think I'm ready for that! I pray I have patience with you as my mom had with me! I hope and dream you grow to have a love for reading, a skill in math, and a respect for history!  I hope I can teach you diligence and determination. I hope you learn to study, not only in school, but the word of GOD! I long to see you quoting scripture on Sunday nights at church. I hope you take that scripture and not only remember it for the rest of your days, but I pray you learn to cherish it and follow it. Let it guide you through everyday of your life!

  I hope you know, you are loved, and you are wanted. Long before you came into this world, I have been praying for you! For you to be a part of my reality, and for your future! At the moment I'm still praying for your father to come along! Maybe one day soon he will- in GOD's timing! I hope you grow with patience! Don't try to speed through life. Don't let the small precious things go unnoticed! Don't forget, even as a child you can do big and mighty things for the LORD, if you only trust and serve Him with your whole heart! Don't waste your childhood and teen years on yourself and foolish things this life offers! I hope your father and I can teach you where true value lies! I hope we can place our pride aside and apologize when we make mistakes, because I'm sure we will. We are only human after all. But, I also dream that you will see that yes, we are in fact, imperfect, and yet you also see we want to do what is best for you in the eyes of the LORD. I pray you never know the taste of bitterness. I pray sorrow never hardens your heart, but makes it all the more tender towards our Father!

  There isn't enough time in the day to say everything I hope to  say to you! There are not enough words to describe the longing I feel to be your mother one day. I am trying to have a patient spirit, but the idea of you is simply so beautiful I long for you more and more everyday! I have a feeling that no matter what, I will love you, because the LORD will have given you to me! I know you won't be perfect, but if the LORD gives me you, that would be one of the greatest honors He could ever give me!

  I think of the preparations people have to make before having a child. Painting the nursery, buying a crib, clothes, toys, diapers, etc... (We really could go on couldn't we?). But, what can I do now to prepare for you? I can serve the LORD. I can serve others. I can pray and read my bible daily. I can die to self daily, and some days, hourly. I can prepare myself for you, by being the woman God wants me to be right now! To learn to live the way I want to teach you to live! To be the best I can with the LORD leading me every step of the way!

  I pray that you do the same! Be who GOD would have you to be! That is all I want for you! I don't care if you become a doctor or a simple janitor. A missionary or a plumber. A teacher or a mother. As long as you are in GOD's will, it truly doesn't matter! Serve the LORD with gladness , and with your whole heart and I know you will do well in life. I hope and pray and dream that I can equip you to do so!


Simply,
  Your mother,
                  Sarah

Dear Future... Husband

Dear Future Husband,

                
  This letter is going to be a bit different from the others I have written you because this letter will be posted on my blog. I truly enjoy writing! I don't know if there is anything more than a blog in my future of writing, but as long as I can continuing writing, then I will be happy with that!

  I'll say this again for the sake of my blog readers, the whole point of these letters are for you to get to know me as a young person. To get to know the person I am before you. I hope I am succeeding in doing that! On to the actual letter :)

  I feel as if our meeting is still far away and yet somehow I think we may have already met, even if it were just in passing. How can you long for something or someone so much when you haven't ever met? I'm a bit of a dreamer, just to warn you! I get that from my mother, bless her heart! We both have wild imaginations and that can be used for good I know, but at the same time, I must be careful and guard my heart or it will get away from me. Having this imagination, has caused me to have expectations for you. I have a list (yes an actual list, you will learn that I love lists!) of requirements for you. I'm sorry if that is intimidating, but I was taught to know what I want in a husband at a young age. Don't worry though, if you have read all twenty something other letters that I have written to you, then you passed, and I am madly and deeply in love with you! :) At this point in my life, I'm not sure what that is like, to love someone in that way. I guess that makes the wait a lot easier!

  I must say, some people may not think I want to get married because of my casualty in waiting. I'm not one of the girls that complain about the single life... much. Lol I actually have one complaint: People thinking I shouldn't be single! I believe the single life would be much easier if people didn't expect you to get married young. Not that there is anything wrong with that, it simply isn't GOD's plan for everyone. But that post has already been written! (5 Things Single Girls Are Tired Of) I can be impatient sometimes, mind you! I simply don't publicize it by complaining. It is difficult to wait when people around your age and younger are getting married and having kids. I long for the day when I have a family of my own. I truly do! But I see no sense in moping around about something I can't change. Why not enjoy this season of life while I'm in it? This is a time of learning and growing in the LORD. I know I can continue to grow even after marriage, but I can let GOD use this time in my life to prepare me for marriage, for you. Because through serving you, and submitting to you, I will be obeying my Father and doing His will. He hasn't given me that honor yet, but there are ways I can serve others in the now! I don't always do well in serving. That is definitely something I must work on!  

  One of my biggest dreams is to become a mother. As scary as that can be, my biggest fear is probably, not being able to. I won't lie. That maybe a bit bold to say on my blog, but I'm sure I'm not the only one! Being a big fear of mine, I have prayed about it a lot! Just for the record, if the Lord decides to not give us children, yes, I will have a hard time understanding that at first, but we will get through it together! Plus I would love to adopt as well!  I do want seven kids! I hope you like that number! I hope we will be good parents! I hope we can be good examples to our children in every aspect. I know we will make some mistakes, that is inevitable, but I hope we can do well in the big things and learn from our mistakes. I want to earn love and respect from our children and I want them to earn it from us. I want to play games together, and honestly, I would like for technology to be an odd thing to our kids. I don't want YouTube to be a common word in our house. I want them to run to tell us the amazing adventures they had in the backyard. I want to have cookouts with both of our families together in the backyard. I want a unity that people think is impossible these days, because I know it's not impossible with the LORD.

  I hope you have a love for Christ and His work. I hope we can be the kind of couple that reads the word together, and prays together. And I'm not simply talking about at meal time. I want to be the kind of couple that doesn't need any words to enjoy each other’s company. I want to be able to sit in silence with you and stare up at the stars. Long, deep talks about our hopes and dreams are very welcome too! I hope we can go hiking and camping and just enjoy the beauty of God's creation together. I hope you can see the beauty in the small things. I want to go on picnics with you instead of a movie. Though movies can be fun sometimes too :). I want to be adults and be responsible together and then some days be completely childish and playful. I want to cook together, and have food fights, to dance barefoot in the kitchen, to live in the moment together. To serve GOD together. 

  Maybe a lot of that is foolish, but that is what I wish for. I wish for a lifelong friendship that nothing can come between. I hope that isn't simply "wishful thinking". It doesn't have to be perfect, but I want something special. I do have hopes and dreams, but if it’s worth waiting for, I can wait. I'm sure it will be worth it!

  I am praying for you. Know that each letter I write to you, I am praying for you as I write it! Patiently, I will pray, and I will wait.

  Simply,

      Sarah


  P.S. To my blog readers, I hope you enjoy this "series"! Thank you for reading! I appreciate it!!! May God bless you all!


  To my single friends out there, we are all in this together! Enjoy this season of life while you can! Feeling impatient? Write your frustrations down! I know writing may not be the thing for you, but do something! Don't simply sit around feeling useless! Make yourself useful! And hey! You can always pray about it! The LORD knows your heart, and He is the one that can help you through these times, so go to Him in prayer!

Dear Future...

As you all already know, I love to write! Aside from writing this blog, I write some stories and also letters. I write letters to people I know, and people I haven't met yet. Such as my future husband and my future children. Yes, I know I'm odd, but whatever! I think it would be cool to hear from your mother or spouse as a teen and young adult. So I am going to start a small series of letters to my "futures". These posts maybe a bit different for you guys, but maybe, just maybe I can inspire you guys to write a "future" letter, whether it be to your future spouse, children, yourself, or whatever.


Dear Future,


  What do you have in store? I can't help but wonder! The possibilities are endless! To know you could change so much for me. Why must you be such a mystery? I suppose that is simply a part of what makes this life so exciting. To think of seeing the future unfolding before me in a way I could never imagine has a way of exciting me . I can't honestly say I understand everything, or even that I want to fully understand everything, but I am anxious to see what you hold! To meet the people you bring across my path. To see the person I am meant to be several years down the road. To meet the man I am meant to marry, and the children we may have. So much excitement in thinking about all the things you hide behind another day!


  A friend of mine reminded me today, that everyone goes through daily struggles. I go through some myself. Some of us may have bigger troubles than others, some may be big, but not obvious. What struggles lay in wait for me Future? I suppose this letter could truly be to my Father, beings He is the creator of the future. So Father, how will I fair in the trials ahead? Will I be strong and humble enough to lean on You? To reach for Your guiding hand? Am I strong enough to do so now? In these struggles I am facing today? Can I hand them over to You, without doubt, without fear? Trusting You will take care of it all, is easier said than done, I must say! This shouldn't be so after seeing all that you have done thus far. I am human, we never seem to learn do we? Not what is of true importance in this life anyway. 


  Father, I ask that you would not show me the future, but prepare me for it. I know that is what You have been doing, but God I stand here asking You to continue preparing me, this time I won't struggle against Your teachings, and Your guiding hand, but follow as You lead me into the unknown. Father, I love you for never giving up on me! I pray I never give up serving You to the best of my ability, and I honestly could do so so so much better! When I am down, hold me up Father. I am weak, please give me strength. When I am anxious, help me to be trusting. When I am frustrated, I pray for patience! Lord I am all of these things right now in this moment! I ask you my God for peace that I know only You can give!


  I love You Lord, help me to love You more!


  Simply,
      Sarah