Fetching.

Talk Happiness

 Talk happiness. The world is sad enough

without your woe. No path is wholly rough;
Look for the places that are smooth and clear,
And speak of those, to rest the weary ear
Of earth, so hurt by one continuous strain
Of human discontent and grief and pain.

Talk faith. The world is better off without
Your uttered ignorance and morbid doubt.
If you have faith in God, or man, or self,
Say so. If not, push back upon the shelf
Of silence, all your thought, till faith come:
No one will grieve because your lips are dumb.

Talk health. The dreary, never-ending talk
Of mortal maladies is more that stale.
One cannot charm, or interest, or please
By harping on that minor chord, disease.
Say you are well, or all is well with you,
And God shall hear your words and make them true.

A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver. ~ Proverbs 25:11

Honoring Heroes

"Every American soldier killed in war is a fallen hero, and deserves both the nation's thanks and a 'Hero's Welcome'. That's what the 'Flagman' Larry Eckhardt believes, and wait until you see what he does about it. Steve Hartman reports from Mt. Sterling, Kentucky, the home of U.S. Army Pvt. FC, Dustin Gross, who was killed by a roadside bomb earlier this month in Afghanistan."

 “Turns out when you line a country road like a hero’s coming, he gets treated like one. People drop what they’re doing. Flags beget flags… one family’s loss is shouldered by an entire community.”

Laughter: The Best Medicine

I wanted to share some notes on laughter that I received at a ladies prayer meeting a few months ago. It really is healthy for you!!

[Please excuse the poor scanning quality. I didn't feel like re-typing it in.]

Smile! Laugh! It's good for you :D

[Need a good laugh? Watch an episode of Fresh Prince. You will laugh. Guaranteed.]

My space

I got a new summer coverlet and I just love it :) I just felt like posting some pics of my room. Not the whole thing though... that's just weird.

My cozy little niche

The only item I purchased in Paris - painted along the Seine River :)

Fan purchased in Madrid, Spain

Chinese umbrella lampshade purchased on Martha's Vineyard, Cape Cod, MA

We all know where this is from ;)

Painted my old fan white and then my sis painted this lovely design that you see :)

Duelling piano bookends - purchased online

Thinking Happiness

Think of the things that make you happy,

Not of the things that make you sad;

Think of fine and true in mankind,

Not its sordid side and bad;

Think of the blessings that surround you,

Not the ones that are denied;

Think of the virtues of your friendships,

Not the weak and faulty side;

Think of the gains you've made in business,

Not the losses you've incurred;

Think of the good of you that's spoken,

Not some cruel, hostile word;

Think of the days of health and pleasure,

Not the days of woe and pain;

Think of the days alive with sunshine,

Not the dismal days of rain;

Think of the hopes that lie before you,

Not the waste that lies behind;

Think of the treasures you have gathered,

Not the ones you've failed to find;

Think of the service you may render,

Not of serving self alone;

Think of the happiness of others,

And in this you'll find your own!

Artist: Moriah Peters

I discovered a new artist a couple months ago and as I'm listening to her again, I wanted to share :) Her name is Moriah Peters, and you may have heard her song "I Choose Jesus" on the radio. I love this album (her debut album also titled I Choose Jesus) - it's got a fun whimsical feel to it, just what I like :)

Check out her blog take a listen to her music:

"I Choose Jesus"

"Well Done"

RIP Andy Griffith

I just found out that Andy Griffith died today (well, yesterday). I loved that show. What I find kind of neat is that I have seen where some of Matlock was filmed and I sat on those actual courthouse steps. Then I have also been to Mt. Airy, the town where he was born, raised, and where filming for the Andy Griffith Show took place (known as "Mayberry"). We went in the replica buildings and we even met Floyd the Barber in the old barbershop! This was maybe five years ago, but just last week we drove by Mt. Airy once more while we were on our way to Myrtle Beach. We didn't stop this time but it brought back memories and I had to listen to Rascal Flatts' "Mayberry" on my iPod just for kicks. Maybe some people have forgotten this show, or have never heard of it, but I sure haven't. It's kind of a part of me now. Needless to say I am saddened at his death.

Of course I just googled him for more info, and according to Wikipedia, he was a singer (a gospel singer!) and he played the trombone... he even went to school for music and has his bachelor's degree in music. Yeah!! One more reason why he was awesome. RIP Andy Griffith.

Via Andy Griffith's Wikipedia page: 

He began college studying to be a Moravian preacher, but he changed his major to music and became a part of the school's Carolina Play Makers. He attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and graduated with a bachelor of music degree in 1949. At UNC he was president of the UNC chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, which claims to be America's oldest fraternity for men in music.^[6] He also played roles in several student operettas, including The Chimes of Normandy (1946), and Gilbert and Sullivan's The Gondoliers (1945), The Mikado (1948) and H.M.S. Pinafore (1949).^[7]

Bel Canto

 

"A provocative and enchanting look at the power art has to suspend real life and to create a better world, one in which the differences between people can be erased and the barriers to our best selves can be hurdled."

— Detroit Free Press

In Bel Canto the power of music is truly revealed. In a Vice-Presidential mansion in South America, a group of terrorists take over an extravagant party and take everyone inside hostage. What started out as a tense situation with terrorists shoving guns in guests faces slowly unfolded over several months into a magical realm of spell-bounding music, unlikely friendships, and even love. Life outside the garden wall ceased to exist, in the minds of the terrorists and hostages alike. They came to think only of the present moment, forgetting the past and pushing aside any thought of the future. Hard terrorists were softened. Terrorists and hostages searched themselves and found courage to explore sides of them that were being suppressed, hidden from the world. The barriers to their 'best selves' were indeed hurdled and forgotten. Perhaps more importantly, the barriers put up between people and their differences simply vanished. Terrorists and hostages formed bonds with one another. Physical language became unnecessary; two people could find love even if they spoke different languages. This destruction of barriers was mostly due to the music. The time inside the mansion can be thought of in two ways: the time before the music and the time after the music. Once the beautiful music filled their heads every morning, it was as if every person in the house was put into a dream-state. Their minds began to cloud over, as if the music was hypnotizing or brainwashing them. Even when the fog outside lifted, enabling them to physically see more and be reminded of the outside world, the music acted as an invisible fog that clouded their ability to rationalize clearly. Even the smartest hostages became blind to the imminent danger that stared them in the face, blinded by the music and the love they were feeling. By the end of the book captors and captives alike imagine, fantasize, and even pray that they can stay in the luxurious mansion forever, living peacefully with one another and making new lives for themselves. It is this music-induced mystified stupor that ultimately leads to the tragic downfall of characters we come to know and love.

I had to read this book my freshman year of college at Canisius and it is in my top three favorite books. I just finished re-reading it and I really wanted to write about it. If you love music, opera, language--you will love this book. It is an adult fiction novel and can be enjoyed by anyone, regardless of gender, musical literacy, etc. I had my copy signed by the author when she came to Canisius, so needless to say, this book is probably one of my most prized possessions at the moment.

My Sisters

 Well as I lay here being sick, my sisters are doing some pretty exciting things! [Yes, everything caught up to me and I have some upper respiratory/cold thing. :( It could partly be allergies but I think it's mostly my crazy busy life - I just go and go and go, not getting enough sleep, not taking time to rest when I need it. And now it's turning into a cough. meh. One thing's for sure, I'm resting now, hopefully catching up on some reading and some more re-runs of Fresh Prince. woot.]

On Thursday I mustered up strength enough to make it to New Life Christian school's spring musical, Aristocat Kids. And guess who had one of the lead roles? Hope! She was Duchess! I am so glad I was able to go. She, along with everyone else, did such a fantastic job!! Way to go, everyone!!

Duchess and Marie

Duchess and Thomas O'Malley

Photo-op after the show :)

Hope and I after the show!

My big sis, on the other hand, is not even in this country anymore! Yesterday we took her to the Toronto airport and I am happy to say that she is safe and sound in Istanbul. She will be spending the summer in Turkey and hopefully doing a little bit of traveling around the Middle East. Yeah Ang!! This is just the break you deserved! :) I just spoke with her on the phone although she's pretty exhausted, she's excited and it's all finally starting to sink in that she's there. Ps, did you know that Istanbul is two times the size of NYC with 15 million people? That's insane!! I guess the traffic there is ridiculous, too.
She's gonna have such an amazing time.
God bless and protect her every day. Please, if you can, remember her in your prayers this summer!

yay Turkish money!

Ang at the airport in front of the cool floating cube thing :)

Istanbul is known as the crossroads of Europe and Asia, as it is actually located on both continents! The Bosporus Strait runs between them and the city is on either side.

Other cool pics:

7-STORY UNDERWATER HOTEL!!!

I can't wait to see all of her amazing pics! :)

Ciao for now~

A Re-Vamp

[Fearlessly entering into the unknown... Why? Because He holds my future safe and secure in the palm of His hand.]

Well, I haven't posted in a while (so long that I didn't even notice my blog has had visitors from Great Britain, Canada, Sweden, and France... sweet!). This semester was beyond busy for me. My main goal was to get through the semester successfully - I was initially aiming for a 4.0, which didn't happen - and host a successful bridal shower for Katie. I'd say I achieved both of these goals, but I just barely made it with my sanity still intact! I learned a lot this semester; no, not just the educational stuff they pump into our heads, but I learned some valuable life lessons (most of which are not being published here). The important thing I learned that got me through this semester was of course, my God. Especially this last month. Ya know, He really comes through right when you need Him! By the end of the semester, one week ago, I kinda felt myself crumbling. Parts of my life just falling to shambles. But God gives grace, grace ever so needed. I'm doing a little re-vamp in my life, thanks to His help. I feel like I was broken and I am being put back together, by the master fixer. Anyhoo, enough of my rambling. I came to say hello, declare that I am back - for several months at least - and say that there may be little changes to my blog coming soon. It'll be one of my many little re-vamps. I have several blog posts/ideas stored up so stay tuned! For me it is bed time - I am taking a two-week summer class: an intense Italian 101! 4.5 hours every day! It takes a lot out of me mentally but I enjoy it. Then after that I'm off to the church consignment shop where I work in the afternoon. I enjoy that too :) More to come on that. Well thanks for listening/reading/taking a minute out of your life to read this not-so-interesting post... more interesting posts to follow.


I'll leave you with another amazing video. Hope you've got a minute (or 8) for this one. It's worth it.

Ciao~

An Incredible New Duo!

So a few nights ago I tried to post a video of Susan Boyle, of her first audition. I stumbled upon the amazing video again and it is still just so inspiring and moving.

But it seems there is a new star(s) on the scene.

Have you heard about them yet?? Check it out!!!

 

Flower fashion

Etiquette

Angel of Music

I've been thinking about my senior recital a lot lately. Maybe because I am actually getting excited for it. Weird. I've always loved The Phantom of the Opera and when the movie came out I was obsessed with it. I loved everything about it, even bought the sheet music and learned every song - not only the voice parts but the piano too. Now I probably won't sing anything from the show at my recital... I feel like it's so well known that I wouldn't do it justice. Everyone knows it. Well who knows, maybe I could attempt. But what I may do is draw some inspiration from Emmy, my supposed doppelganger. People tell me I look like her, and my aunt once told me that my cousin watched the movie and during the scene pictured above said, "Mom, look it's Rachel!" and he insisted we were identical. I'll take that as a compliment. Singing "Angel of Music," she looks pretty angelic to me! I also feel more connected to this show now because I was able to actually go the the Paris Opera House this summer, where everything was actually filmed, and even went inside this very theatre... talk about surreal. [Side note: the opera house was by far the most ornate and opulent place I have ever been to. Even beat out the Palace of Versailles and the Royal Palace in Madrid. Simply unbelievable.] So, for my senior recital I may be drawing some inspiration from this... I may just have to find a pretty dress like this one and perhaps leave my hair down and curly... I may already have an idea... :)
Although you never know, I don't want to give anything away now do I?
Stay tuned... recital this fall... heh heh heh

Live 31

Ever Read Proverbs 31?
Check out this video... and join the movement.

 

This is interesting too: VS Model Quits Over Religion

~~~~~~~~~~

Live well, live happy, live free

I wish all unhappy singles could read this. Being single is not a curse; it can be wonderful if used as a time to grow as a person and to grow in God. There are dozens of scriptures about God blessing those who wait. Just have fun with your life and be happy in every season! Hey, there are a lot of people who aren't single who wish they were. Enjoy it~

~ Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart ~ [Psalm 37:4]

My Symphony

Props to Adam Young

Maybe this was old news, but I recently discovered that Owl City did a cover of "In Christ Alone" when I saw one of my friends posted the link on Facebook. It seems after the hit song, "Fireflies," Owl City just kinda disappeared, so upon hearing this song my interest was re-kindled. I did my research and discovered that Adam Young is the sole musician of Owl City (although when he tours he does have others perform with him, seeing as he can't play everything at once, duh). This singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Adam Young is a proclaimed Christian. I found his blog (owlcityblog.com) and it's pretty interesting. Not to mention he is an incredible and magnetizing writer. He posts often about God and his faith. It seems his faith has been infused more into his latest album, All Things Bright And Beautiful, especially in his song "Galaxies". I listened to the whole album and a lot of the songs are about the sky, the stars, etc. Anyway, here is what he said about recording "In Christ Alone":

My Hope Is Found

I was up late last night and decided to record a “cover song” of sorts.

Not for anything special, just for fun.

I’m twenty four years old, yet something about this song makes me bawl like a baby. The way the melodies and lyrics swirl together is so poignant and beautiful. If I were to count on one hand, the number of songs that have ever deeply moved me, this one would take the cake. Last night I probably spent more time actually crying at the piano than I did recording it. Such are the secret confessions of a shy boy from Minnesota.

As I’m so often reminded what a priceless gift my life is, I ache with everything in me to make it count, so that when I finally cross the finish line, I’ll hear the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

To me, there is no greater reward.

Of course, all of this weighs heavily on the spiritual scale, so allow me to be completely honest and say none of it is intended to be “crammed down the throat,” if you will. That is not my intention. This is what I wholeheartedly believe, and to that belief, I remain steadfast until He returns or calls me home.

One thing is certain:

When He comes for His own, He will have no trouble recognizing me… because my banner will be clear.

[This specific blog entry can be found here]

I haven't been able to find this anywhere to download it, but I read you can somewhere on their website... I just haven't been able to find it yet.

So pretty cool, huh? Here's some of the lyrics from "Galaxies":

Dear God, I was terribly lost

When the galaxies crossed

And the sun went dark.

But dear God, You're the only North Star

I would follow this far.

Oh telescope,

Keep an eye on my only hope,

Lest I blink and get swept off the narrow road,

Hercules, you've got nothing to say to me,

'Cause you're not the blinding light that I need.

For He is the saving grace of the galaxies

He is the saving grace of the galaxies

Dear God, I was terribly lost

When the galaxies crossed

And the sun went dark

But dear God, You're the only North Star

I would follow this far.

So guess who is going back on my iPod? It's just nice and a little more spiritually reassuring when you are listening to a Christian artist (…food for thought - is there a difference between a "Christian artist" and a Christian artist?). 

He also collaborated with a Christian band called He is We that I will also be checking out in more depth. 

Come on, you just can't go wrong with someone who writes an entire blog post about s'mores, describing them as "manna from heaven" and "sweet nectar of life"!!!

Win.

[Another interesting and entertaining read: A Surreal Incident Involving Ice Cream Sandwiches]

The Highest Honor

The Jeopardy Question No One Could Answer

  ARLINGTON  CEMETERY
On Jeopardy, the final question was, "How many steps does the guard take
during his walk across the tomb of the Unknowns" ---- All three contestants
missed  it!

 

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
1.  How many steps does the guard take during  his walk across the tomb of
the Unknowns and why?
21 steps:  It alludes to the twenty-one gun salute which is the highest
honor given any military or foreign dignitary.

2.  How long does he hesitate after his about face
to begin his return walk and why?
21 seconds for the same reason as answer number 1.

3.  Why are his gloves wet?
His gloves are moistened to prevent his losing his grip on the rifle.

4. Does he carry his rifle on the same shoulder
all the time and, if not, why not?
He carries the rifle on the shoulder away from the tomb.
After his march across the path, he executes an about face
and moves the rifle to the outside shoulder.

5.  How often are the guards changed?
Guards are changed every thirty minutes,
twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year.

6.  What are the physical traits of the guard limited to?
For a person to apply for guard duty at the tomb, he
must be between 5' 10' and 6' 2' tall and his waist size
cannot exceed 30.

They must commit 2 years of life to guard the tomb, live in
a barracks under the tomb, and cannot drink any alcohol,
on or off duty, for the rest of their lives. They cannot swear
in public for the rest of their lives and cannot disgrace the
uniform or the tomb in any way.

After two years, the guard is given a wreath pin that is worn
on their lapel signifying they served as guard of the tomb.
There are only 400 presently worn. The guard must obey
these rules for the rest of their lives or give up the wreath pin.
The shoes are specially made with very thick soles to keep
the heat and cold from their feet. There are metal heel plates
that extend to the top of the shoe in order to make the
loud click as they come to a halt.

There are no wrinkles, folds or lint on the uniform.
Guards dress for duty in front of a full-length mirror.
The first six months of duty, a guard cannot talk to anyone
nor watch TV.  All off duty time is spent studying the 175
notable people laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery.

A guard must memorize who they are and where
they are interred. Among the notables are:
President William H. Taft
President John F. Kennedy
Joe Lewis {the boxer}
Medal of Honor winner Audie L. Murphy, the most
decorated soldier of WWII, and of Hollywood fame.
Every guard spends five hours a day getting his uniforms
ready for guard duty.
ETERNAL REST GRANT THEM O LORD AND
LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON THEM.

In 2003, as Hurricane Isabelle was approaching Washington,
DC, our US Senate/House took 2 days off with
anticipation of the storm.

On the ABC Evening News,
it was reported that because of the dangers from the
hurricane, the military members assigned the duty of
guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier were given
permission to suspend the assignment.

 

They respectfully declined the offer, "No way, Sir!"
Soaked to the skin, marching in the pelting rain of a tropical
storm, they said that guarding the Tomb was not just an
assignment, it was the highest honor that can be
afforded to a service person.  The tomb has been patrolled
continuously,  24/7, since 1930.

God Bless and keep them.
I'd be very proud if this email reached as many as possible.
We can be very proud of our young men and women
in the service -- no matter where they serve.
IN GOD WE TRUST

I got this in an e-mail and wanted to share it. How incredible! No drinking alcohol or swearing in public for the rest of their lives... for some that would be a huge sacrifice. I remember visiting the tomb when I was in Washington when I was probably about 8 years old. And at that age I didn't realize what any of it was or really what it meant. I just remember I had to be absolutely silent. God bless these men, and all of the men and women serving in our military! 

12 is My Favorite Number

As we begin a new year, it's common to look back and reflect on the previous year. Sometimes this stirs up a mix of emotions - painful, sad, thankful, happy, appreciative, and so on. Some people don't even like to think about the past; just keep moving on and be hopeful for the future. There's nothing wrong with that. When I look back at 2011 I feel nothing but thankful. I was extremely blessed to do so many wonderful things last year. Obviously my trip to Europe was the ultimate experience of a lifetime and I got to do so many wonderful and cool things that people only dream about. I won't begin to list them, but I know I am extremely blessed. I also had the opportunity to go to Tampa for spring break with Katie and her family and that was also a blast. Last year I was used to help win a soul, and that is absolutely priceless. At the beginning of last year I also got a new little sister, Hope. We've so far spent a lot of fun moments together and I look forward to many more years of fun! 

Something maybe not so great that happened last year was my dad's injury at work. On April 1 he fell and hurt his back and was unable to work for the rest of the year. It may have been hard here and there, now with both my mom and dad unable to work, but we made it through. What I take from the situation (you know me, always being optimistic) is that neither of them working meant more time we all got to spend together. After my trip last summer I came home with a deeper appreciation for my family, friends, and our great country. I could spend some quality time with my parents in Allegany before school started, and throughout the fall semester I was able to spend a lot more time with them in the evenings. Since I didn't have a job (aside from teaching some lessons on the weekends) most of my evenings were free and my school load wasn't that bad. I am very thankful for this time we got to spend together, especially since it was only temporary. My dad did have back surgery in the spring and then underwent therapy for his drop foot, which is slowly getting better. He was able to go back to work last week, only for a few hours a day. This is both good and bad, depending how you look at it, or should I say who is looking at it. I start school in less than two weeks and this semester is going to be a little crazy (21 credits, anyone?) but I have some things to look forward to along the way. I guess all in all I'm just thankful for my family. 

Man why am I telling you my whole life story?! I don't know, I just wanted to write about it, and I guess maybe encourage someone to look on the bright side even when they may be facing a dark situation. When God gives us trials He is sometimes testing us, to know He can trust us, and sometimes He gives us trials in order to make us stronger and/or bring us together. Over the past couple years a lot of tragedy and hard times has befallen our church but in talking to my friends/those that were affected, almost everyone said that their family has gotten so much stronger and the situation brought them together or fixed a broken bond. Just keep trusting God, trust that He knows what He is doing, and remember that He has a purpose for everything!! And he will bring you through.

What does 2012 hold? Well, no one knows the future except God, but I feel that something is going to be different this year. There's change in the air and I can feel it. It's time we wake up and get ourselves on fire for God like never before! Time is of the essence. 

I do know that some exciting things are gonna be happening this year, Lord willing - Ladies Conference in Lake George, Katie and Caleb's wedding, a trip to NY in the fall, my cousin's wedding, of course camp and youth convention, and probably more that I am forgetting. But who knows what else! Bring it on, 2012!

Time Tested Beauty Tips

 A beautiful poem by Sam Levenson, often mis-attributed to Audrey Hepburn. It was one of her favorite poems and she would often quote it and read it to her children.

For attractive lips,
Speak words of kindness.

For lovely eyes,
Seek out the good in people.

For a slim figure,
Share your food with the hungry.

For beautiful hair,
Let a child run his or her fingers through it once a day.

For poise,
Walk with the knowledge you'll never walk alone.

People, even more than things,
have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed;
Never throw out anybody.

Remember,
If you ever need a helping hand,
you'll find one at the end of your arm.

As you grow older,
you will discover that you have two hands,
one for helping yourself,
the other for helping others.

The beauty of a woman
is not in the clothes she wears,
the figure that she carries,
or the way she combs her hair.

The beauty of a woman
must be seen from in her eyes,
because that is the doorway to her heart,
the place where love resides.

The beauty of a woman
is not in a facial mole,
but true beauty in a woman
is reflected in her soul.

It is the caring that she lovingly gives,
the passion that she shows,
And the beauty of a woman
with passing years-only grows!