Amara: eternal beauty

Just sad.

Redeem the Shadows

“Where justice is denied, where poverty is enforced, where ignorance prevails, and where any one class is made to feel that society is an organized conspiracy to oppress, rob and degrade them, neither persons nor property will be safe.” -Fredrick Douglas

2 Children Are Sold Every Minute….

27 million – People In Slavery Around the World .

800,000 – Number of people trafficked across international borders every year.

1 million – Number of children exploited by the global commercial sex trade, every year.

80% – Percent of transnational victims who are women and girls.

70% – Percent of female victims who are trafficked into the commercial sex industry.

161 – Countries identified as affected by human trafficking:

127 countries of origin; 98 transit countries; 137 destination countries.

32 billion – Total yearly profits generated by the human trafficking industry.

99% are of victims are still trapped.

That is just not okay. That breaks my heart.

http://rts.jondemeo.com/

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Hm...

"Oh, you went to a volleyball camp? Here, let me take you out to lunch so you can tell me about how it went!"

"Oh, you went to Costa Rica for five weeks? Cool. You should maybe tell me about it sometime."

Something wrong with this picture? Or is it just me?

Haunted

Lately, I have so many thoughts rushing through my head. A constant stream of reminders, memories, plans... Blocking out everything else that goes on.

When I drive, it gets so bad I turn my radio up until it's blaring loud enough to drown out all thoughts.

I can't run, I can't hide... Painful thoughts just flood my mind.

I'm haunted by my past. Haunted by the memories.

Haunted.

So Much More

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11)

God has such great things planned for each and every one of us. He loves us so much and really, honestly, wants the best for us. He wants us to be living in Him an what He has for us, each and every day.

Sometimes I realize this is so true of other people. I see in them things that I don't think other people see. I believe God shows me these things.

Today, I got this feeling. So strongly, stronger than possibly anything I have ever felt before. That God has something great planned for one of my friends, but that they are not living that. That they are not living the way He wants them to be.

And I just was overcome. I found myself outright weeping. Not crying, weeping. With greater force than I ever have before. It was an odd feeling, something I can't even describe. I was just overwhelmed-- with God's presence, with His foreboding. I guess. I don't even know how to try to explain it.

But it was... Strange. This person should be living in so much more than they are... And I want to make them see that. I wish I could make them see that. They are meant for great things, meant for so much more.

We are all meant for so much more.

Speaking Now

Usually people are told they need to keep their mouth shut, not to speak out in a fit of anger.

Lately, I think I am coming to realize that with the girl I am, I need to learn to do some of the opposite.

"Real life is a funny thing, you know. In real life, saying the right thing at the right moment is beyond crucial. So crucial, in fact, that most of us start to hesitate for fear of saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. But lately what I've begun to fear more than that is letting the moment pass without saying anything ... There is a time for silence. There is a time for waiting your turn. But if you know how you feel and you so clearly know what you need to say, you'll know it. I don't think you should wait. I think you should speak now." (Taylor Swift)

I am the kind of girl that holds in her feelings so that I won't hurt someone else's. I don't often say what I should say, I don't often say how I am truly feeling, when I am hurt or angry. I say I am okay, that I am at fault, that I'm sorry, etc. instead of telling the other person what needs to be said. Which in the end, results in a lot of regret. I look back and wish I could tell someone so many things. I wish they knew so many things. I wish I had spoken up instead of holding back. I think that I need to learn to Speak Now.

It's funny how everyone keeps commenting on how happy I've been lately. Over and over, people keep telling me this...

And I don't know if I'm happy. But I am so full of joy... Straight from God.

I Feel Pretty/Unpretty

Not usually a huge fan of glee songs. But this one... I just love it :)

Glorious

Life is glorious. Each and every day has some element of beauty, grace, love, amazement, glory to it. Sometimes it's not easy to see-- in fact, most times the extraordinary are hiding where nobody is looking. Maybe that's what makes them so extraordinary-- that those who find them had to be seeking them out. Regardless, life is a beautiful thing. The world is a beautiful place. Just ask the Creator. He's hidden elegance throughout every day, sprinkled magic into the world, and now just waits expectantly, hoping that we'll find it. Hoping that we'll look.

So learn to look. Learn to find the moment or the words or the sight that brings sunshine into the cloudiness of everyday life. Otherwise, it's much too easy to get caught up in the frustrations and the hardships and the ordinariness and the mundaneness of this world.

So learn to look. Then never let those things go. This is the world, this is God's masterpiece, don't take it for granted! Learn to love it. I did. Paradoxically, it took me feeling like I had lost everything in the world in order to learn to live like this. But maybe that's what it takes. Maybe it takes the crashing of a wave to bring the most perfect seashell to view. Maybe it takes the hardest storm to bring about that glowing double rainbow. For me, it took pain to learn what joy is.

Grasp the magic of everyday. Hold on and never, ever let it go. Keep it close to your heart, bottle it up and store it in your soul.

Every day is different. Some days are hard, other days are harder. Each day, each moment, is one closer to the day I'm waiting for. Lately, it's been a storm. Day after day I'm waiting out the storm.

Day by day, I'm learning to dance in the rain.

Happiness is a choice.

"Nobody said it'd be easy... But no one ever said it would be this hard." (Coldplay)

Life can be hard. It's full of heartbreak and sadness and disappointment. But when those things happen, you can choose to let it get the best of you and overtake you or you can choose to let God take control. One thing I've learned lately is that happiness is a choice.

God has done great things in my life the past few days, when I was at my absolute worst. He took control and He totally worked a miracle within me!

When I was at my absolute saddest, this song came on the radio. I cried out to God every word, with all that was in me, and He came through. Right now, God is holding my heart. God is protecting me from the pain and the hurt and the regret. If He wasn't, I would be utterly despondent.

P.S. I've also learned that God is never going to let me go... That He never has let me go. This song made me realize that... Let me tell you, it had me in tears. God is so good :)

Love...

Love is patient,

love is kind.

It does not envy,

it does not boast,

it is not proud.

It is not rude,

it is not self-seeking,

it is not easily angered,

it keeps no record of wrongs.

Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth.

It always protects,

always trusts,

always hopes,

always perseveres.

Love never fails.

Love never gives up.

Love cares more for others than for self.

Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.

Love doesn't strut,

Doesn't have a swelled head,

Doesn't force itself on others,

Isn't always "me first,"

Doesn't fly off the handle,

Doesn't keep score of the sins of others,

Doesn't revel when others grovel,

Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,

Puts up with anything,

Trusts God always,

Always looks for the best,

Never looks back,

But keeps going to the end.

Love never dies. Inspired speech will be over some day; praying in tongues will end; understanding will reach its limit.

(The Message)

100 Amazing Things

Things that make me happy... Things that make me smile... Things that make me go "awww"... Things that make life worthwhile:

1) The love and grace of Jesus Christ

2) Rainy days when I have nowhere to be

3) Sparkling snow

4) Fireplaces

5) Cuddling up with my teddy bear under tons of blankets in a cold room

6) Looking into someone's eyes

7) Laughter

8) The sound of someone doing a beam routine

9) Being in his arms

10) The movie Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

11) Dancing in the rain

12) Driving with the radio blasting to a good song

13) Dancing around the house when no one is home

14) Singing along to Disney songs

15) Skipping down the hallways at school

16) Prancing through a meadow

17) Taylor Swift songs

18) Weddings

19) Flowers

20) Driving with the windows down in summertime

21) Wearing a warm scarf, warm mittens, and a warm coat

22) Quick walks in the wintertime

23) Being at the beach

24) Road trips with people I love

25) Being silly

26) Zoos

27) Parks

28) Walking while holding someone's hand or walking arm-in-arm

29) The smell of sunshine

30) Butterfly Flower perfume

31) Feathers

32) White nail polish on my toes

33) Slow dancing

34) John Mayer's music

35) Discovering a great new quote

36) Reading poetry

37) The book of Song of Solomon in the Bible

38) The way Jane Austen and Charlotte Bronte write

39) Smelling old books

40) Little love notes on Post-Its

41) Cuddling

42) Wearing dresses

43) Stained glass windows

44) Late nights with friends

45) Reconciliation

46) Harmony

47) Caribou Coffee

48) Love stories

49) Unexpected moments of peace

50) Tea and a good book

51) Candlelight

52) Being in a silent library when the sun is almost setting and shining through a window, when

you can see the dust floating in the air, the smell of books surrounding you

53) Ballet

54) The word 'enchanted'

55) Sunshine and sunny days without a cloud in the sky

56) Brushing my teeth

57) Looking at the stars

58) Baking cookies with friends and eating most of the cookie dough before it gets into the oven

59) When someone's smile takes up their whole face

60) Waking up to birds singing

61) The first robin of spring

62) Taking long walks and talking

63) The anticipation of April 1, 2012 and beyond

64) Eating Nutella on EuroQuest

65) Pulling the wrapper down to make a "super sucker" out of a Blow-Pop

66) Blow-Pops in general

67) Cute love quotes

68) Day dreaming

69) Staying up talking until 4 in the morning... Then falling asleep on accident from pure exhaustion

70) Roses

71) Going into Bath and Body Works and smelling every scent they have

72) Getting dressed up

73) Fairy tales

74) Being able to be completely yourself around someone

75) Sharing secrets late at night under the stars

76) Taking naps... And that hazy feeling of confusion when you wake up from an unexpected one

77) Waking up really early for something you've been anticipating for a long time

78) Learning new words

79) Playing sand volleyball

80) Diving in regular volleyball

81) Jeggings

82) Getting a rose under the Eiffel Tower in Paris

83) Being in the midst of a fairy-tale of my own

84) The ending of Pride and Prejudice

85) Running through sprinklers

86) Being in Switzerland

87) Waterfalls

88) The sound of crickets chirping and frogs croaking during summer nights

89) Knowing I am where I belong

90) The sayings on the lids of Jell-O

91) Tiaras

92) Looking at wedding dresses

93) The thought of adding "Mrs." to my name

94) Coloring with Crayons

95) Learning about science... Or anything, for that matter-- learning new things in general

96) Freshly made sweet tea in the summer

97) Ice cream cones

98) The smell of spring, the look of spring, the flowers of spring, the colors of spring... Just everything about spring

99) Verona, Italy

100) Being in love

and that's just to name a few!