Because the last two days have been a bit on the crappy side and stuff like this always makes me feel better, here's a list of quotes I think are sort of great. I realize I've posted some of these before, but hey, who cares, right?

"To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you." - C.S. Lewis

"Above all, love each other deeply, for love covers a multitude of sins." - 1 Peter 4:8

"People generally see what they look for and hear what they listen for." - To Kill a Mockingbird

"You never cross the ocean unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore."

"We read to know that we are not alone." C.S. Lewis

"Words, in my humble opinion, are the most inexhaustible source of magic we have." - Albus Dumbledore

"Turn your face towards the sun, and the shadows fall behind you."

"I just need some time in a beautiful place to clear my head."

"You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies
You may trod me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I rise" - Maya Angelou

"I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do some things. That which I need to do, by the grace of God I will do."

"A hero is no braver than an ordinary man, but he is braver five minutes longer." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Let us then be up and doing,
With a heart for any fate;
Still achieving, still pursuing,
Learn to labor and to wait." - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

"Life is real! Life is earnest!
And the grave is not the goal;
Dust thou art, to dust returnest,
Was not spoken of the soul." - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

"Here on the pulse of this new day
You may have the grace to look up and out
And into your sister's eyes,
And your brother's face,
Your country,
And say simply
Very simply
With hope -
Good morning." - Maya Angelou

God and his mop

Isn't life just one big mess made up of smaller messes? I just made one of my relationship with someone I love, well actually just stirred up what was already muddy water. Life is hard sometimes, and I tend to be pretty bad at doing it right. It's pretty obvious that I am in dire need of a savior. But lately I've had this new image of that savior in my head. I see him with a bucket and a mop, following me around and taking care of my failures. When I turn around, perplexed by his actions, he pats me on the shoulder and sends me on my way before I can even ask why he does it. I guess I should know, though. It might have something to do with this little thing called love. It reminds me of something one of the speakers at Chrysalis said: there is always more grace than there is sin. So there's my thought for today. Short, but it's what I've got.

C-H-R-Y-Salis

This past weekend I went on something called Chrysalis. It's a retreat weekend put on by The Upper Room. If you ever get the chance to go on it or the Walk To Emmaus (adult version), DO IT. As much as I hate sounding cliche, it will change your life. I've always struggled with allowing myself to believe that I am loved by God and others. The Lord used Chrysalis to remove that from my life. For the first time in years, I am actually becoming okay with the idea of people loving me. A quote from one of the speakers has been stuck in my mind for the last couple of days. He said, "There is always more grace than there is sin." I've spent the last couple of years convincing myself that I was too much of a sinner for God to even care about me, but I am now left without an argument. The love of Christ is transforming, I finally understand that. I watched long-standing grudges melt away and walls around countless hearts crumble to ground this weekend. I also realized just how blessed I am to have the mentors in my life that I do. God's plan is so beautiful and mysterious, it's incredible. I met some fantastic young ladies who I know have got my back and am praying for me. If there is anything I can still bring myself to doubt, it is that anyone who attends a Chrysalis weekend will be disappointed. My thoughts are still swimming around, so when they make it to shore I'll write a little more. Ta ta for now. Fly with Christ.

Why I Hate Religion but Love Jesus

I recently came across a video of a guy named Jeff Bethke called "Why I Hate Religion but Love Jesus". He hit the nail on the head. I think it's really cool because he's talking about how Jesus was just Jesus, not Jesus the Jew or Jesus the Republican. He was just Jesus. He came to put an end to death and he did. He loves us regardless of the messes we create. I think that's the real message of the Gospel. Hesus came, He loved, He paid, He rose. It is finished.

I've been watching some of his other videos too and I really like his testimony. He's not afraid to be messy and let God take care of him. I think it's great. It's sort of long, but I think it's worth listening to. He's got a lot of good things to say.

*Neither of these videos are mine. Both are on Jeff Bethke's youtube account along with several others. :-)http://www.youtube.com/user/bball1989?feature=watch

Just another day in paradise

I don't have a lot of time today, but I need to get this out as a reminder to myself in the future.

Today I didn't understand most of what my Latin teacher told us. While it is a little frustrating, it didn't completely control my day. My friend, Alex, was in Afghanistan for 8 months, and today I got to see him for the first time. Words can't really describe how happy that made me. But has excited as I am, it hasn't blocked out my difficult time in Latin. I'm missing friends in far off places, but I feel okay because I know I'll see them again someday. I guess what I'm trying to say is, "Don't sweat the small stuff, Maggie. You're going to be okay. There's always tomorrow." And isn't that the truth, there's always tomorrow. So here's to comfort and faith and a little perserverance. Those are the ingredients that make life sweet.

Quotes for the new year

I haven't posted since last year! I had those whole two weeks off and didn't come up with a single thing for the blog, FAIL. But then again, that's not really what I needed to be focusing on around the time of Jesus' birth, now is it? So let's see, what's new? Recently I've been trying to come up with ways to add a little pizazz to my room. The walls are pretty much the same as they were when we moved 6 years ago. They could use a little flavor. I think I've decided to put up quotes that mean something to me or are just down right inspirational. Here's some of my favorites so far.

"You may write me down in history
with your bitter, twisted lies
You may trod me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I rise." - Maya Angelou

"My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but oy, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance; and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing." - James 1:2-4

"I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can some things. That which I need to do, by the grace of God, I will do."

"Pain is weakness leaving the body."

"A hero is no braver than an ordinary man, but he is braver five minutes longer." Ralph Waldo Emerson

"A truly good book teaches me better than to read it. I must soon lay it down, and commence living on its hint. What I began by reading, I must finish by acting." - Henry David Thoreau

What does He sound like, the man upstairs?
Is He loud and booming, shouting "Satan beware"?
Does He echo in the night, like an old faithful hound?
Does He unleash a song that could shake solid ground?

Or is He soft, and filled with resolve?
Knowing that soon His people will call?
Is His grin slightly cooked and His drawl of the south?
Does hope grow like kudzu when He opens His mouth?

Or does He sound different to each of us here?
Because He knows exactly what makes our hearts cheer?
Does He speak Pashto, and English, and Romanian?
So that He can make our broken lives whole again?

I trust in a God whose full name is LOVE
Who sends mercies each day like a new-flying dove
And if ever in life I should stumble and fall
I will rest on the ground and praise the Lord of all