Day Twenty

Guitar is one of my favorite hobbies. I'm certainly not the best, but it's a way that I release all my anxieties, stresses, and pain. In a sense, it's saved my life. Turning to music in general has helped me grow as an individual and a Christian. I am so thankful that God has blessed us in this world with music. It has really helped a lot of people through many hard times. Especially those that feel like they cannot hear or feel God's presence with them. Music, to me, is a great way to connect to God. Worship is one of my most favorite things to do. Seriously, I'm not just being a "cheesey Christian". I LOVE MUSIC, I love making music, and well...I just love music, okay :) I've been a bit of a failure lately and haven't been posting much on here...since it's spring now, I will have a lot more opportunity to take pictures outside and whatnot, so HOPEFULLY, I'll pick things back up.

IQ: "Music is soul food" - unknown

Day Nineteen

Yes, I know...I've been a terrible person and have missed several days. I'm sorry to those of you who follow... Today's was kind of random. I actually froze my bootie off taking this shot, so I hope you like it. Not exactly sure what inspired me for this, but I came up with a story to go along with it. BE FLEXIBLE. Kind of silly, but oh well. Laura Roberts and my Daddy will relate quite well with that statement. Life is full of unexpected trials and circumstances that are impossible to plan for or avoid. This generally makes daily life difficult to cope with, however, there IS a solution...BE FLEXIBLE...which means that you bend and mold to what life throws at you. Don't waste time complaining about how you weren't prepared for things and whine because you don't know what to do. GOD gave you that situation for a reason, and essentially, He is testing your patience. Are you willing to rearrange your schedule at the last minute to fit His or someone else's? Do you care enough about others to change what you are doing so that their lives will be a little easier? It all boils down to putting others before yourself...which is opening a whole new can of worms, so I'd better stop now. The moral of the story is BE FLEXIBLE...all the time, even when it is uncomfortable (haha, get it? I was being flexible in the picture AND was uncomfortable because it was cold and the grass was rather prickly.)

IQ:: (rather obvious).."No matter the situation, BE FLEXIBLE!!" - Laura Roberts

Day Eighteen

This portrait shows me clinging to everything I've ever known. Growing up is scary. I'm eager to go to college and begin the journey of life on my own, but, to a point, I dread leaving my parents. They have always been there for me, supported me, given me everything I ever needed (and more), provided me with a shelter, and have helped me. In college, they won't be in the same house as me, they won't always be able to help me when I have questions...but they're still there.

I love you Mum and Dad. Thank you for all that you do :)

Day Seventeen

Get in the Word...enough said :) Everybody needs Jesus time EVERY day.

Day Sixteen

A wise woman once told me "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all." That woman is my mother (yes, mom, I just quoted you). I believe that quote originally came from the movie Bambi, when Thumper's mom told him that he shouldn't say anything to someone unless it was nice. I know, it sounds childish, but in reality, this applies to people of all ages. Harsh words cut deep and put people down more than you'd think.

No one teaches us how to be mean, it's a behavior that we learn by watching other people. I know for a fact my parents never taught me how to gossip and make fun of people. Over the years, being on both ends of the humiliation spectrum, I have learned that sometimes silence IS golden. Knowing how it feels to be made fun of has changed my thought process completely on making fun of others. It hurt me, and why would I want to inflict that pain on someone else?

Think about that the next time you make fun of someone. If you have a conscience, I guarantee you that it will make you reconsider your motives. :)


IQ: "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all." 
                                                                -Debbie Henderson and Mama Thumper-

Day Fifteen

There’s a difference between love and being in love. How do you define ‘being in love’? We could say that being in love is to care more about someone than you care about yourself, or anything else, and not just physically, but emotionally and mentally, too. If you're 'in love', you’d let them go if you had to, if it was what they needed to be happy. What most people dislike about love is that the idea that the feeling will go away, or be taken away – that it will end. It’s almost like you’re afraid to be happy and stay in love, because you feel that you should prepare yourself for the day it will all be gone.
Most of us say that it’s normal to pressure yourself away from love, it’s normal to want to seclude yourself and avoid ever being placed in such a situation a second or third time. This is the main reason that those people avoid love, because with each strike, it becomes harder and harder to recover from the pain...

Love comes and goes. Love requires one to put down his or her barriers and to trust someone to be inside of your heart.  It takes a tremendous amount of courage to give someone your heart and trust them with it. Many of us become afraid of putting our heart out there especially if it’s been torn apart in previous relationships.

Many of us become afraid of love because we’re tired of being hurt and we would rather not be hurt again because it takes too much time to get over it. Falling in love can occur quickly, but healing a broken heart almost takes a lifetime. Our hearts will open up extremely quickly to love someone, but the more our hearts are broken, the more difficult it will be to trust someone again. We are afraid of relationships because we don't want to be hurt.

We may be afraid of falling in love again, but we won’t dismiss the possibility. We can’t control when we fall in love because love just happens. Love will sneak up on you when you least expect it. Love is innocent and does not hurt. It only hurts when the one you love takes their love away...

Eventually, we have to get over being afraid. There’s not one person that wants to wake up and find that you’re all alone.  That’s the risk that we take when we choose to love. Maybe we can say that the act of love itself is a risk, but it’s probably one of the only risks in life that everyone is willing to take for a chance at being happy. So, don't be afraid to love.

IQ: "We're never so vulnerable than when we trust someone - but paradoxically, if we cannot trust, neither can we find love or joy"                                                                               -Walter Anderson-

Day Fourteen

You know how you sometimes feel that you need to apologize to someone (or even a few people)? I've experienced that feeling over the past few days. This is not taking the place of a face to face apology,  but it's a start. In other words, I would like to dedicate this portrait to those people that I need to apologize to. So, informally, I'm sorry.


I have a double IQ today....

IQ (pt. a):  “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

IQ (pt. b): “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.” (Acts 3:19)

Day Thirteen

SORRY!! I missed yesterday..ahh. This is terrible! Anyways, I felt like doing a reflection shot today. Yes, that is a towel on my head. I was in the process of getting ready for school, saw my camera, looked at my makeup mirror, and snapped a shot. Personally, I enjoy this portrait, but my guess is that I will be one of a few that do...and that's okay :)

IQ: "What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." ~Oliver Wendell Holmes

Day Twelve

To Write Love on Her Arms - Hawthorne Heights

This is a huge problem with teens. Hopefully the TWLOHA campaign will impact the lives of some...Cutting is a hard habit to break, but it IS possible.

To Write Love On Her Arms

With ink, not a blade

To get her to know it

To turn her mind around

Just to remind her

She could have so much more

Life is built to be greater

A moment for her choices

To decorate as she will

There is good to be had

And that good, we, as friends

Are to give in abundance

To show her the truth

To Write Love On Her Arms

 IQ: "18 out of 274,000 teens kill themselves
        1 in 5 teens consider suicide
        1 in 6 make plans
        1 in 12 attempt suicide
       8 out of 10 ask for help before they commit suicide."       TWLOHA (www.twloha.com)

Day Eleven

I decided to have a little fun with today's portrait. Did you know that Converse laces can make shapes!? :) I just thought it was cute. Not much of a story today, but I just thought it was cute, so yeah.

IQ: “Love is that condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own.”                                                                                     
                                                                                                  -Robert A. Heinlein-

Day Ten

Self image is a huge thing with teenage girls. I've had my fair share of struggles with thinking I'm not good enough, pretty enough, or skinny enough to be accepted. Over time, I've learned that God made me beautiful and He loves me no matter what I look like. Yes, it's still difficult sometimes when I look in the mirror, but that's normal. Living in a sinful world brings about temptations, but you can overcome them when you have a strong, intimate relationship with Christ. He will bring you out of them and turn you toward the truth. If you are not to that point in your walk with Christ yet, don't be discouraged. It takes time, determination, trust, and self-discipline to develop that type of a relationship. It won't be an overnight change, however, it IS possible :) God made each and every one of us BEAUTIFUL!!

IQ:"Beauty is how you feel inside, and it reflects in your eyes. It is not something physical."

                                                                                                                -Sophia Loren-

Day Nine

My inspiration for today was the song "When I'm With You" by Faber Drive. If you read the lyrics, it's pretty self explanatory. Personally, I don't think of it merely for a romantic relationship. Some parts of the song I apply to people like Juancito (in El Salvador) because I promised him that I would be back. Also, for my Granny that passed away a few years ago from Alzheimer's Disease. She was everything to me. So, that's the post for today. I actually did yesterday's post yesterday, but it didn't post up until today for some strange reason. So, no, I'm not slacking :)

Day Eight

TOMS shoes ROCK!! (So do Converse, sorry mom). TOMS are cool because every pair of shoes that they sell, they give a pair to a child in need. I think that's incredible. Check it out at www.toms.com They're OOBER comfy, too. :)

Yes, I used a photo editor on today's portrait...but before you get your panties in a wad and start wagging your finger, hear me out. All I did was merge two photos together, convert to black and white, and color splash the TOMS logo. None of that is against my rules :). Anyways, TOMS was my inspiration for today's portrait.

What are you doing on April 5 this year? Better question...do you know what type of shoes you will most likely be wearing? I do. I am going to join over 250,000 people across the world and go without shoes for the day. Sounds crazy, huh? The reason that people are going for a day without shoes is to raise awareness of the impact a pair of shoes can have on a child’s life. It really makes you think twice about buying a new pair of kicks and freaking out because you "don't" have any shoes to wear. There are children out there walking around on DIRT, ROCKS, and FILTH with no shoes to wear. I hope you participate in One Day Without Shoes.  For more information about One Day Without Shoes, visit http://www.onedaywithoutshoes.com/splash.php .

Day Seven



1 Corinthians 13:4-8

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, it never fails.



Day Six

Today is short and sweet. I was rather busy with school things today, so I don't really have much time to write about the picture...as a matter of fact, today's picture was kind of a last minute deal. :/