I felt lonely

But then you speckled the sky with stars so I could see so clear as they were scintillating and sparkling like an diamond sky and they were full of constellations and stories to tell and then,

I felt a little less lonely. 

Because You care oh Lord.

You care so much.

And You love so much.

You're here for me,

and even though I can't see You,

I can see what you have done and I can see what you have created for us,

And I know You're here.

And I'm okay.

This Is It, It's Tiime

I'm sitting on my bed surrounded by twinkling lights with a room that actually makes me feel like I am at home and I'm by myself but I'm not lonely and I am listening to Coldplay's "Atlas" and I am just ready. I was nervous and I was apprehensive. But now I am back at my dorm for my last college semester before I graduate and I've got this new haircut and it's a new year and I am ready. I'm not sitting here worrying anymore because I don't know where this feeling came from but I feel confident about this semester and I feel okay with the fact that my future lies ahead and very soon and I don't know what it holds after I graduate. I am excited and I don't know why. Maybe it's the twinkling comforting lights or maybe it's because God has given me peace and I'm thinking that's the answer and oh my do I serve a mighty and wonderful God. It's time to begin, isn't? I get a little bit bigger but then I'll admit I'm just the same as I was. Imagine Dragons got it right. Even though I am just the same as I once was, it's time to begin.

Comma, Mark

I was a phrase,

you were a comma mark.

I was a rooted tree,

you a boat about to embark.

Temporary,

Stable,

Temporary,

Stable.

Which ones of these make histories and which one makes fables?

Don't You Know It's Gonna Be Alright

In the movie "Across the Universe", they take a Beatles song called "I want you (she's so heavy)" in it and make it about something that the original song writer had not intended it to be. They make it about the Vietnam war and how one of the characters from that movie is enlisted even though he doesn't want to be. They show the "I want you" posters as the song plays and for the "she's so heavy" lyric, they show the character and many other enlisted people in the army carrying the Statue of Liberty. I thought the concept was interesting. The picture of these people carrying this huge statue symbolizing freedom and how heavy the price of freedom is. And it is, truly heavy. We remember that when we hear about our fallen soldiers. This land we are standing on, this land we are living in, it came with the price of death. And oh what a blessing it is to be here. But that also makes me think of the freedom of our sin. The cost of that freedom was even heavier. The freedom of sin is what gave us real life. One can live on earth without truly living. If you have no purpose for being here, what is the point of life? And then there comes a point when every human being has to die. Whether they are free in the terms of freedom of speech, freedom of religion, or whatever it is, we all will still freely die. But the freedom of our sin liberates us from death. That freedom gives us eternal life if we choose to accept it. That cost was so heavy. So heavy that a King left His heavenly throne and came to earth to die on a cross so His blood would free us from the chains of sin so we could have life and live it to the fullest. So we could have life with Him in Heaven after we die and have an eternal one. Jesus says "I want you". And the price He paid was so heavy. But He did because He loved us. Because He loves us. Because He wants us.

It may be sort of an interesting comparison but when I thought about the concept they put to the Beatles song that really had nothing to do with the War or the weight of our freedom, it made me think of a concept that I am positive the people who put that concept to the Beatles song had never thought of. 

"The thief comes to kill, steal and destroy. I have come so that you may have life and have it in all it's fullness."

 -- John 10:10

And to quote another Beatles song;

"It's gonna be alright."

Jesus wins. 

If you put your faith in Him, you can have without a doubt have the assurance that it's going to be alright.

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Swallowing Embers

I swallowed embers in the sky,

the day the tree burned and died.

And the constellations, I'm just sure, matched the colors of your eyes.

And in the car, a sad song came on that made me want to cry.

But the feeling didn't last,

Though the burning tree and the purple-blue song made me think of the past.

And the future makes me scared,

Because what if's haunt me like the people who never cared.

But life is the song that will never fade,

Because the memories surround us just like the ones that have never been made.

Am I losing my mind or losing the words?

To say what has never and always have been heard.

If I click my heels will I still get my wish?

Or did I lose my chance when I crouched in that ditch,

Where I sought myself but only found a handful of sand,

squirming,

searching,

for miles and miles,

miles of what?

Miles of bodies trying to make sense of life,

trying to describe what they were feeling inside,

and coming up short,

because we always get the short end of the stick,

or do we constantly choose to pick it?

That's what I found out when my eyes saw myself knee deep in sin.

We are broken people, broken men and woman.

Losing because we never put faith in the one who won.

You don't live until your life has finally begun,

it will not begin until you seek Him,

it will not begin until you find Him,

it will not begin until you give yourself up each and every day,

until you say Here I am Lord,

and walk away,

from the chains,

the noose,

your selfish ambitions hanging loose,

leave the weight on the ground,

let the blood of Jesus wipe it away,

then your old life will rot and decay,

you will be transformed, renewed, and new.

You will start to become you.

So swallow the embers,

Look up at the stars,

but don't forget who made you who you are.

Magic

This past week felt magical really.

I'm going to touch on things I did not get to catch you up on.

Besides my Tuesday of train rides, christmas tree maple latte, snow, christmas lit shops and snow,

there was more magic.

Wednesday was full of more snow, a sleigh ride with Sam and Sunny pulling us and free hot chocolate and a fleece blanket to warm us. 

It had more coffee, more lit shop walks, more snow.

I also watched "The Holiday Inn" for the first time.

It's a classy movie with Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire and song and dance.

It was fun. 

New year's Eve held breakfast at this cute charming little place called; "The Blueberry Muffin" and they id indeed have the best muffins. 

They grilled their muffins.

After that we stopped by a place called "The Christmas Loft" where I saw the most christmas decorations and ornaments I have ever seen in my life as well as some creepy/fascinating animatronics and talking trees and cows.

Then we headed down the "Kangamangus" scenic road and witnessed beautiful snow covered pine trees and the White Mountains with breathtaking views that looked like pictures from postcards.

After we went through that, we went to Santa's Village.

We spent the evening seeing so many christmas lights reflecting beautifully on patches of snow.

Eating free pretzels, food, donuts, and hot cocoa.

Riding christmas themed rides while it snowed some more.

And lastly, watching fireworks before we headed back to our cabin.

Friday, New Year's Day, we took it easy.

We slept in and then we headed out to follow our New Year's tradition of going out to eat oriental food on New Years.

I drank some thai tea, ate pad thai and dumplings.

Then, we stopped at some more cute shops.

Afterwards, we came back to the cabin and ate some of our snacks, played family fued, watched "A Christmas Story", made New Year's Purposes, and played deer in the headlights and went to bed.

Our last day we made our way to Manchester and stopped to eat lunch at a cute placed called "Village Kitchen" which had this grand view of the mountains.

Then we made it to our hotel in which we stayed our last night at. 

Lastly, we went and visited my best friend's house and met her family in Massachusetts and had a great wonderful evening and an authentic Lebanese meal.

Then we came back to the hotel and at 4:00 am this morning we made our way to the airport and I am now happily home but already missing the wonderful, magical week I had in a winter wonderland that I just don't get in FL.

Sadly, I didn't get to see a Moose. However, I really really like the charming appeal of New Hampshire and it's downtown areas. And I really, really like snow. It is magical. I felt like I was in Narnia for bits and pieces of the trip. I just loved it. And I miss it. But I am so thankful for the time I got to spend there.

How was your New Year's Eve and New Year's Day?

What did you all do?

I wish you all a wonderful 2016!