Moment of Honesty: One Day

I keep telling myself to just take deep breaths. Politically, this country is drowning. I do not support either candidate. I'll leave it at that. But I keep taking deep breaths. I can put aside my own opinions and I can choose to love. Not because this world has become all #lovewins and #loveislove but because God loves. Jesus Christ loves. And whether you believe in religion or not, love is needed in this world. More and more it seems like hate has become more prevalent.

One day things will be very different. One day all the chaos of the world will settle. One day. I trust my God and His plan. He surely is at the helm. I see His hand in my life, even when I begin to feel frustrated with the world, especially this country.

This country is beautiful. It was built on a sure foundation. The more changes that have been made towards this foundation, the weaker it has become. I've been noticing this. But she is still beautiful. And she will still hold strong. She was built on God's foundation. She is beautiful.

I am grateful to be a citizen of a beautiful country. I am grateful for the freedom I have to worship my God as I so choose. I believe in the gospel of Jesus Christ, because it is what I have built my sure foundation on. My God will provide and He always has and as He always will.

It's not the worst. All good things.

Read the last entry in this series: http://itsnottheworst.blogspot.com/2016/06/moment-of-honesty-burning-wood.html

P.S. TEAM USA IS KILLIN' AT THE OLYMPICS! Currently 26 medals total, 9 gold, 8 silver, and 9 bronze!

A day for the books...

I'm currently sitting here in the dark, eating watermelon, and thinking about today. Today was definitely a day to remember. A good day. A very good indeed. My friend Kyle joined me for a morning at the Mall to find something suitable for a photo shoot I had this evening. I've never really done one before that wasn't graduation or family pictures. It was just for me. (More on that coming soon. I've collabed with the sweetest photographer ever!) Everything I found was within my budget and on sale! Kyle is the most patient guy friend of mine. He wanted to go shopping. He was patient as I anxiously looked at clothes. Trust me ladies, if you want a guy who will treat you like a queen, go shopping with you, hold your bags, and cook you food...Kyle is single! So...hit me up if you want in. :)

I chatted with one of my besties who told me about her moving forward in life. The joy and excitement in her voice is wonderful! Truly the Lord has a beautiful plan for her and I am over the moon excited for her to take her next step in life! She deserves all the joy and goodness that God has to offer her!

And then there's Susan. Gosh, haven't I told you about Susan? She's one of my best friends. I don't see her as often as I would like to. We hung out and she joined me for a bit of my photo shoot. If everything was her way, she would've burned all my cardigans years ago. I trusted her instincts and didn't wear a cardigan tonight. Any anyone who knows me knows that I always wear a cardigan. Also my friend Susan can beat you up so if you need a body guard. (Don't kill me, Susan.) I just realized how funny that sounded. Susan can beat you up and then be your body guard...haha. Anyways...she's the smartest cookie in the tub of ice cream. She'll out wit you and enjoy doing it so...Sometimes I just ramble about her to see if she ever reads this...Moving on.

I survived my photo shoot in heels. Yes. I wore heels. And I almost ate the concrete twice, so if that's not win, then I don't know what is. I'm so excited to share with you the pictures and gush about the photographer. She's the cutest ever and she did an amazing job!

I called my mama to update her on life. I love my mom. She's my best friend and the woman I hope to become. I always feel safe when I talk to my mom about my life. She listens. She counsels. She supports. And she loves. She's a strong, spiritual woman! It was nice to sit on the bench at the Temple grounds and chat with her.

I swung by the grocery store to pick up a bottle of water to hydrate. Literally sweat was seeping through. You're probably cringing, but whatev! I'm a human who sweats. Sorry....so I stopped by the store and picked up some water. I found myself in the produce section, because cold watermelon sounded amazing!

I walked home and called my sister. I love my sister. She's the oldest in my family and has been a beacon of light in my life. We talked about budgeting and finances. I shared with her my financial goals and career dreams. She listened. She talked to me about her financial goals and it got me excited for her. It's nice to know that I'm not the only one working towards my goals.

I came home and talked to more of friends on the phone. Checking in with some of my fave gal pals. I realized that I need to step it up as a friend and sister. How can I serve others if I can't even serve those closest to me? I love my dear friends. I love watching them grow as they move forward with their lives. I truly believe that the Lord has a plan for each of His children. I used to be a very jealous person. I've since been able to overcome that and be genuinely happy for people.

I ended the day chatting with my birth sister. I look just like her. I love her. I'm still getting to know her and thank goodness for Facebook, because it's the easiest way to talk with her. She's always so happy. Her love for the Lord is pure. She's a rock of woman, that girl!

Today was a good day indeed. One for the books. God is real, my dear friends. I can see His hand in my life and in others too. I will never stop talking about God, because I want everyone to know Him and love Him like I do. I love my God!

Life is surely not the worst. Today was definitely not the worst. All good things.

"Our fathers guard to thee,
Author of liberty
To thee we sing.
Long may our land be bright
With freedoms holy light
Protect us by thy mind,
Great God, our king."

Hats off to You Veterans

Today is Veterans Day and my heart has been brimming with gratitude. I'm lucky enough to live in a country where many have dedicated their life to serving and protecting America. Am I ever grateful for those men and women who work hard to give me the freedoms that I have.

I'm lucky to have family members and friends who have served America and am I ever grateful for them. They truly are wonderful and I am grateful to have them in my life. My respect for them is through the roof!

There is so much that I want to say, but honestly, I can't find the right words. So I'll just say thank you! Thank you, thank you, thank you! May God continue to watch over you and your loved ones. Because of you, I am inspired to live my life more fully and more wisely. It's because of you that I have this opportunity to make someone of myself. So thank you! Thank you for your service.