new blog update

Hey everyone,

just wanted to update you on my latest venture... I've started a new blog about my latest and greatest adventures: http://americanexpo.blogspot.com/

I will still write on this blog as much as possible....but mostly on my new blog.

Use the glue,
Sarah

Be patriotic

Go Team USA!!

Happy Parents Day!!

Just a quick shout out to all of you parents out there.

Happy Parent's Day!

Your job is the most important in the world and you deserve an applause. I hope you have a well earned relaxing day enjoying the many rewards of being a great parent.

I'm not sure what country you live in, or who or where you are as you read this, but the privilege of being a good parent is one that should not be taken lightly. I have a great set of parents who have always been very supportive, but if you asked them if they are perfect the answer would be a very firm "no." But here is something I will leave you with to think about...

"If you shoot for the moon and miss, you'll still land among the stars."

And that's the difference between a good parent and well, just a parent: the good ones really try.
Your kids may never thank you for all your efforts, but if your kids ever reach stardom, I'm sure they'll give the moon a tip that you helped land them there (or so we'll hope).

Anyway, to the most important people in the world! You've earned it.

Use the glue,
Sarah

Raining Grass

Hey Everyone,

as many of you may know, I've recently graduated from high school. Sorry I  haven't posted lately...
been really busy with stuff... I'm sure you know the feeling:)

Anyway, in the hustle and bustle of everything, things around the house needed some attention, the back yard in particular had turned into a jungle.... literally! So my brother and I decided to mow the lawn today( actually, I talked him into helping me, but he's always a good sport). Since school is almost out, there's nothing like a little hard work before a fun filled summer, right?

Well, I got myself in over my head when I traded the weed eater for the mower... it's a good thing i was wearing sun glasses, because there was grass flying everywhere! It was pretty nasty. But i didn't mind.  Not only do i like being outdoors, but more importantly I like serving those I love. So doing things that are otherwise unexpected is just one of the many ways we can show others that we love them... so what can you do to serve?

As you can see in the picture, it was a lot of hard work, but still smiling faces, for the most part:)

So get out there and serve... and if you can't think of anything right away, don't worry:

"Love, like a river, will cut a new path whenever it meets an obstacle. - Crystal Middlemas -"

Have a great weekend guys... 

Use the glue, 

Sarah 

We Need Each Other. Seriously.

Hey Guys,

Well, its finally here... high school graduation. I can’t believe how time flies so quickly.  I was sitting on the balcony outside of our room at the resort we are staying at for the graduation yesterday. This week my family and I will be helping work a convention for an organization we are involved with... the same organization will also be hosting the graduation. So this week we’ll be really busy even though it will bring a lot of good memories in the process. But really exciting overall.... even though you have to add in the occasional goose bump and butterfly in your stomach(:

This whole process has been a great learning experience though, and as usual, it got me thinking....

Yesterday morning when we were packing up, my little sister came up to me and gave me a pink and white head band that you wear in the cold or when your sweating, i guess. It was so cute! I had told the family that I planned on being at the gym during all my extra free time, cause I wanted to be looking good for graduation and all... I guess she remembered...

I said, “okay, cool, thanks.”

And she went about her business in her usual nonchalant kind of way... typical eight year old, right?

My other sister, who happens to be my twin (so she will be graduating with me), has been pretty helpful too. Most of the time. Last week we had to do some last minute shopping...... and I’m Not a big fan of shopping:) My sister, on the other hand, loves it!

So she always helps me pick out the best outfits. Its just great to have a family that can help you out and be there for you... not everyone has that. So that was my afternoon.

But then, like I said, I was sitting on the balcony outside our room, that overlooks an open atrium that has glass as the ceiling and lets in the natural sunlight. Its a really amazing view.... and speaking of amazing resorts/hotels... I just read a great book called When The Astors Owned New York. It was about the famous Astor family who built and owned some of the grandest hotels in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. There most famous being the Waldorf-Astoria in New York.

So when we checked in yesterday, it made me appreciate the architecture of the building a whole lot more.... and then there were a bunch of dressed up people below meeting in the atrium at some banquet. They were all shaking hands and talking, and eating the food...

I know, I know... by now you are probably wondering what on earth shopping, a grand hotel, and a pink and white headband have in common, right?

Bottom line? We all need each other.

I mean, seriously. Why do you think such luxurious resorts even exist? Because people like to come together for common interests and goals; to meet new people, form bonds with new acquaintances, catch up with old friends, embark on new business ventures... and the list goes on and on.

So that's just my quick take for the day... hope you enjoyed it.... now I'm gonna go work out in the gym... and i may or may not wear the head band.... but it was still the cutest thing ever:)

Use the glue,
Sarah

Happy Mother's Day

To a day that celebrates all a mother does for her children.... a day that celebrates one of the best examples of love in the world... A mother's love.

Happy Mother's Day to all of you mothers out there!!

We could all learn a little more about love by watching our mothers, don't you think?

Well, just wanted to give a quick shout out before I called it a day....
Use the glue,
Sarah

Parents Day Project

Hey everyone,

Please check out the Parents Day Project FAQs page for an update on my latest project...

You can help me by getting the word out to your friends and family.... I would really appreciate it(:

Thanks a lot and Use the glue,
Sarah

How Sweet Are You??

Have you ever seen an otherwise attractive person chewing gum in a way that made her appear unattractive? How about someone who is just genius but doesn't know how to hold his fork?

All of these questions are addressed in the book I just read... Emily Post's Etiquette.

white, brown and raw sugar 

In this book, there are things mentioned that will make you think twice about how you act in public, and since reading it, I've found myself observing others more, and I've even tried out a few things myself. 

Recently, my sister and I were invited to join one of our friends to hang out at her house for the evening. We also were invited to join her and her family for dinner but we got there late, so they had already eaten. Instead of just walking through and getting my plate, I stopped and spoke to my friend's parents who were watching TV in the living room.... even though I was starving and my sister just walked on through!   

Of course, it got me thinking.... and then, I decided to do a little experiment. Today I got out several different items and spread them out on a cutting board. I started with white, brown and raw sugar. I tasted them to see the difference in their tastes. Then I enrolled the help of my family members. Obviously, everyone was already wondering what on earth I was doing, especially my mom who had just cleaned the kitchen:)

First my little sister and brother came over and I asked them to taste the samples and see which one they thought was the sweetest. My little sister thought the brown was the sweetest. My brother and I thought the white. By the time my mom came over we had added cinnamon, and then she suggested powdered sugar which I had not thought of. As you can see in the picture, the powdered sugar is almost gone; that should explain which one we thought was the sweetest....

So what's the point?

Well, it's no secret that we all find it easy to form opinions about other people. And if you look hard enough, you will see that most people are like sugar... I think we are all naturally sweet. The only difference? There are all different kinds of sweet. 

 Some of us are raw and need to be refined. 

Others are sweeter but not refined to the fullest. 

And some, are a little too sweet... 

In life, some of us could use a little more refinement than others. And some of us should be careful not to come across as fake by being too nice and sweet. 

 Either way, only we can decide for ourselves how sweet we want to be. 

But I'm sure that etiquette has it's place... and we could each probably use a little more or less:)

So if you haven't already, go pick up a copy.... 

http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=emily+post+books&tag=googhydr-20&index=aps&hvadid=3856156401&hvpos=1t1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=21860348153967969&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&ref=pd_sl_3x9a68x49c_b

Manners are a sensitive awareness of the feelings of others. If you have that awareness, you have good manners, no matter what fork you use.”
― Emily Post

Just something to think about...

Until next time guys,

Use the glue. 

Parents Page...

Hey Guys,

Check out my youtube channel and write in to me for Parents Day....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmXT6_7Eovc

Thanks

Remembering the Titanic...

Hey Everyone,

My family and I just walked in the door (literally) about 20 minutes ago... we spent the weekend at a resort in Orlando... it was so much fun, especially considering the fact that we got to see some friends that we don't see often. While at the resort this weekend, we saw on the television this morning that today is the 100th anniversary of the Titanic. It's kind of a real reality check:)

A hundred years ago on this day, over 1,500 people died... when they were least expecting it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RMS_Titanic

Although I realize this is a sobering thought, I don't say it to suggest that we should be fearful of what could happen at any time, but that we should celebrate every moment of life to the fullest. After spending the weekend with friends and family, I feel blessed to have another great memory to cherish...

We got to meet some new friends this weekend too, and my sister and I agreed that we are already experiencing separation anxiety towards all of our friends:)

Tomorrow we'll all be back to work, or school in my case, but hopefully with a new level of motivation since we've been blessed with another day...

I hope your weekend was as great as mine and that the beginning of your week will be even better.
Use the glue,
Sarah 

How does love motivate you?

Hey Everyone,

I know I haven't posted in a while.... sorry about that:) I've been really busy with a lot of other stuff, I'm sure you know how it is; life just happens and you get really busy. But it really got me thinking the other day about all the new things and new people I'm involved with. Do you ever feel like you do so much that you do everything only half way? Sometimes I do, but I try to limit it to a minimum by putting priorities first. Even though it's hard. Here is just a brief list of the things that keep me busy but I sometimes don't feel like I really have the time for:

Reading.
Blogging.
School.
Exercise.
Family obligations.
Church.
Spending time with friends.
Part time job.
Etc....

Understand, I realize these are things that we all have to fit into our schedules. And knowing which ones are more important is one of the hardest things ever. At least, in my opinion. So I guess the best question to ask here, and the one I ask myself everyday is "WHY?"

Dean Graziosi had an interesting video concerning this question. So I thought I would share it with you.
http://www.deangraziosi.com/content/weekly-wisdom-166-how-get-rid-villain-within

But no matter what I do, I always look for motivation in those unlikely places. My family is usually my number 1 pick. A lot of times my little sister and brother are huge motivators. Sometimes even more so than my parents. Their cute and adorable little faces when they ask me to do something with them or take them somewhere are really hard to say no to. It's funny actually, I was once at a sleepover for a friend's birthday, and my friend had a younger sister who was probably about two or three at the time. Apparently, the little sister wanted something and a family friend had told her no! Of course, the toddler started crying instantly and wouldn't stop! I walked in the room and asked my other friend what she had  done to her; I honestly thought she was hurt:) It was the most hilarious thing I had ever seen... the family members rushed into the room and you would have thought a bomb went off. They asked what happened and my friend said that she had just told her no. Then the older sister said in a half joking, half serious kind of way, "what? Oh no, you can't tell her no!" And believe me, it's really hard to say no sometimes.


 Lately, my brother has been wanting me to practice his baseball with him on the days he doesn't have practice. And since I like baseball a lot, it helps me get things done faster so I can go play with him. Besides, when I'm sitting in the bleachers at his games, I get to take some of the credit when he hits a home-run!

Perhaps then, the real question is how does love motivate us? Because when we really get down to the bottom of it, I think our reasons why we do the things we do, aren't always what we think.

What about you? Who are your biggest motivators? Comment below, I would love to hear your thoughts:) Until next time, use the glue.

P.S. Oh yeah, check out my brother playing catcher in his first season to play baseball!

Love Changes Things.... Hunger Games Review

Hey Guys,

So I went to see the Hunger Games yesterday… and here is my review that I said I would post.

First of all, I would definitely not recommend taking your little kids or younger siblings to see this movie. Most young children would not only be disturbed by it, but they would most likely not understand the actual storyline, which would be a good thing. 

For someone my age though (I’m 18 and it is rated PG-13), the violence was not as extreme as I was expecting it to be, but the plot itself is what I think really bothered me. To be honest, I found it gross and disgusting. 

If you are not already familiar with this series, here is the link to a review from a trusted, family oriented website that I use often. It will explain the plot in full detail. 

http://www.pluggedin.com/movies/intheaters/hunger-games.aspx

On the positive side, if you can imagine this movie having one, there were a few parts of the movie that I found interesting… 

 Despite the mentality Katniss is surrounded by, she still does all she can to stand up for what she believes in, and keeps the sensitive and human side of her intact. With that said, I would say that there was in fact a line drawn between the good and bad sides, even though it was sometimes hard to tell who was on what side. And the main part that really caught my attention, and the sentence I would use to sum it all up was this: Love changed the rules. 

And ultimately, love won. 

Let me explain. Peeta and Katniss, are given hope that both of them can win when the dictators decide to change the rules on their behalf, all for the sake of better entertainment; although they disguise this by saying that it’s really for the sake of “young love.” And when Katniss and Peeta are finally the only ones left, the dictators once again change the rules and explain that there can only be one victor. But Katniss makes a choice and decides to do the unexpected. Together, Peeta and Katniss decide that they would rather both die than live without the other (it almost ended like the Romeo and Juliet tragedy). Thankfully though, it wasn't exactly the same ending, but I won't spoil it for those of you who haven't seen it. 

In conclusion, I think there is definitely a lesson to be learned here… As opposed to mere force or violence as a source for changing the rules, or in this case, saving each others lives, love was the only thing that worked. The most unexpected and possibly not allowed part of the Games. 

So…. That’s just something to think about. Whether or not you choose to see the movie, I would advise you to use your own judgment. But I definitely found that part intriguing.

So until next time guys, use the glue, you never know when it might come in handy. 

Love come to life...

Hey Guys,

I haven't exactly felt like posting lately. Just because I didn't exactly know what to post about....

after almost getting hit by the car the other day, it has really made me think about what people think is important, and what should be considered More important. For example, The Hunger Games, which will probably be a huge box office hit, just came out yesterday... Everyone I have talked to is raving about it. 

And just FYI, yes I will be seeing it too:) Probably today. No, I have not read the books, but I usually don't if I'm going to see the movie. I mean, come on, the movie always ruins the book, and vise versa.

At least, that's what everyone will tell you...

 I won't go into too much detail until I see it and post my review (so be sure to check back later on). My point though, is that in all sincerity, a movie is just a movie, unless of course, you can learn something from it. So I guess I will see what this movie has to offer...

Until I post my review, check out Big Daddy Weave's latest hit, Love Come to Life.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9y-G8ZVKpU&feature=related

If love really came to life in each of us, we would probably be able to live life with no regrets..

what do you think?? 

Use the glue,

Sarah 

Live Well...

I haven’t posted in a while either because of lack of inspiration or because I haven’t had the time… or so that was my excuse. But right when I thought I had nothing to write about, life threw something at me… Literally!

Today I was almost hit by a car. And that’s an understatement. Most people would probably just say they were involved in a car accident, and I was, but here’s the unexpected part: I wasn’t inside the car!

My sister and I had a hair appointment at the local hair salon this morning. We pulled up right on time at 10:30. I was driving. My sister got out and started to walk across the street while I proceeded to lock the car. When I was finished, I started to walk across too, but stopped when I saw a silver car coming and decided to let it pass before continuing to cross. As I stood there, I noticed a red car approaching the stop sign at the corner parallel to the road the silver car was on. When I saw that the red car wasn’t stopping, I had just enough time to think, “what is that car doing?” And then I realized there was going to be a collision. But I was not expecting what would happen next.

Before I knew it, I had witnessed a full on collision and the silver car went spinning…

Now, the rear end of the silver car was facing me and coming right towards me!

I realized that if I didn’t move I was going to get hit. My instincts were quick enough to know what to do, but I know it was God who actually moved my legs and made me start running.

I darted to the other side of my car in-between it and the BMW parked next to us. Then I realized it was going to hit our car too. I got to the side walk right before the rear of the silver car hit our back bumper. It created a horrible screeching sound and slid our car over a couple of feet closer to the BMW; almost hitting it. 

Thankfully, no one was hurt...   the only thing I can find that was funny about the whole thing, was that as soon as I reached the other side of the street everyone in the hair salon was outside, hair curlers and all, checking on everyone...  You can only imagine what the people at the salon will be talking about for the next couple of days:) 

After we had taken care of everything with the police, my sister and I still went in for our hair cuts.

When I left the house this morning, I wasn't expecting to almost get hit by a car. And I wasn't expecting to spend my whole day thinking about what I did or didn't say to my family members before I left. You see this kind of stuff in the movies, but until it happens to you... you don't know what it really feels like. But now that I do.... it makes you appreciate life a whole lot more.

 Now I know why parents tell you to be careful before you leave the house:) So here's the lesson I learned today and would like to share with you... instead of advising you to be more careful while driving like most people would; the only lesson I offer is that we can all live life a little better today than yesterday. And if we are fortunate to wake up tomorrow, we can live it even better than today. 

And for me, today seems like a pretty good day to start. 

As the saying goes: Live Well. Laugh Often. Love much.      

It helps make everyday count. 

Until next time... Use the glue.

Love language..... what is that?

I know what you are thinking.... a love language! What is that!?

Well, it's actually pretty simple to understand... Right now I'm in the middle of reading a book called
The 5 Love Languages, by Gary Chapman. Don't get me wrong, this isn't the typical kind of book I normally read nor would someone my age usually care to read. But since, according to the subject of this blog, it is relevant; I gave it a shot. I'm more like skimming through it actually. I had heard about it from a family member and am borrowing it from her.
So according to Dr. Chapman, as he is called, a love language is the simple concept that not everyone feels loved in the same ways. When you actually take time to think about it, it really makes since. I know that I personally have always just liked hanging out with and spending time with my family, and that was all I needed to feel loved. Apparently, that means my number one love language is Quality Time.

I would strongly recommend this book. I think most everyone should read it. Because love is relevant to all areas of life. So go pick up a copy. There are many different versions that have been published, from one for married couples, all the way to one for parents and their teens.

check it out...
http://www.5lovelanguages.com/assessments/love/

I hope you enjoy it, and that it will maybe help you understand those impossible or "misunderstood" people in your life:) Until next time...

new webpage!

Hey everyone, 

just wanted to let you know about my new webpage with Hubpages.com. 

You can check it out here

http://sunnyliving.hubpages.com/


Well, I have to go now, we have baseball try-outs tonight and have a full day ahead of us...
but here is just a quick thought I'll leave you with.


Nowadays people know the price of everything and the value of nothing.
-Oscar Wilde

So then do we really understand the value of loving others, or do we only care about how much it may cost us?

Celebrate!

Yesterday was not the typical Saturday for me and my family, but it was an absolute blast! We went for a family bike ride and then attended a wedding in the evening...

To stay healthy I always try to go for a run or bike ride at least twice a week. 
So yesterday when I woke up, I knew I was going to go for a bike ride at some point. I usually go by myself. But not yesterday. My mom and younger siblings were home and I asked if they wanted to come with me. They said yes, so we pumped up our tires and headed off. In my big family (there are 7 of us all together), it's not every Saturday that we are all home to spend the day together; so yesterday was a real treat.


It was fun for me to include my family in one of my hobbies and show them all the back roads and side streets of my usual route. We rode through connecting neighborhoods a few blocks over, and were enjoying the beautiful sunny weather. As we headed down one last street before we headed home, my brother decided to go the opposite direction...
He's a very independent nine year old:)

Since he knows the neighborhood though, we didn't really worry. By the time we were heading home, my brother met up with us; but to our surprise, he had a friend with him. Apparently, this friend was on my brother's football team last season, and had chased my brother down on his own bike after seeing him ride by his house. He tagged along with my brother and ended up following us all the way home. My brother is one of those so called "social butterflies," and I don't think he has ever met a stranger in his life. His friend hung out at our house for almost the rest of the afternoon. Then we had a wedding to go to...


It was an outside wedding and the decorations were gorgeous! There was dancing, and my little sister eventually talked my Dad into going to dance with her; which was the most adorable thing to watch. Most of the crowd was content to stay sitting as onlookers until the YMCA song started playing, then everyone jumped up and headed to the dance floor. I just stood and watched. There was an indescribable energy when everyone hit the dance floor and joined the newly weds. I remained an onlooker, and although it looked like a blast, it was just as much fun to watch everyone come together to celebrate. What exactly were we celebrating?

Well, we were celebrating life, family, new beginnings, and all of the little things in life that add color to it. But most importantly, we were celebrating love. So yesterday, after the wedding it got me thinking. I did a lot of sharing and celebrating with others yesterday. And I have to say, it made for one of the best days ever! 


There is no other reason why we should live on than that we love and are beloved.
-Henry Drummond




We should always remember to celebrate the little things, and share in celebration with others. 

Happy Valentine's Day 2012

I woke up this morning thinking about all that I have planned today. Last night before dinner I hung up some heart shaped lights that we happened to have lying around the house from last year; I hung them over the breakfast bar near the kitchen so we could look at them all day....
I told my mom though, who was fixing dinner at the time, that we should leave them up all year. 
Because everyday should be Valentine's Day! I don't care if it's christmas, easter, or a birthday, I told her,
"everyday should be Valentine's Day."


During the past few weeks, leading up to today, I did a little research on the history of Valentine's. 
I even read a book called Hearts, Cupids, and Red Roses; that talked about the story of many of our Valentine's Day symbols. I found it very interesting, but if you do your research too, you'll find that how Valentine's Day came to be, and who it is named after is really unclear. 


Most historians each have their own opinion on it. There are many people who believe it was named after one, or several, roman saints, who were known as Saint Valentine. But no matter what the history is behind it, in my opinion, any day that gives us another reason to show our loved ones how much we really love them, is always a good day! 


So from my family to yours: Happy Valentine's Day!!
May it be a truly blessed one with many memories. 


Now I have to go make some chocolate ganache truffles for my grandparents, which is my valentine's present to them. It is one of the easiest and most delicious recipes ever! http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/12/dining/12mini.html

The greatest thing in the world

Hey Everyone,


I just finished one of the most inspiring and amazing books!!
It's called: The Greatest Thing In the World by Henry Drummond


http://henrydrummond.wwwhubs.com/greatest.htm


Henry Drummond was a renowned Scottish writer, lecturer and evangelist. 
He wrote many addresses but his most famous was definitely his address on love taken from 1 Corinthians 13. It will really make you think about what in life really lasts, and therefore, what we should really devote our time to. 

You will find as you look back upon your life that the moments when you have truly lived are the moments when you have done things in the spirit of love. Henry Drummond 




Just a little pre-valentine's day thought...
Can't wait till tomorrow, look for my next post. 

Get ready for Heart Day!

My siblings and I have been blessed to have a wonderful set of grandparents living only about ten minutes away. So yesterday my grandfather called and asked if we could get "something special" for grandma on Valentine's Day. Let me explain. My grandfather can no longer drive because of a condition with his eyes, so he always calls and asks my mom, or whoever is available, to get something special for our grandma. He can't always give the most elaborate gifts or surprises that I'm sure he used to, but he is always so thoughtful and sincere. They have been married for over 50 years now! It's always nice to know that someone is getting ready for the 14th ahead of time:)


And this year, I'm doing the same. I've already bought some cards and can't wait to give them to friends and family members. 


So are you ready for Vanentine's Day?


Love finds its most natural and spontaneous expression in giving.
-Wallace D. Wattles


Don't forget to vote on my poll and find out the results on my Valentine's day post!

Saturday morning shout out!

Hey Everyone,


This quote really hit me hard when I first read it... and I just wanted to share it with you:)
I think the world would be a better place if we could grasp this concept. Just something to think about... Have a great Saturday! 




If you could only love enough, you could be the most powerful person in the world.
-Emmet Fox

Life with a glue stick Part 2

 

Today I went to visit some neighbors of mine, who also happen to be like an extra set of grandparents to me. They are an elderly couple who live just down the street and have no children of their own… thus, when I go to visit them, they always ask about the rest of my family (my parents, brothers, sisters), and sometimes I’ll take one or two of my siblings to go say hi too. I love them like family, but there is just a little problem, at least, that’s what most people would say…

They speak Spanish and not that much English! See, they are originally from Cuba but moved here to Florida a long time ago. And considering that I don’t speak Spanish fluently, most people would think that this would create a big problem. But the cool thing is: we don’t look at it as a problem at all.

Because of their age, you could say they are a little technically challenged, and that is how I really started developing a relationship with them. They pay for one of the biggest packages on dish TV, and of course, it has all of the Spanish channels too. Whenever they have trouble with it and don’t know how to fix it on their own, which is fairly often, they always call me. I walk down the street and see if I can fix it, and I usually find it can be fixed with one button. But of course, they don’t know that; even though I’ve tried explaining it to them a dozen times.

But they always appreciate me coming, and I never feel like I visit them as often as I would like. Today when I went to see them, they were watching CNN en Espanol. I didn’t mind that it was in Spanish. I just sat there and watched with them anyway.

 I don’t really know how they feel about it, I can’t exactly ask them anyway; but I’ve found that just because there is a physical language barrier between people, doesn’t mean that there has to be a barrier in all areas of the relationship.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s a great thing to be bilingual. But in my opinion, it’s an even greater thing to be able to show love to someone without words.

Everyday, I get to see more and more how amazing it is to walk in love. Love doesn’t see any barriers. It’s not like a magnet, with a positive and negative side. It’s like a glue stick. It will bring people together no matter what they do or don’t have in common. So I’m sure that one day, I’ll learn Spanish, but until then, love is doing a pretty good job filling in for me:) 

A Thought for the Day

Hey Everyone,


Just something quick to think about... 


"Love, like a river, will cut a new path whenever it meets an obstacle."
Crystal Middlemas

Make yourself Irresistible!

A tribute to Krispy Kreme...

Think: Irresistible! I don't know about you, but when I think irresistible, I think of Krispy Kreme Doughnuts!

Unfortunately, although it's probably better for our health, my family and I don't have the luxury of enjoying their doughnuts whenever we want, because of where we live. 
But believe me, whenever we travel out of town we take full advantage of any special treats! 

So a couple of weeks ago we were in Tallahassee driving and I spotted one. My two younger siblings were in the car and I knew they hadn't yet had the exciting experience of watching the doughnuts on the conveyor belt. So of course, we stopped; even though the "Hot Now" sign wasn't on. We found out once we went in that the previous shift had gotten off schedule and that the new batch of doughnuts that would have already been out, were going to be late. That was a little disappointing. But nonetheless we got some doughnuts and watched them being made and going through the icing part...

That has to be one of the coolest things to see!  

For those of you who don't know, whenever the Hot Now sign is on, that means that fresh, warm, melt-in-your-mouth, which = irresistible, doughnuts just came out and are ready for customers. I'm pretty sure the locals know what time that is. 

It got me thinking. What if people started becoming as irresistible as Krispy Kreme Doughnuts? Now, I know what you're thinking... How on earth could we do that?  Well, to translate the question: How do you become a warm, compassionate, irresistible person? 

Look below for recipe. 

But to sum it all up...... I just want to say that Krispy Kreme is "doing some wonderful work over there"... and maybe its time we start too.

And while you are at it, check out Tim Hawkins' take on Krispy Kreme.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3U70N552uuk


Love's recipe:

Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening]. -1 corinthians 13 

Life with a glue stick

Yesterday, I was sent on an errand for my mom, who was having me pick up some home-grown honey that we get from a gentleman in town who sells it to any locals who know about it.  


She called the man first to tell him I was coming by. When I pulled in the driveway I turned off the car and got out. I had been there once before but never actually met the man myself; at least, not that I could remember. My mom had given me instructions so I could find where he lived and also informed me that he had a lot of cats. When I saw a couple of empty pet cages at the front door, I knew I was at the right house. Since the front door was blocked I went to the carport door and knocked. In a few moments an elderly man opened the door. 


I said, "Hi, Mr......."
I told him my name and said that my mom had called earlier about me picking up the honey. He talked in a very slow and deep voice when he asked me how many jugs we wanted. I said two. He left the door open and went to his dinning table where the honey was. He wasn't at all what I expected him to be like. He had extremely white hair and was using a cane to walk, despite the fact that he looked in good health for his age. Obviously, he was much older than I had originally thought.


When he came back with the honey I paid him and told him to keep the change. He said, "thank you ma'am." Then he said, "You're a mighty pretty young lady," in that same deep voice and I told him thank you. My parents taught me growing up to always say please and thank you, yes sir, no sir, and to always ask people how they are doing when you greet them. I tried my best to use these manners when I spoke to him. I think he appreciated that and the way he spoke to me said that he was in no hurry to end the conversation. I was pressed for time though, and so I thanked him again and got in the car. As I backed up and drove down the street I thought about what he may have said further or what kind of questions he may have asked me if I had not been in a hurry.


It lead me to think about how sad it is that most people today are in too much of a hurry and far too busy with their own life to show interest in someone else's.
On several occasions over the past couple of weeks I have run into people who have reminded me of this. Even though I had been short on time, I tried to honestly show that I appreciated this gentleman as a person. It seemed that he recognized this and told me, "thank you for buying my honey." 


I replied by saying, "Well, thank you for providing it," which hopefully made the impression I wanted to give. When I got home my mom told me that she thought he was even older than my grandparents. Of course, age isn't everything... and by the way, I'm not calling anyone old here; but in this case it made the difference. When this gentleman was my age it was a social custom to say please and thank you, and at least pretend that you honestly valued the person you were talking to. He comes from a generation that was taught a lot more than just manners. Today...


I have met people my age and older who do nothing more than blow you off when you're trying to have a conversation with them and can't even look you in the eyes. But I've also met and know many others who are very polite and possess those rare traits that used to be a staple in a society that has almost completely left us. Down here where I live, people would call these rare traits southern hospitality. Others might just call it being polite or mannerly. But I like to call it walking in love... 

Real love always shows sincerity and care for others. And I've found through experience that walking in love is like living with a glue stick. It will get messy at times, but it sure keeps things together... and if you're lucky, it just might stick to someone else:)

What is love?

So what exactly is love, anyway?
And why is the word used so freely if it's supposed to be a serious thing?


To be completely honest, we all probably have our own opinion on that. Which could be one reason that the word is so overrated in our culture. The word itself is just a word. I'm mean, come on, it's just a word!
Or....................is it?
Either way, it's what the word represents that holds the significance. And believe me, the word represents something different to each of us. The sad thing is, in society today (especially the U.S.), it has become something that fifth graders doodle in their text books, a reason for another special day on the calendar, like Valentines Day, and the word used for advertisements on a bunch of dating sites.
Wow, pretty pathetic, right?


But if you're at all like me and my family, the word goes a little deeper than that. Which brings me to the whole point. For some people, it's more than just a word. It's how we feel about our family and friends, it's the reason we spend so much money around the holidays, and it has to be something we have experienced. See, we each have the ability to love others, but only to the point that we have experienced love from someone else. That's why so many people have messed up pictures of what love is.


Have you ever seen a toddler just flipping out at the checkout line next to you because the mom just told him he can't have that candy bar? Most of us would find this comical and just laugh, but behind all of that there is something very serious going on. As adults, we have hopefully already been taught that life isn't all about us. But to a two year old, he's still learning. But just think about it for a moment. 


Each of us used to be that way. And maybe we still are. What's the difference between screaming for a candy bar, and yelling at your mom or your spouse because dinner wasn't ready? 
Both situations are based on rights. So maybe we all are still learning.... 
Real love isn't based on conditions. But until an individual has experienced unconditional love, it can't be given. So as you go about your day, think about what love means to you. 


This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.-1 John 4:10(NLT)


But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.-Romans 5:8(NKJV)


Comment on your thoughts and look for my next post, coming soon. 

What is the colossians 3:14 project?

But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. -Colossians 3:14 (NKJV)

And above all these [put on] love and enfold yourselves with the bond of perfectness [which binds everything together completely in ideal harmony].

-Colossians 3:14 (Amplified)

Welcome to the colossians 3:14 project!!

First, I guess I should tell you a little bit about myself. My name is Sarah, and I love to read and write things that are encouraging and relevant to real people in today's world. I live in beautiful and sunny Florida with my wonderful family... and more pets than we can handle. I'm currently a senior in high school, and although everyone nowadays likes to tell me that I have my whole life ahead of me, I figured that there was no reason for me to wait until I was in my thirties or forties to say what I think people are waiting to here but most of us don't say it.
So I finally started this blog and sincerely hope you enjoy it!

It is inevitable in life to never bump into to new people, and it is often hard to cope with those you are already close with. The Colossians 3:14 project is dedicated to bringing you a new perspective on how each of us have the opportunity to influence others, and how we do influence people everyday, whether we realize it or not.

Love is the glue that has held my family, my friends, and many others I am close with together. I'm still learning, but I hope you will be blessed as you follow me and my journey to put on love, and make a difference with the strongest kind of adhesive glue out there.