Anyway

I love music. I love how it can make me feel happy, encouraged, sometimes sad, and even understood. It lets me know that I'm not the only one to ever feel this way because someone sat down and wrote a song about it once upon a time. They went through the same struggles, and they lived to sing about it. A lot of times in life I'm left wondering why everything happens the way it does. I feel helpless, hurt, and alone. I feel like I shouldn't have believed that things could change, loved so much, or even dreamed that something was possible. Things don't always turn out how I hope they will, but I will keep singing, dreaming, and loving anyway because...

I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.
- Philippians 4:13

Anyway
Sung by Martina McBride
You can spend your whole life building
Something from nothing
One storm can come and blow it all away
Build it anyway

You can chase a dream
That seems so out of reach
And you know it might not ever come your way
Dream it anyway

God is great
But sometimes life ain't good
And when I pray
It doesn't always turn out like I think it should
But I do it anyway
I do it anyway

This world's gone crazy
It's hard to believe
That tomorrow will be better than today
Believe it anyway

You can love someone with all your heart
For all the right reasons
In a moment they can choose to walk away
Love 'em anyway

God is great
But sometimes life ain't good
And when I pray
It doesn't always turn out like I think it should
But I do it anyway
I do it anyway

You can pour your soul out singing
A song you believe in
That tomorrow they'll forget you ever sang
Sing it anyway

I sing...I dream...I love...anyway

I Heart Mom

Happy Mother's Day to my momma and best friend! I don't know what I would do without you. I love you!

Good v Bad

You know sometimes, you gotta learn to love what's good for you.
- Charlie Swan, from the movie New Moon

Who would have thought that New Moon would have got me to thinking so much. When Charlie said that to Bella, I realized how right he is. Girls notoriously go for the bad guys. Charlie, here, was trying to tell Bella that the bad guy (Edward) isn’t good for her, and she should learn to love Jacob (the good guy) as much as she loves Edward. While you can’t always change the way your heart feels, Charlie is on to something here. (Disclaimer: While I am “Team Jacob,” this does not influence my thoughts on Charlie’s statement.)

I’ve learned from my past mistakes that some guys are just like a drug. Somehow you get addicted to them, and the thought of being without them causes such pain and anxiety it gives you something like withdrawal symptoms. It turns you into a complete wreck when he’s gone…similar to how Bella reacts to Edward leaving her. Meanwhile, the good guy or the right guy has been there all along just waiting. Maybe we already knew them, and maybe we didn’t yet. We girls were just too wrapped up in our addiction to give other guys that might be better for us a chance. I don’t blame girls for being attached to the bad guy ‘cause I’ve been there. It’s not easy to just walk away ‘cause there’s some unknown force keeping you there. Even though I had realized that wasn’t the relationship I deserved, I felt stuck. I felt like I just needed to learn to adapt to his world (like Bella wants to become a vampire), and always hoped that things would change.

I have my own world, and I don’t want to completely change it for a guy. I don’t expect him to change his world either. I think that once you find the one you are meant to be with, you won’t want anything about the other person to change. I want to find the guy that makes me a better, happier person instead of one that causes me pain, forces me to change things about myself, and leaves me to fall apart. Therefore, I am taking Charlie’s advice, which sounds much like something my dad might tell me, to only love the guy that is good for me…as easy or difficult as it may be. No more bad guys for me.

Faith

Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
- Hebrews 11:1

Everybody falls sometimes
Gotta find the strength to rise
From the ashes and make a new beginning
Anyone can feel the ache
You think it’s more than you can take
But you are stronger, stronger than you know
Don’t you give up now
The sun will soon be shining
You gotta face the clouds to find the silver lining

I’ve seen dreams that move the mountains
Hope that doesn’t ever end
Even when the sky is falling
And I’ve seen miracles just happen
Silent prayers get answered
Broken hearts become brand new
That’s what faith can do

It doesn’t matter what you’ve heard
Impossible is not a word
It’s just a reason for someone not to try
Everybody’s scared to death
When they decide to take that step
Out on the water it’ll be alright
Life is so much more than what your eyes are seeing
You will find your way if you keep believing

Overcome the odds
You don't have a chance
(That’s what faith can do)
When the world says you can’t
It’ll tell you that you can!

- "That's What Faith Can Do" (Kutless)

A Tale of Two Shoes

I've always wanted Coach shoes. Having a big foot makes that a complicated order. Here's how the story goes: every time I found a pair I like, they don't have my size (or sadly, I didn't have sufficient funds necessary to own Coach shoes). I was in Macy's today browsing around to find a way to spend a gift card that I got as a graduation gift. I thought I'd take a look at the clearance shoes just to see what they had in my size. Being a size 10, there aren't usually many options, and those options aren't usually anything I would wear. Just as I was about to leave the shoe department, an adorable pink, sparkly shoe caught my eye. It wasn't until I rescued it from the ghastly pile of shoes strewn across a shelf, that I realized it was Coach. I promptly proceeded to try on the shoe with my fingers crossed (which proved to be a difficult task since fingers are vital in putting on shoes), as it was a 9 1/2 where I usually wear a 10. To my surprise, it fit! I felt just like Cinderella when she finally put on her missing glass slipper. (A Prince Charming would have been a nice addition here, but the shoe sales associate wasn't really my type). I knew it was meant to be. (The shoes being 50% off didn't hurt either). I was so excited about my find I did what any girl would do...I called my mom. (Followed by updating my Facebook status, of course!)

And my Coach shoes and I will live happily ever after. The end.