The writer woke up this morning in the darkness of her room. She didn't want to crawl out of bed; it was far too warm and the air was far too cold outside of the covers. But she did, pulling on her hoodie and walking to the window. The world outside was frosted over and the window was blurred with a foggy blanket.
She felt for the camera on her desk and took hold of it, and walked outside into the icy air; the first breaths of Autumn and cold winter had settled while she slept.
Last night, she had sat by the fireplace, shadows dancing around the room, thoughts wandering. She was quiet, she thought for a long time about a lot of things, and this morning, she was grateful to pause and photograph this tiny gift that God had given her.
Sometimes, when the world blurs by, it's good to stop and breathe.
Just breathe.
You see this counter?
Next Friday, I'll be working behind it.
I got a job at the coffee shop down town!! I'm so excited! I'll only be working Fridays, but HEY - that's fine with me!
I guess I'm so excited because one thing I've always wanted to do for a loooong time is to work at a cafe, and it's finally happening! This is really exciting for me. And, along with this job, I'm also cracking down on my school and writing. NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) starts November 1st, and the goal is 50,000 words in 1 month. I've been working on Cafe for a pitiful two years, so my goal for this NaNo is to FINISH IT. Then edit. Then publish. That's the goal. (I'm also almost convinced that I should stop writing it... all of my characters are coming to life. o_o) To finish school by July 28, 2014 is another. So I'm gonna be busy. Very, very busy. Prayers would be greatly appreciated. I've got a lot ahead of me, and to keep my wits about me and not drive my friends and family too crazy would be great, too.
Life is about to get even more interesting. WHEW.
I'll see if I can get some pictures of me working over the next couple of weeks and post them. Hopefully this'll all work out!
And, in the meantime, here's some pictures I took of a beautiful Autumn day spent with my ever faithful cat Westley. (He follows me everywhere and won't go outside of the 10 foot radius he keeps for me.)
Autumn is upon us!
To quote Winnie the Pooh: "The time of hot choclatey mornings and toasty marshmallow evenings!"
(I'll forever love Pooh Bear... sorry... :D)
Happy Fall, everyone! Tis my favorite time of year!
Its not music - it's chaos.
It's loud, it's discordant.
It's the warm up before the symphony.
And it reminded me of life.
A chaotic bliss of sounds, sights, tastes; mingled together in one beautifully uncoordinated melody.
The quiet tap of the conductor on the music stand, the silence and waiting for the signal to start, and then music.
Music that blends perfectly. Music that flows smoothly.
Life that is breathed into the instruments.
This is a symphony; this is the symphony we call life.
I took this picture a few mornings ago at around 6:14 in the morning; I had gotten up at about 5:30, and stepped out onto the back deck to take in the cold air before starting my day, but when I saw the moon and the way the trees looked like spilled ink, I *had* to go grab my camera.
Life has been remarkably interesting lately. Just so many things going on. It just keeps spinning, going around and around.
Somethings that have recently been on my heart lately are working towards goals diligently, and being there for people when they need you.
I posted about the working hard a week or so ago, but the being there for people is fairly new. It's hard to draw the line between fixing someone and knowing when they simply need you to listen.
When I say 'fixing' them, I mean giving them advice or trying to point them in the right direction; not trying to shape them into what I want them to be. I think that's wrong. Trying to change them is never a right move to make, unless they're involved in a sin that is obviously against God's Word or unsaved.
But listening... just listening is so important. Letting them know that you are there for them no matter what. I've had to just listen so many times to so many people.
Listening is important; but the way you listen also communicates how you care. You might be listening, but if your body language, the tone of your voice when you say something, isn't alert and attentive, it'll send the wrong message. I've talked to people before that I know are listening, but the way they acted completely gave me the vibe that they didn't really want to listen and had better things to be doing.
I try to listen, and show that I want to listen... but sometimes the person talking doesn't quite get it. That's frustrating to me, but patience is another vital tool when it comes to listening.
They'll open up to you when they're ready. No sooner. It may take a little nudging, a little repeating that you really do care, but it's when they decide to.
I once told a person that I'd wait for them to tell me what they were thinking, even if the wait would be long. I don't know if they'll ever tell me, but if they do, I know for certain that the wait will have been worth it.
Nothing is more aggravating than having someone force you to tell them what's on your mind, and I'm trying hard to not cross that line, but be encouraging at the same time. It's a fine barrier to tread upon, and how we tread it in the meantime will determine if the person opens up or not.
It's all very delicate and hard to walk - but a listening ear can help far more than we realize.
So don't act apathetic when someone's talking to you - when they really need you to listen. Look them in the eyes, try to understand; put yourself in their place and listen. Just being there can comfort them.
And no matter how many times you say it, reassuring them that you're there for them never gets old. Always let them know that you really, truly care.
Happy first of October, everyone!
I hope all of you have the best month ahead of you - I'm excited about it!
October is one of my absolute favorite months.
I've recently been talking to a friend about managing our time, and I'm hoping to use this month to its fullest in every way.
My life is slipping past, and I need to get a hold on it.
I'd appreciate your prayers on that subject, and I'll be praying for all of you, even though I don't know you by name.
I'm 18. It's going to be time for me to step up and grow up soon. And like my friend pointed out, we can't just wait for a 'magic time' to happen and suddenly we're there. We have to work for it. And work hard.
Things don't just happen. We have to make them happen.
And we can do none of it without Christ's strength.
Let's work hard this month, okay?
And a big thanks to my friend for conversing with me about it. :)
When leaves start to fall, I find myself in a very thoughtful state of mind; curled up in my chair with a blanket and a steaming mug of coffee, journal open in front of me.
I woke up this morning to the sound of rain, the draft of cold Autumn air seeping in through my window.
The are the kind of days I love.
The days where I stop to think about people that are special to me, where I smile as I go through the memories I have of them and flip through the well-worn pages of my journal to read about them.
The days where I stop to do a lot of praying about anything that comes to mind. Where I go outside onto the porch as it rains and just talk to God about everything.
Everything seems to slow down and breathe a little, and when it does, I have to as well.
I have to take a small step back and look everything over and try to piece things together, wondering what happens next in this crazy, wild plot of a story.
This kind of weather makes me want to write. To weave some fantastic scene and bring characters to life.
I'm a writer at heart, even when I feel like I'm doing a terrible job and no inspiration comes.
But, I'm a writer nonetheless. Of all things I thought I'd be, it was never that.
Not long ago, someone said five simple words to me that inspired me to keep writing. Just those five words made a difference.
"I think Cafe will publish."
That was it. It made me so happy to hear that. Five words that pushed me to keep going.
Kind words from a friend are the most beautiful things to hear. Even small words. Even just a smile.
It uplifts like nothing else.
God commands us to speak kindly to one another; to uplift and encourage.
One small word can completely change a person's day, so find something kind to say to a family member or friend today - it'll make a big difference.
Autumn is my favorite time of year - it gives me this feeling inside of being alive and knowing that exciting things are going to happen. I just have to wait for them to start unfolding.
Pour your favorite cup of coffee today (after all, it IS National Coffee Day,) and open a book or your journal - dive in write, your thoughts down.
Enjoy every moment of it, because every moment, you're still alive.
- hannah
P.S. This is a mini-video I put together yesterday on a whim. Nothing fancy; just trying to capture the feeling I have when writing. :) Enjoy!
Hello, world!
It's been a while, hasn't it? I'm sorry I've been MIA for so long - too many things to do, too little time!
Time has kept ticking while I've been away, and so has my brain, thankfully. I've come up with more things to do with that poor person that'll spend the rest of his life with such an emotional odd-ball as myself. ^_^ (I hope he's patient and not easily fazed by a girl's breakdown teary reaction to dropping a glass in the kitchen floor, crying like a soul had just been lost... >.<) Yes... I have those days.
ANYWAY - I've done two other posts regarding "20 Things", so this shouldn't be much of a surprise to you. I established my thoughts in the first one, so I won't repeat them here again.
Autumn is quickly approaching. In fact, there's already leaves beginning to turn - it's really beautiful. You probably already know that Fall is my favorite time of year - absolute FAVORITE! I adore it... therefore, I want to be able to share that favorite time with my Special Someone in all sorts of ways.
1. Make homemade hot chocolate and put lots of whipped cream on top
2. Go for evening walks in the cold and wrap my arms around him
3. Listen to music together
4. Pull an all-nighter... ON THE WEEKEND. ^_^
5. Steal his hoodie and be wearing it when he comes back from work >.<
6. Dance to One Direction's Forever Young... this is my newest favorite song right now; it's SO PRETTY. T_T (I also don't know a *whole* lot about this group, so don't think I completely support them or anything;)
7. Go to the mall one day and just goof off and do silly things
8. Spend a late afternoon in a coffee shop, asking questions, getting to know each other even better. I want to marry my best friend (NOT the female best friend, haha:P), and it's hard to know someone truly unless you aren't.
9. Watch a looong movie and fall asleep on the couch
10. Take pictures of him - lots of pictures. >:)
11. Take him clothes shopping and be his stylist for the day! *grin*
12. Throw an armful of leaves at him and then run away giggling >.<
13. Take turns on a "boss" date-night - one night he gets to decide what I wear, everything from shoes to jewelry; another night I get to do the same. Either can pick themes, and the other has to stick exactly to what he or she has said. I know what theme I'M picking. >:)
14. Buy him an expensive cologne
15. Buy a box of assorted chocolates and take turns trying different ones to figure out what we like and what we don't
16. Go outside one night and talk about anything and everything and have a prayer time for each other
17. Play a furious game of hide-and-seek in the dark
18. I hope he keeps a journal, because one afternoon I want to break out the journals and go through them just for fun. It'd be nothing but hilarious embarrassment. ^_^
19. Go through old memories or funny stories, remembering the silly things we used to do
20. Make a list of each other's quirks and habits that we find endearing.
Tonight is the close of October... I can barely believe it.
This is it. The only October in 2011.
November begins - the North wind becomes colder, sharper, the very last of the leaves let go, surrender themselves to dry gusts of air.
November.
Just like October, it won't last.
October has been an amazing month for me; besides being my favorite, it's been another chapter in my life. October. I'll never forget.
Outside my window the world is dusky; branches are pallid and bare. Austere, but beautiful. Yes - this last night in October.
The days are beautiful.
Think deep thoughts on this last night in October. Thoughts of people far away, close to your heart, pray for them. Think deep thoughts. Slip quietly into silence: listen. Silence. Hear your thoughts.
Remember also that today is Reformation Day - not a pagan celebration of wickedness and death. Celebrate October - celebrate the Reformation.
Listen: the silence is speaking...
I
sit alone vacantly in a dark room...
I
hear music in my ears, though I didn't turn the music on...
The Autumn sun is shining bright, and fiery leaves are drifting away, even as I write. It's absolutely beautiful! Autumn is my most favorite time of year.
Also, please look at the pages here on my blog and leave comments - I've enabled it so that it you CAN leave comments on those pages; I'd love to hear your thoughts!
Fighting!
- hannah
P.S. I'm sorry for not posting very much - I've been busy, can't think of anything. :P I'll come up with something good, promise!
Lamentations 3:22-23
"The Lord's lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness."
Photo from Google Images - Seoul Tower, South Korea
Yes, it's that time of year... again.
Autumn has come so quickly this year! In the next few weeks, the leaves will be almost gone; and it's only October 1st.
Fall is my absolute favorite time of year. The time to pull out those stylish, wonderful coats, sip at hot chocolate like I did last night, sitting by the fire, listen to the wind blow outside. It's the time to watch those fiery leaves let go with a last sigh, drifting to the ground; to let the cold wind kiss your face and fill your heart. It's the time to snuggle down in your favorite hoodie and crack open that journal, write away.
These are the days I want to walk down a sidewalk with Eric (my Prince Charming - don't ask. I just call him that! ^.^) and go to a quiet cafe; savor wrapping my arm around him and share a soft moment. Yes - I'm being romantic - I'm in the mood. ^.^
These Autumn days.
I love them.
It's the best time to enjoy the warmth of your house, the place God has given you to rest. I was laying in my bed last night, looking down on my room (because of my elevated position on the loft bed...) and was thinking, "My room is so great. I love having this little heaven of my own."
I'm convinced that God's favorite colors are green, blue and brown - but He likes a change; thus the seasons. Fiery reds, yellows and oranges, white blankets when the snows come. Yes, we can see what His favorite colors are.
And friends.
Tomorrow, friends come over after Life Chain Sunday. I get to share warmth with them and a cold Autumn day.
Yes, friends. Near the end of this month, I'll share an amazing time with my Best Friend in Georgia. Indeed.
Autumn: warmth, hoodies, socks, cracking fires, hot chocolate, bright leaves, biting winds, journals, and spilled ink.
Life is good.
Fighting!
- Hannah
P.S. Since tomorrow is Life Chain Sunday, I'm posting this video... they can't defend themselves - we'll do it for them.
