Tuesday Thoughts

Today is a great day, so far! I hope you're enjoying it as well! It seems like the perfect day to share another list of things I like with you, so enjoy!

Music Suggestion:
 Anymore by Emmy Rossum from Inside Out (Her ethereal voice just floats beautifully over the dreamlike violins and music box chimes in the background; I love it!)

I love spending time with my friends! I went to a charmingly cozy coffee shop with a good friend of mine yesterday, and we sipped on smoothies and shared a sweet cinnamon treat. She interviewed me for an art research project that will produce some really interesting results in its culmination. I am very excited to see where it will take her!

I absolutely love to lay outside in the hammock that's in my backyard to read. The weather has been such that the sunshine and the cool breeze make it lovely to sit out for hours. I'm currently finishing up Forgotten God by Francis Chan. He writes in such a conversational style that it seems as though I am sitting across from him in a Starbucks somewhere just listening to his wisdom.

 I made a list of all the books that I am going to read over the summer; there's a whole stack that's been sitting in my room for months, so I'll pack them in my bag for traveling entertainment.

I love being around and riding horses. There is something so regal and free about the picture of a galloping horse. Their wild beauty is something that many people have captured in novels, movies and pictures. Riding is one of the most exhilarating activities. I look forward to doing some riding this summer. If there's a stable or place where you can help out or volunteer to work with some horses, I suggest you take the opportunity! I worked at a summer camp that gave kids the chance to take care of a miniature horse for a week (yes, miniature. Not to be confused with a baby horse, which is called a foal!); it was such fun!

I love to take pictures, so am going to challenge myself to take a picture a day during my travels, so I can make a photo journal of my experiences. If you're doing any traveling this summer, why don't you take the challenge with me! You'll enjoy looking back on the memories later!

I love tea, and the elegance that comes with the tradition of high tea. If you've never had afternoon high tea, I encourage you to grab your girlfriends and go to a tea shop where you can experience the lovely teacups filled to the brim with your favorite tea and the scones with jam served to you with silver spoons and lacy napkins. Such fun!

Well, I hope you're having a wonderful day! If it's sunny where you are, go on out and enjoy it! It's lovely! Break out of the routine and admire the beauty that surrounds you!

Listen to what God says to Job,

Job 37:14 "Listen to this, Job; stop and consider God's wonders."

Blessings and Admiration,

Candice

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Joys of Journaling

A lovely day isn't it?
I'm Currently..
Listening To: Something Good Can Work by Two Door Cinema Club (and the sounds of the neighbors pressure washing their patio area..)
Wearing: cream and pink lace top with navy high-waisted shorts
Thinking of: Summer!
Reading: Forgotten God by Francis Chan
Working On: Botany review questions
Enjoying: the sunshine and cool breeze

There's something about journals that makes them so appealing and easy to purchase (not so easy on the wallet). My room most likely holds about 6 (3 of those are probably blank) and I've got some old ones that are halfway filled with sketches, entries and randomness. I've been told that I need to stop purchasing them, but they are just so charming, and I've found that I use different ones for different purposes.

I really enjoy writing life's happenings down in my journal, and I had a couple of minutes the other day to look back through the pages to think through all the fun things I've done this year! In August, I purchased a new journal to record everything that happened during my year at school. Usually I find that I keep up my writing habit for a number of weeks, and then things get busy and the journal is hidden under a huge mound of papers...oops! After this happened a few times, I decided to really stick with it, and the result is a great treasure full of thoughts, prayers, the occasional grocery list, random event papers and mementos collected throughout the year.

My summer will be very busy, but full of so many great experiences as I'll be doing some traveling and working with kids for a large part of it! This called for a special travel/ summertime journal, so I grabbed one from my bookshelf, and it is going to be packed in my bag to be filled with experiences, quotes, souvenirs and thoughts along the way! If you're doing any fun things (even if you're just going to relax at home) this summer, I suggest investing in a journal. It's a great way to take those awesome ideas, inventions, stories, drawings and thoughts and put them in a place where you can later look back and remember! You can even find a plain one and personalize it or theme it to its purpose (like paint splatters for a sketch/quote journal or a tropical scene for summer!)

I was doing my quiet time and this thought hit me: the Bible, in a way, was God's journal of what happened while he was here on earth and is full of experiences, emotions, quotes and instructions. We can read about daily happenings, Jesus' emotions and the masterful plan that brought us all salvation! How cool! That's certainly an inspiration for me to keep writing because if those accounts were never finished, we would be missing out on a lot of important things! I'm glad God kept writing and didn't stop at the introduction of sin in Eden!

Have fun journaling, and be creative!

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Creativity, Adventure and Look! We're Halfway Through the Week!

Hello There!

I hope everyone's week is going very well! I'm sure you've noticed a few changes around here...I had a few minutes of free time, so I thought I would get a little bit of color to make things lighter, brighter and more beautiful! Today's post will be a quick thought since I'm off to study for an exam..

This Week's Happenings...
-Mark Batterson spoke in chapel today. He was completely amazing with a message about accumulating experiences instead of possessions (story from Matthew 19 about the rich, young ruler). I picked up his book In A Pit With A Lion On A Snowy Day which I am super excited to read!

-I talked to a great friend of mine who lives a bit of a distance away from me..its funny how distance really doesn't make a difference when the friendship is strong!
- I found a nice surprise in my mailbox from some of my lovely small group girls that were such a blessing to read!

-I picked up some new reading material that I am really excited about! My church's bookstore had a $5 bargain book sale, so I snatched up a few good ones!

-It's getting to be that crunch time before summer, and things are getting quite busy..a friend of mine left me a sweet reminder the other day. Let it encourage you too!

It's such a nice day outside..I'll have to enjoy the weather later. Perhaps my exercise will be outside today..

Here's a few things from Mark's talk this morning, and I'm off to conquer a textbook! Have a wonderful rest of your day!

• Many of us are lacking a sense of spiritual adventure.
• Our churches have done to people what zoos to do animals; we are in 'cages of commandments and complacency'
• Many of us spend our time accumulating the wrong things for the wrong reasons.
• Make a list of life goals
• Ask God, "What do you want me to do with my life?" and prepare yourself for the answer!!
• You'll never regret the things you let go of because God asked you to.

Blessing and Adventure,

Candice

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Musings on A Monday

It's Monday and the beginnings of a good week! I hope you enjoyed your weekend, and are ready to tackle all that is in store for you in the upcoming days. I was able to work on a few projects and enjoy an early morning walk on the beach that ended nicely with a smoothie from a local place. It was so cool to have accomplished so much all before 10 am! The soft mist of the water meeting the sand was such a lovely backdrop for the seagulls that were eagerly searching for their breakfast. I find it so interesting that the sight of the rolling waves can be very calming. Perhaps it is the consistency of the chaotic, crashing water that we find so soothing.

"The Breakfast Club"

I love the ocean!

I think that one of the best parts of Mondays is the fact that it's a new canvas for us to color with the paint of daily life. The challenge for you and me today is to find a way to be creative with the day that God has given to us. Try and sneak in a bit of time to draw, write, paint or read! Thank God for the beautiful day he's given for you to enjoy and grow in!

Be creative; it's fun! God is an artist, so try emulating this quality and see what happens!

Blessings and Creativity,

Candice

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Thankful Thursday

It is Thursday already! Can you believe it? The week is going by so quickly...I only have two weeks of classes left and then I shall be free to enjoy my exciting summer! It is getting to the point where I should start breaking down my room here little by little so on moving day, the majority of the decor will already be gone. It's funny how over the span of a year we can collect so much stuff! I have two drawers full of random things that have been accumulating since I moved in to this room. Speaking of accumulation, I have also added a lot of good things to my happy life this year. One such example is new friends! Friends are such a blessing in my life, and I really enjoy the time spent with them. Study times, evening walks, dance rehearsal, bubble tea, thrift store shopping, picnics, watching the sunset, stargazing and fashion shows are just fun reminders of how much joy friends bring. As I thought through all that has happened this year, I realized that I've really enjoyed the friendships that I have; whether they are old or new, each one has played an important role in my life..so I'll just share a few friendship quotes and such with you!
 

"The visit is always too short when the company's fun."

"It's the friends we meet along life's way who make the trip more fun!"

"Friends can make you laugh like no one else can."

"Friends make the good things better and the bad things not so bad..simply by being there."

"It's so very relaxing, completely untaxing to let loose and unwind with good friends."

"Friends always see the best in eachother."

"A friend celebrates the goodness and greatness that is uniquely you."

Friendship is a gift from the Lord.

Have a wonderful day!!

Blessing and Friendship,

Candice

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Thinking Through This Week

Well hello there!

This week is going by so quickly, and I hope you're having a great day so far! How is the routine switch up going for you? Done anything out of the ordinary?? I sure hope so; it is such fun! Here's a glimpse of a few things that have taken place since we last talked..

Instead of going to the normal small group that I attend, I was in a music video for the group 'Group One Crew'. It was a great night that ended up with about 40 of us dancing and jumping into a pool with all of our clothes (including my shoes!!) on! It was so much fun, and something completely out of the ordinary. We had the opportunity to interact with the group, and they kindly took pictures and signed autographs. The song is called 'Live It Up' and is expected to be released in the beginning of June. I'm in a blue shirt, so look for me :)

Us with Blanca from Group One Crew after jumping in the pool for the shoot! It was so much fun!!

I also went to dinner with a bunch of awesome girls as a birthday celebration for my friend Heather! We went to a Japanese Hibachi restaurant, and enjoyed the food, fellowship and our crazy chef Tommy who made us all yummy rice, chicken and vegetables! I also had sushi for the second time ever! It was really good..although I'm still getting the hang of using chopsticks to pick things up.

PC: A. Santiago

Happy Birthday, Heather!

I went on a walk in the cool evening air after dinner with a friend and we talked about life, love and stars. It was so nice to just relax and unwind after a super busy day...I love those times.

Photo via Tumblr

Stargazing is such bliss..

A few things I'm learning.. Dr. Hemby, a religion professor, spoke in chapel about becoming a Hero Generation. It was so good that I just have to share it with you!

The passage he worked from is 2 Samuel 23:8-12

"These are the names of David's mighty men: Josheb-Basshebeth, a Tahkemonite, was chief of the Three; he raised his spear against eight hundred men, whome he killed in one encounter. Next to him was Eleazar son of Dodai the Ahohite. As one of the three mightly men, he was with David when they taunted the Philistines gathered at Pas Dammim for battle. Then the men of Israel retreated, but he stood his ground and struck down the Philistines till his hand grew tired and froze to the sword. The LORD brought about victory that day. The troops returned to Eleazar, but only to strip the dead. Next to him was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. When the Philistines banded together at a place where there was a field full of lentils, Israel's troops fled from them. But Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field. He defended it and struck the Philistines down, and the LORD brought about a great victory."

So, what does this epic battle scene have to do with a hero generation? Well, let's unpack a bit of what happened here. The passage begins by talking about how David has a few mighty men; these guys were the top soldiers that he could rely on. What is interesting here is the fact that it mentions this great victory with Eleazar as the leader, but in the next sentence, the entire group of victorious soldiers flees when they come up against their next opponent. The only man who stayed to fight was Shammah.

Who was this guy, anyways?

• 
  
  His name means desolate; good for nothing
• 
  
  His dad was a fugitive; running from the law
• 
  
  He came from a mountain dwelling group that history has very little knowledge about

By looking at his past track record, he doesn't seem very qualified or significant; however, this is the first part of the equation.

PAST: God doesn't consult your past when he plans your future.

Shammah didn't stand on the edge of the field in case he wanted to escape; he stood smack dab in the middle. The enemy surrounded him on all sides, but he didn't flee.

OPPOSITION: When you feel the greatest opposition, it is usually because the greatest opportunity is just on the horizon.

Everyone else in the army,this victorious army that the Lord fights for, ran for their lives. Shammah did not run.

OTHERS: Learn to appreciate others without being overly dependent on their actions, opinions and reactions to the decisions that God tells you to make.

It says that Shammah stood in the middle of that field, and the Lord brought about victory through him.

STAND: Sometimes we plan escape routes because we think that God won't come through. Don't plan to fail before you even start.

Shammah didn't have a huge weapon or army to back him up; he brought only a willing spirit.

SUPERNATURAL: What we have is not important. It is WHO we have.

Shammah became a hero because he was willing to stand and be used instead of fleeing in fear. Heroes are made in a lifetime, but are manifested in a moment.

The challenge for both you and me is to take our moments in time and use them to prepare for that timely moment when we will have to stand and be a hero. God wants to use you to rescue people; to do great things. Are you ready?

Think of Shammah this for the rest of this week, and see if there is something you can do to prepare yourself for that heroic, God moment.

Blessings and Preparation,

Candice

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The Start of Something New

Good Morning!

Today is Monday and the start to a great week. I'm thinking about all the things that I have to do this week. You know, it is really easy to get caught up in the day to day routine; however, I encourage you to do something out of the ordinary and surprise yourself! It doesn't have to be anything major like dying your hair pink, but perhaps you'll switch out your jeans for a skirt and heels or that seat in the back of class for one in the front. Try and slip in a bit of time to make a craft or talk to that person that you have always passed by in the cafeteria. Have fun and switch things up! 

I'll let you in on what I've been reading about lately in Romans 13. Jesus is explaining why we should pay taxes and such and then He slips this little thought in there about love. It's probably something you've heard before, but read along with me!

" Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. The commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself." Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law."

Romans 13:8-10 (emphasis mine)

How interesting that love is the conjoining thought for all of these laws that the people have been living by for so long. Love covers all the parts of the other rules. All we need to do is love, and if we're really loving, the other things take care of themselves; they are part of love. When we love, we will not murder, commit adultery, steal or covet. Love is powerful; it is binding; it is stronger than death. Love never fails.

    Let's commit to Love.

    Have a wonderful day!

Blessings and Love,

Candice

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Lovely List

Hello There!


Today's post will be a bit different than usual; however, it is kind of fun to change things up a bit! I'll share with you a few things that I find interesting as well as some fun facts about me..it will be a random list, and hopefully you'll get a few new ideas! Enjoy!


1. I love to read, so I'll share with you a few books that I've come across this year! These were quickly added to my personal bookshelf because they were absolutely incredible!

-The Sacred Way by Tony Jones

-Chasing Daylight by Erwin McManus

-Crazy Love by Francis Chan

-The Power of Simple Prayer by Joyce Meyer

2. Random Fact: I love getting mail! One of my best friends lives far away, but we have a special box that we fill with fun things and send back and forth to eachother..it has been traveling for almost a year now! (yes, the same box!!) I'll have to get you a picture of it..its quite colorful, and the post office workers even recognize it by now!

3. Have you ever felt like you can't get things accomplished? One thing to help you focus is to take a quick break and go outside. (weather permitting of course!) I enjoy sketching or painting for a few minutes, and then when I go back to doing my work, it seems much easier!

4. If you don't have one already, start a prayer journal! It is a great way to keep track of the cool things that God is doing in your life! Sometimes I think that we easily forget the miracles that God surrounds us with each day!

5. Here's a website with some cool clothing and accessories..they have some great vintage things as well!ModCloth Clothing and Accessories

6. Random Fact: I really like Shabby Chic/ Cottage Style Interior Design stuff..

7. Commit to doing random acts of kindess for strangers and friends each day for a week, and see what happens!

8. Have you tried bubble tea? If there's a tea shop nearby, try an iced bubble tea! (Vanilla Almond is my personal favorite!) I like to visit a certain tea shop and catch up with friends over bubble tea!

9. I really enjoy photography! I'm not professional or anything,but I sure enjoy being creative with my camera and learning along the way! You can check out my flickr.com and see a few of the things I've done!

My Photostream

10. I've gotten a few questions from people about music...I really enjoy classical, jazz, movie soundtracks and a lot of foreign music. Here's a few suggestions of individual songs.

-August by Tim Janis

-Come to Me by Koop

-I'd Rather Dance With You by Kings of Convenience

-Toccata by Myleene Klass

-Another Cinderella Story Suite

-The River by Meredith Andrews

-Grand Waltz from Cinderella by Prokoviev

-Dreamer by Bethany Dillon

-Dear Vienna by Owl City

-The Way You Look Tonight by Michael Buble

-Let's Never Stop Falling in Love by Pink Martini

Well, this is just a taste of things that I like, and a few random things about myself..I'll probably do this from time to time because it's kind of fun to sit down and think of things that I enjoy. :)

I hope you have a wonderful and blessed weekend! Enjoy the sunshine!

-Candice

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Springtime Initiative

Good Afternoon!

It seems as though we are finally out of the cool weather and into Springtime. Thank goodness!

I hope you've had some time to go out and appreciate the lovely sunshine and sweet spring breezes. This week is going by so quickly, and it will take with it a bunch of fun activities. There's a thrift store formal coming up, so a friend and I went and found some super cute vintage dresses to wear while we swing dance the night away! I'm looking forward to the completion of this project that I've been working on for months now..the culmination of my hard work will be at the end of this week! (yay!!)

I've been thinking about initiative lately because I've actually been kind of lacking in this area lately due to busyness? laziness? not sure ,but whatever the reason, I need to really focus on being a bit more assertive in a few areas so opportunities won't slip by me. How about you? Is there any area where you've been a bit passive lately? Perhaps this would be a good time to go ahead and take the initiative to make the change or at least do something to get things going! I know I'm going to, so take the challenge with me!
Make it a goal to take initiative for one situation in your life this week.

Well, part of this initiative thing includes finishing up this project stuff, so I'll bid you adieu for today! 

Have a wonderful afternoon!

Blessings and Incentive,

Candice 

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Easter With No-Regrets

Hello Hello!

My apologies for not posting in so long...I've been quite busy, but it's been the good kind of busy. Here's a snapshot of my Easter!

My dance group just performed at Disney this past weekend, and we had a wonderful time of fun at the "Happiest Place on Earth".

Easter was a beautiful celebration of Christ's resurrection, and the best part of it was being able to spend it with my family and my friend Brittany! We went to church (which was quite a powerful service) and then went to lunch at my favorite restaurant. The weather was so beautiful, so we ate outside and enjoyed a cup of gelato with a macaron (my favorite!!) from a french pastry shop. Later, we came back to the house and colored eggs and rode bikes. All in all, a wonderful time and a great reminder of the overwhelming glory and love of Christ!

Here's a bit of the things that I'm learning lately...

Living a No-Regrets Life:

Be Focused: Do you know why God made you? Phil 3:13; Luke 19:10
Be Connected: Are you connected to Christ? John 15:1-5; 17:21; 1:12
Be Committed: Are you committed to obeying God? Matt 26:37-39; Phil 1:1
Be Strategic: Have you got a plan of action? Matt 16:21-22; John 3:16-17; Prov 16:9; Prov 19:2
Be Calendared: Have you set any deadlines? Gal 4:4-5; Eph 5:15-17
Be Flexible: Are you willing to change directions should the Lord lead? Mark 5:25-30; Acts 16:6-10
Be Courageous: Are you willing to do what others won't? Josh 1:9; Acts 4:18-20
Be Perseverant: Are you committed for the long haul if necessary? 1 Cor 15:58
Be Confident: What kind of Attitude will you choose? Phil 1:6; Heb 11:6
Be Dependent: Will you live dependently or cooperatively? Its one thing to cooperate with God; its another to be dependent on Him. Phil 2:13; John 15:4-8

(notes taken from Dr. Michael Landry on "One Month To Live Series)

I hope you're all having a wonderful start to a great week, and that your Easter was a beautiful celebration of Christ's love for you.

Many Blessings and No-Regrets,

Candice


P.S. It's a lovely day; enjoy a glass of iced tea for me!

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