Sunset

A few weeks ago I sat at Kitty Hawk Kites to watch the sunset. While I was there waiting for the sun to start setting, I watched the kite boarders board on the sound. The wind carried them across the water as if God took his hand and pulled them across the water. I sat taking various pictures, a little too many actually.

Sometimes it is easy to take some things for granted no matter what those things could be. Too often we don't think about the things that we have that someone else might not have in another country. Not even material things. We take opportunities for granted, people for granted. We turn our backs on our friends, we make fun of people and spread gossip instead of embracing our differences and learning more. We allow opportunities to pass us by instead of relishing in them. How many times do we take a few minutes to enjoy a sunset? How often do we take a day away from the computer or tv and walk around our neighborhoods or drive somewhere different to explore?

If I didnt take the opportunity to come to North Carolina, if I had told Tom no I didn't want to and wanted to stay in Pittsburgh. There are so many things I would have missed out on experiencing such as seeing jellyfish, watching dolphins swimming in the ocean, watching the sun set over the sound, or sitting on the beach under the moonlight with Tom. We are planning more weekend trips where we just explore different American cities within driving distance or even a cruise sometime to explore and visit other places.

Life is too short to miss out on amazing things this world has to offer, or even what our own cities and states have to offer us. Better yet, its too short to miss out on what we can offer each other. Seize the day!

Changes

It has been a little while since I have written something due to many different reasons one of which being not having much of an internet connection and recently my computer not working. But it's back and soon Tom and I will be back home. But that really isn't what this post is about. I have spent a few weeks just staring off at the ocean, sunset, or nothing in general. Thinking. About various different things, mainly myself and some of the things I do or don't do. There are some things I would like to change about myself and things I would like to start doing differently. Some I have already started doing, others will start when I get home and have access to more resources. One thing I am determined to make it through the Purpose Driven Life, and one thing I am going to do is post on here some stuff pertaining to it, like my thoughts, answers to some of the questions etc. Maybe that will help me become more disciplined in some things.

I want to be more disciplined in so many aspects of my life. I do things great for a few days then I mess up my schedule and all is lost. I want that to change. Part of that is working out more and getting in better shape and eating more properly, including drinking things that are better for me than soda most of the time. There are so many things I want to do in life, but for some reason I limit myself. No one else limits me, but myself. That is going to change, and will change. :D I will post more this week and soon I will be back to home in Pittsburgh!

Walk On The Beach

This morning we woke up to rain, boo.  But despite the drizzle Tom and I decided to still go to Pea Island and walk the beach looking for sea glass and sea shells.  When we got there, the rain hadn’t hit yet, so we were in luck.  We spent about an hour or two just walking on the beach together with the waves washing over our feet and collecting shells and glass, and talking.  It was a wonderful morning.

Sometimes I think every couple needs that alone time to spend together whether it is a dinner and movie out (or in)  or even a stroll around the block, woods, anywhere.  A part of keeping a relationship going is to have that quality time together to show how important each other truly are.  Quality time is one of five love languages that Dr. Chapman talks about in his book “Five Love Languages.”  in short the ways we all feel loved and important.

At one point during our walk Tom reached over and took my hand, the day changed from going to look for “treasure” to seeing his love for me and displaying mine for him.  There were times when we didn’t say a word, but looked at the sand or the ocean.  We got to spend two hours uninterrupted time together without cell phones, tv, computer or anything, just us. It was wonderful.  Its important to have that time.  To put away the phone (better yet turn it OFF so you wont be tempted to text or answer it), turn tv/computer/video games off and do something to spend time together, rekindle what made you fall in love in the first place.

Dolphins

The other day Tom and were just walking on the beach before I had to go to work, and we got to see several pods of dolphins swimming in the ocean and playing in the surf.  I’ve been waiting to see them since we got here and I’m glad I got to see dolphins at least once.  They looked for pretty and majestic swimming.  There were some adult dolphins and a few babies.

It made me appreciate God’s creations a little more.  It gave me yet another glimpse into nature that I wouldn’t have gotten if we had stayed in Pittsburgh for the summer.  I cannot begin to say how much I have experienced and how amazing it is that I get to experience it just because I took a chance and came to North Carolina with Tom.  I just think if I wasn’t willing to take the risk and step so far out of my comfort zone, what I could be missing.  There are still trials ahead concerning the whole comfort zone thing, but I think I am making progress.

I’m not so much scared to leave my zone, just nervous and realized that sometimes that nervous anxiety feeling and turn itself around to feelings of awe and wonderment when I get to experience new things.  I look back and wonder what I could have missed out on because of my desire to remain in my comfort zone. But that is the past and I plan on making more changes for the better.

Random Acts Of Kindness

So I was wondering…do boy scouts help little old ladies cross the road?  I know random thought right?  its more of the idea of people doing something kind for someone else without expecting something else in return.  It seems that when we do something for someone, its because we are thinking that one day they will return the favor or pay us back.

There was a movie a while back I can’t remember the year, but it was called Pay If Forward.  The idea was doing a random act of kindness for at least 3 people a day.  That is going to be kind of a challenge for not only myself but to anyone reading my blog.  Do something kind for at least 3 people a day and don’t expect anything in return, strangers not people you know.  I don’t know where that would lead but maybe people would start having a better view of humanity.

We are too worried about our own wants and needs that we don’t even consider helping someone else in need.  I have seen people walk the other way when they have seen someone in need.  When Tom and I went to Washington D.C, a lady asked a few people to take a picture of her and her daughter.  A few seconds out of someone’s day, the answers she got; “no, i can’t” “I don’t have time I need to go.”  No one wanted to take the few seconds to take this woman’s picture for her.  So I offered and she was so happy.

WHy do we find it so hard to do something for other people yet at the same time we expect other people to do things for us.  I don’t understand the human race and I don’t think I ever will.

Valley of Death

Most of us know the beginning lines to Psalm 23: “Even though I walk through the valley of death, I will fear no evil for you are with me.”  Many times we quote that scripture at funerals, but do we ever really apply it to our every day life?  Do we honestly believe God is with us when we are going through our darkest of hours?  Do we notice the set of footsteps walking beside us, or realize when there is one set, that we are being carried not abandoned?

Too often we lean towards the latter.  We believe that when we go through the valley of darkness that God abandons us or even causes us to go through that valley.  We tend to think when things get bad and we struggle, God high tails it away from us and leaves us to shoulder the burden on our own.  We seem to have this idea of God being mean and leaving us on our own.  When the Bible itself tells us God is with us, and when times are sunshine and rainbows we agree with Psalm 23.

Sometimes I wonder what more we expect from God.  I know some people want to see some grand miracle as if things that happen in everyday life isn’t enough.  God’s miracles are everywhere if we only open our eyes and see it, but we are too preoccupied with wondering why God isn’t present for us that we don’t notice Him doing everything short of smacking us in the face and sometimes he does that.  We want God to fit into this little mold we’ve created for Him, but he doesn’t and when something doesn’t go according to our plan we turn on Him.  So much for fearing no evil and believing God is there with us through everything.

Saying Thank You

Today I heard something somewhat rare.  Something I don’t hear too often, from young children including teens.  A mother and daughter came into the Glass Bead and made a bracelet.  When they were finished and mom paid, the daughter hugged mom and said “thanks mom.”  Too often you don’t hear children saying thank you or even opening hugging their mom.  I think thats important sometimes.  I told the mom and daughter it was nice to hear a child thanking their parent for something, a special treat.

I see teens come in with their parents everyday and very few thank mom or dad for spending the 15-20 dollars for them to make some sort of jewelry.  It is refreshing to know some parents teach their children manners.  I also heard a young boy call the landlady “Ms. L….” I couldn’t tell you how long it’s been since I heard a young child call their elder Ms. or Mr. outside of a school setting.  It was so respectful and I could tell she liked the respect she got and so rightfully deserved.  I was raised to call my elders Ms. or Mr. unless they told me otherwise.  Or goodness if I address my pastor without saying “pastor” first.  I still cannot call Pastor Paul, simply Paul.  It doesn’t seem right to me.

Even when waiting on people, very rarely do any of them say thank you unless I thank them for coming into either the bead shop or the ice cream shop.  Then its like they feel obligated to say thank  you.  Is there an epidemic of people not saying thank you?  Is it too hard for people to be polite and show manners anymore or have we gotten to the point where we take everything for granted and don’t even appreciate the service we have or the things that are presented to  us?