Open Your Eyes.

     
     Do you have an open mind? I feel like in a lot of ways, it's like my mind is like the sky. And in other ways, I feel like it's a safe. I'm a dreamer. I believe the impossible to be possible. The unlikely to be, very likely. I believe that the mundane should live wildly and passionately. I believe in an awakening; a Revolution. Which brings me to Jamie Oliver: Chef, Television Personality, Dreamer, and Revolution Starter. He has a new show on ABC (Friday nights at 9, and Hulu after that) that centers around his passions. In every way. He is passionate about food, cooking, people, and bringing change for the better. But the brilliant thing about the show, and Jamie, is that he isn't trying to just bring change, he wants them to choose it. He desires to open their eyes, to show the people of Huntington, West Virginia their lives  from a different perspective. He's gathering these people, and showing them the effects of their lifestyle. By his example, he is teaching them that cooking and a healthy lifestyle isn't that difficult, not to mention extremely beneficial.  
      Jamie and his show has been so encouraging for me. I was able to see someone who, against his odds, win people with his passion. It is so nice to know that there are people who believe crazily like I do. I'm not satisfied with a less than crazy love. I'm not satisfied with a 9 to 5 that only pays the bills. I don't accept the belief that any task is too big. I don't accept the idea that my dreams are just dreams. I am a barbarian, as Eriwn McManus would say, and in a lot of ways, so is Jamie Oliver. He's been placed in an area where he can reach the masses through television. He is bringing a revolution through pop culture. It's a slightly different avenue that I feel called to, but it is proof that Pop Culture can, and will, bring change for the better in this country- and the world. Yes, I do dream that big. And so does Jamie Oliver.


      He's infectious. He is passionate about cooking, and believes that he can literally extend years to a person's life, just by teaching them how to cook.


 Deep rooted passion (and love) is contagious. People desire that. Other than an obvious display of how we were made for more than the mundane, this is one of the best supporting arguments that I have ever heard for the existence and pursuit of Jesus. 


So ask yourself, are you contagious? 

Colors Make Me Smile.

It's true. I love colors. Color combinations to be exact. It makes for superb scrapbooking and crafting skills, I must say. I'm like a slightly right brained Martha Stewart in the making. :) I think thats pretty neat.

Last night, and the night before, I prayed that my eyes would be opened to how the Lord loves. That I would see the world as a new canvas, and see the beauty that He's made. I want to see the beauty of the Lord. And I found it. :) Probably just a smidgin, but it was enough to keep me smiling all day. And right now, in this moment, I'm pretty happy. :)

I went to the beach twice this weekend, to add to my freckle collection. (see color coordinated, freckle faced girl here. )

I l.o.v.e. the beach. I always have, but after being here, I don't ever want to live far away from a beach ever again. It's, in a word, lovely. I played hooky from church this morning, and my roomates and I had brunch on the beach instead. We laid out, took pictures, and played frisbee in the sand, right where the waves come and touch your toes and you can catch the foam in your hands. It was the most fun I've had during the 3 months that I've been here. I read a little Steinbeck and later swam in the pool, and over lunch I talked to my beautiful friend Sara. In all of this, God showed himself to me.






In a game of frisbee.
In a little girl's joy for the waves.
In relationships.
In long talks.
In openness.
In creativity.
In places.
In movies.
In new opportunities.
In freckles.


And In Colors. :)


loveyoubunches!
Anna

Freckles :)

So living in Southern California, I've been in the sun a lot more. Usually, it takes a while for me to get tan, but it doesn't take much to get a lot more freckles. :) There's no real significance in that, other than I just really like them. I didn't use to, but after a while I got over it and embraced them. So, when you see me next, I'll probably have twice the amount of freckles compared to the last time you saw me. That is neat:)

I was talking to a friend last week, and due to the course of our conversation, she confessed to me that she really felt like I had made an impression on her. She said that I really "bring something" into a conversation, and into her life at the time, that inspired her. As soon as she said it I was overjoyed to know that I was making an impact on someone. This is what I have been praying for-That people would see the difference in my life through Jesus, just in simple conversations; in the way I talk to them. That night while I was journaling, I thanked my Father so many times, with sincere gratitude for using me to make an impact on her.

Until tonight, I had missed a completely crucial part to this entire story. Any good in me really comes from the Lord, so what she sees as different, is really Jesus. I had thanked God over and over for how He has been using me and working through me, but failed to praise Him because He is Good, and it was His Goodness that has begun to seep into my friend. I was so exited to be helping to change people, that I forgot who it was that was doing the changing. Even though my intentions were, I think at least, honorable, there was still enough "me" involved, to make God's part not seem involved enough.

I hope this wasn't confusing. It may be one of those things that only I'll understand because it has to do with the way I felt in a particular moment. Who knows, but I'll leave you with this. He deserves praise. All the time. Just because He is who He is.

The beginning of developing a servant's heart is first asking the Lord what you can do for Him.


Proverbs 22:11
LoveYouBunches

Anna

The Fear You Won't Fall.

I know you're scared that I'll soon be over it
That's part of it all
Part of the beauty of falling in love with you is the fear you won't fall
It hasn't felt like this before
It hasn't felt like home before you.


Joshua Radin.




Today I needed, and wanted, to write. I was filled with inspiration on multiple occasions, for multiple different feelings and directions. I wanted to write for the people I love, I needed to write for the words unsaid, and longed to write for the small triumphs that come with discovering yet another layer of my heart that is pulled away. Brokenness at any point, and on any scale in someone's life, leads to disguises. Blankets. Walls. Rooms with doors once open, but closed. Quietly, tightly. 


I am a believer in the big questions. If we never dig for answers, we'll never go any deeper. In taking my own advice, I've realized that although I live my life as an open book, writing my heart on a page, fear and fear of hurt has caused me to avoid writing a part of a story that needs to be written. 


Someday, that door needs to open. Someday, someone will come knocking. I locked the door, lost the key, and lost my way. Even if I could open it, I don't know how to.


Brokenness breaks people. Fear freezes people. Hopelessness hurts people. 






Break down the walls. Break down the walls.






Break down the walls.

It's Nice to Be Met.

Today, I made cupcakes, which I have posted on my Tumblr. They are cute and curly and amazing. And honestly, it took all afternoon. But it was so worth it. It's like a way for my mind to detox. Then at 5, I drove in town to a place called PATH (people assisting the homeless) and made dinner for the people there. PATH is different than other homeless shelters, it's actually more of a stepping stone than a shelter. There is an application process and commitment/rehab depending on what your story is. A lot of the people there were people who had had jobs, but lost them recently and had been trying to find a new place. I know what you're thinking, because I was too. What about their families? Honestly, I don't know. With the woman that I talked too, it seemed like she was too proud to accept help, but I guess I know how that goes. She doesn't want to put people out all the time, and that is understandable. But I think that the real factor is that their families are lacking real love. I'm currently reading and studying 2 Timothy chapter 3, and I've been praying about the "without love" part. I read it last night, and I thought of how empty life is without it. My prayer was and is that God would use me to change that. Today, I think He started. :) We can't be a people without love. We can't be a people without love.

I met a man named Bobby too. He was the first person I introduced myself to. I said

"Hi, I'm Anna."

"Hi, I'm Bobby."

"It's very nice to meet you Bobby."

"It's nice to be met."


He truly said that. Sometimes, it's just nice to be met.

love someone today.

loveyoubunches.
Anna

Call me Sentimental.

I started a new creative outlet. :)

bellaamore.tumblr.com

It's just snippets of my day that I get to share with you. It's a lot more artsy and me :) Call me sentimental. And hopefully, you'll be able to see a lot more of this city that is slowly winning my heart. There is so much to do here. I went on a hike over the weekend- 3 1/2 miles up, 3 1/2 miles down. (thats 7 miles, yall) It was amazing- something I've wanted to do since I got here. So with that, in addition to taking more pictures for you to see, I'm going to research outdoor things to do here. I want to spend as much time out in this beautiful area as I can. Pictures to come:)


loveyoubunches :)

Anna

So, let's do this again sometime.

I'm talking to the mountains. The ocean. Today, I went hiking. And I've decided that from now on, I am taking pictures everywhere I go. Los Angeles may be a dirty place, but California is not. You need to see how beautiful it is. We hiked from the bottom of the mountain to the very top, and back down again- A total of 7 miles. It was wonderful; I love being outside. In addition to being able to soak up sun and God's beautiful creation, I met some beautiful people with beautiful dreams. Molly was my hiking buddy for most of the trip, and we got to talk about how God has given her a passion for the Earth, particularly the oceans. She loves reefs and research. I'm exited to get to know her, and others, a lot more.

For dinner, I grabbed some Sushi with my roommate and her (and my new) friend Jessie. We had such a great conversation, about things that are really important. To us, the world, to you- things that matter. It was lovely.

Today was inspiring.  I pray that your days ahead will be filled with awe and wonder. That you wouldn't be afraid to ask the big questions of your life, and in this life. That you would be challenged, questioned, and encouraged. Live like you were meant to. There is a whole lot out there- a whole lot more to live for.

loveyoubunches.