Showing posts with label gifts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gifts. Show all posts

9.08.2015

the thing about grief is...

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i have delayed posting this publicly--for a plethora of reasons. the main one being i don't want those who know me to over-analyze and question my motives. (is this to prove she's still hurting?? is this to prove how close they were because she is still hurting?? is this just a needed outlet?? is this to help us better understand how she's handling it and how we should approach her??) ultimately...it is to help folks better understand the complexity of grief. and to help those experiencing grief realize they are not alone.
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the thing about grief is...


sometimes you cry. 
sometimes you are gasping to even breathe.
sometimes you cannot repress that knot in your throat, that hole in your heart, that pit in your stomach.
sometimes you are on the verge of throwing up all day.
sometimes you can’t even stand being in your own skin.
sometimes (most of the time) it is all-consuming.

sometimes you don’t want to talk.
sometimes you don’t want to be talked to.
sometimes you need to talk to process.
sometimes you want everyone else who’s processing to shut up.
sometimes you dread it getting brought up.
sometimes you think they're rude for not acknowledging it.
sometimes you wonder if they just actually forgot.

sometimes you feel completely alone like no one understands.
sometimes you wish you were completely alone because no one understands.
sometimes (most of the time) you don't feel like having fun and "hanging out".
sometimes you feel like you're being fake because you "have" to be happy.

sometimes you ache seeing people constantly post about her.
sometimes you dread when the posts will stop.
sometimes you want someone to say something that helps.
sometimes you know nothing will help.
sometimes you read "it gets easier with time".
sometimes you realize the more time passes, the further away she feels.

sometimes you wail.
sometimes you scream.
sometimes you throw things.
sometimes you are too weak to stand.
sometimes you want to die.
sometimes you feel like you are dying.

sometimes you need to get lost in the nostalgia of reliving memories through photos & videos and all things-quinc.
sometimes you have to dwell in the sadness.
sometimes you get addicted to that sadness.
sometimes you are afraid you’ll forget things.
sometimes you have to be distracted and “forget” for a moment in order to carry on with "normal" life.
sometimes you feel guilty for carrying on with “normal" life.
sometimes you think people think you're "over it" because you're required to carry on with "normal" life.
sometimes you sense people want you to actually be over it.

sometimes your brain tricks you into thinking she’s just in arizona, or on a soccer trip, or away for PR.


sometimes you are driving, listening to your favorite artists, who were her favorite artists…and you realize all those car rides together jamming out are over.
sometimes you are tortured by all the ridiculous ideas you had together that are not able to happen now.
sometimes you are bitter that you didn’t get to live those highly-anticipated life experiences with her. (and are envious of those who were already able to.)
sometimes you are out-of-control angry your time was cut so short.
sometimes you just feel thankful for all the precious time you did have.
sometimes you think how unfair life is.
sometimes you realize how blessed you were to have her in your life at all.

sometimes you feel like literally nothing else matters now.
and then sometimes you have to remember how much it all did to her.

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there is no map for grief. no guide for those going through it or those trying to comfort.
grief is complicated. it changes constantly. and everyone's different. and each person is different with each grief--and within that grief. it all can change depending on the day, and the circumstances, and the person with. there's really no explaining it. my ultimate suggestion is to love. just love them in spite of it all.
be available; be around. don't smother them, but don't forget them. acknowledge the hurt by letting them know you're still thinking of and praying for them. show them grace. you won't regret that.
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Broken Heart. Future Hope. LQVE.org.
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4.01.2013

my friends are talented.

(you can find the background on this post here and here.)
today's post is dedicated to my cousin ("and not to mention my best friend")...
- lauren ashley tredoux.
a photo i took of lauren, fall of 2011. (see more here.)






















this girl.
she has creativity oozing out of her.
she is so-incredibly artistic.
from sketches, to paintings, to photography, to poetry.
she's got a gift.
i have told her so many countless times that she needs to publish her poetry one day...and that if she doesn't, i will for her.
cause she's just ridiculous.
the diction she uses is impeccable--like perfect. (according to my preferences.)
her ideas are so raw...not only can you feel her experiences with her, but it's like you are experiencing them yourself.
her expression is expressive in itself.
the essence of transparency.

here is one of my favorite poems of her's, preceding a few of my favorite photographs she's taken...

Sungod.
the sun it aches me
pulls me into sea
weed of flowers far beyond my
reach of recovering illusive hopes that led
to my disease.
pull me out
and see my bones cry out
I am no longer daughter
I am dried out.
Hear me Father, let my cup
runneth over.
Hold me tighter
bind my pieces of dust off the floor.
I am not above this.
Crippling cancer weaves itself into
my thorns, choking berries of life
that juice my core.
the sun it aches me to what was once
before (I hear it calling).
the sun it aches
my wounds into healing (I hear it calling).
Holy heat bursts me from my cold; holy heat
bursts every blood cell into worship
thawed.
I am on fire,
they cannot see my wounds burdered
with love.
Father be my breath that motivates these lungs.
Drink me water when I cannot drink myself.
Pour me over with wine that I may be restored.
Feed me your hands, your heart, your thorns
Your sun breaks through my aching parts,
“Don’t be afraid of light, my rays bring you life”






i just love her poems.
i can read them over & over & over again and get something new-and different-and inspiring-and enthralling from each one every single time.
i am immensely envious of her God-given talent.
to pour her very soul into words so descriptive and precisely placed that they can make me laugh-and cry-and cringe-and smile...that is no doubt a gift.

her tumblr has many more poetic gems; check it out.
(she also went to europe last fall, and pretty much all of her photos there were amazing...so instead of weeding through the hundreds of those, i stuck with these beauts.)

-and no, this is not an april fools joke. (hahaha.)

1.17.2013

thrifty thursday.

for the girls' Christmas gifts this year, i had this cute idea that i'd write a recipe down (recipe coming soon) on a cute recipe card and put it in a ball jar with a vintage apron!! :) i was so excited about it.
i looove aprons; i guess you could say i collect them. i have 23. ha.

an olathe antique mall that we frequent never lets us down. we've found a lot of "goodies" there...including several aprons.
obviously, i couldn't resist buying a few for myself.

i first walked in and saw this adorable apron with red polka-dots and rick-rack along the edges.
i love how it looks worn in the middle, like a lot of use has gone into it; a lot of history in this one.

















then i saw this beaut. i already have a lot of predominantly red and white aprons...but nothing like this. checkered, rick-racked, annnd cross-stitched.
this one would just look so great hung up in a kitchen even!!


















and then i came across this darrrling apron.
oh my gosh, i'm in love. i'm such a sucker for sheer aprons. with blue and yellow detailing.


















all under 10 bucks each!!

tell me about your thrifty finds!!
other thrifty thursdays found here and here.

11.27.2012

use your gifts.

long time, no post.
lo siento, readers.
got a little crazy here over the past week. (what-with...thanksgiving/family time, cleaning the heck out of the house to get it ready for Christmastime, photo editing out the whazoo, on top of getting sick.)

i have WAY too many projects going on at the same time...which i really need to take care of asap cause the holidays are here, yall!! (i haven't even gotten to thanksgiving week's wfd #4 yet. whoops.)






















i have a deep-meaningful post for tomorrow, but until then...i'll preface it with this::
(i love the entirety of romans 12. but what i was wanting to get at with this post is this...)

"we have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. if your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. love must be sincere. hate what is evil; cling to what is good. be devoted to one another in love. honor one another above yourselves. never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer."
- romans 12:6-12, NIV.

11.05.2012

my friends are talented.

this might be my favorite segment.
it's just so true.
and warms my heart so much.
(you can find the background on it here.)

today's post is dedicated to my dear-dear friend, stefanie morgan.

stef and i grew up together at college church of the nazarene.
we've spent looootsss and looootsss of time together, from caravans to wigby, to His kids choir, to holiday parties, to retreats, to church camps, to mission trips...and not to mention nearly every sunday.
then come second semester, freshman year of high school, she went back to her roots and joined me at blue valley.
this was definitely a blessing. (for many reasons.) most everyone at church went to the same three schools...or at least had one other person. i had had no one for almost ten years, and i always yearned for that affirmation and accountability. just to be able to make eye-contact with a person, knowing you share a deeper bond and more-significant meaning for life than those many searching-high school kids. (not that we had it all figured out as adolescents, but you catch my drift, right??)

stef and i both did choir throughout high school, and were privileged to be in its traveling show choir, chambers. we went all over the kc metro area, LA, and NYC. (stef also got to go to orlando because she made it the year before me. but i'm getting ahead of myself; i'll show you how amazing she is in a minute here.) stef almost always got the solos in our kids' choir, she was on the praise & worship team in junior/senior high, she almost always got the lead in our high school musicals, she almost always got the solos in our choir/chambers numbers, and she always did ridiculously well at competitions...we always knew we could count on her to get a 1.
since the age of ten, stef had incessantly impressed me with her musical ability, (she's an amazing pianist, as well,) but i don't think it was until our spring show, senior year of high school had i heard her sing and play a song she had written. the song was "love won't."...which i'm pretty sure is still, to this day, my favorite. (i know you'll think that is funny, stef. but it's true!!)
she not only has the raw musical talent and ability, but she has the passion, and emotion, and ability to relate that song writers long for and need.

stef recently wrote this song and performed it at the uptown arts bar for "MBird's writer's showcase". (sadly, i could not attend this time around...but i have had the privilege of attending similar performances.)

you can listen & watch her in these videos too!! (courtesy of: kathleen dunn.)
Black and White. (circa 2008.)
Rainy Days. (circa 2008.)

she also has her own etsy account: unlock the creativity. check it out!! (i tollld you...talented.)

God has blessed me with stef's friendship and her ability to inspire and brighten up any-and many-of my days.