Live by this

People are often unreasonable and self-centered.
Forgive them anyway.


If you are kind, people will accuse you of ulterior motives.
Be kind anyway.


If you are honest, people may cheat you.
Be honest anyway.


If you find happiness, people may be jealous.
Be happy anyway.


The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.


Give the world the best you have
and it may never be enough.
Give your best anyway.


For you see, in the end, it is between you and God.
It never was between you and them anyway.

Mother Teresa
[via this blog, Pictures from Paxtonblair]

Lean not on your own understanding.

Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will direct your paths."



When we understand that God integrates every circumstance to accomplish His will, it is easier to trust Him.
It is easy to trust God when the seas are calm and the skies are clear, but the strength of our faith is measured in the midst of a storm.
A crisis always reveals what is really inside. Letting go means that we trust God enough to obey Him. Trust is demonstrated by obedience and what I do reveals what I believe about God, regardless of what I say. God will not waste direction on a disobedient heart. The more we obey, the more we will trust. The more we trust, the more we will obey. God reveals His plans to an obedient heart. When we trust God enough to surrender our will to Him, we will find that He is Lord of our circumstances.


I often forget that God is Lord of our circumstances. This is a portion of my daily devotional (which i've been neglecting the past few days, but decided to open the one for today). The past 2 days i've been sleep deprived by worry. I've been wanting to take action by my own understanding even if i didn't succeed. God is teaching me a lesson in letting go. Could you let go of what you're experiencing, thinking of & wasting time planning an escape plan for? Trust me, it's what faith and hope is all about.

[Pictures from Aelix]

Words & Circus

I kept your secret and we fell in love.
We built a home filled with hugs.
You were beside me and suddenly
you leave.
I'm sorry but the show must go on...
For I am free.


When you join
you might lose your soul
while selling your hopes for
cotton candy and trampolines.

Your dreams are gone
and no one's around
to avoid giving in
to false desires.

Don't runaway
your home will forever remain
empty without you
gloomy in despair.

Life in the circus
is no life at all.
come back, please do
before it's ink in the paper
that imprisons your core.

[Words by me]

Typed Pictures

Creative, Amazing, Inspiring and beautiful. Thats what i think of the artist behind this amazing art. Later Operator

Day after Yesterday

I had a great time yesterday! My friends picked me up and we went to the old city. I modeled one of her designs and i shooted all the others ones. Then we rested on the grass, playing with cameras, laughing at jokes from everyone there, sipping some vitamin water, watching the cloudless blue sky, whispering winds in our ears catching my breath to stay cool on such a hot, humid weather. It was fun. It was real. It was yesterday.

After such a good time, Javi ended the day with a sweet thought. He got me something. And gave it to me when i didn't notice. I just knew that when i was waiting to go home, i looked down at my hands and i saw the brown package weighing my arms down. I couldn't believe it. I mean, i usually always know when people are going to gift me something, so it's never a surprise (and there wasn't an occassion for it). I was so overwhelmed with it, that i didnt open it until before going to sleep. When i did, it was so creative and meaningful, that i had tears in my eyes. Thank you so much Javi, you have no idea the bright smile your thoughtful gift brought to my face. The gift was for my upcoming journey (moving to a stranger place and going to college) and there was an item from my favorite little store in SJ called "The Poet's Passage". So know im reminded of SJ when im far away.

The Brown Package (it reminds me of parcels/vintage packages)


The contents nicely wrapped with string. He made the blue papered notes to match each item.



Blue papered Note #1: Heres a little...Inspiration
And a book followed the note. "Changing" by Lady Lee Andrews is a book with poems and doodles/drawings in it. (from Poet's Passage)

Blue Papered Note #2: And a Chance to be..Creative
Followed by a Moleskine Sketchbook (which i've been raving about getting one since last year)








Catching a movie with a best friend later today. Most likely Transformers.

Jun 25

Photo Day with Ney today! I can't wait. Maybe Javi will tag along. We'll see.

Stay True

Don't forget this

What Are You?

I want this photography book.
Im doing swell!
I got a text from Brisni and it brightened my day.
I will post pictures soon. (My flickr needs an update)
I am looking forward to Photo day with Mari, Ney & Jose.
I took all my clothes from my closet and packed it.
Florida, you're just 38 days away. And When that day comes, I'll start my 365. I promise i'll do it this time.

1,2,3, 4...

Im so Thankful for the following:
-Having My dad on father's day
-My church. (can't imagine not being part of it right now)
-My best friend got engaged
-My parents aren't perfect, but I love them that way
-I just bought a one way ticket
-My hair is short (i've never cut my hair this short before)
-The friends that support me
-My family
-Im single (making it easier to leave where i am to go to where I need to be)
-Being able to play keyboard at church
-God giving me more than enough essentials (and some not essential to life) without me deserving it.
-Being this busy (that i barely have time to post everyday)

This is God

© Mike Bailey-Gates

Hello. This is God.

Today I will be handling all of your problems for you. I do not need your help. So, have a nice day…

If life happens to deliver a situation to you that you cannot handle, do not attempt to resolve it yourself! Kindly put it in the SFGTD (something for God to do) box. I will get to it in MY TIME. All situations will be resolved, but in my time, not yours.

Once the matter is placed into the box, do not hold onto it by worrying about it. Instead, focus on all the wonderful things that are present in your life now.

If you find yourself stuck in traffic, don’t despair. There are people in this world for whom driving is an unheard of privilege.

Should you have a bad day at work; think of the man who has been out of work for years.

Should you despair over a relationship gone bad; think of the person who has never known what it’s like to love and be loved in return.

Should you grieve the passing of another weekend; think of the woman in dire straits, working twelve hours a day, seven days a week to feed her children.

Should your car break down, leaving you miles away from assistance; think of the paraplegic who would love the opportunity to take that walk.

Should you notice a new gray hair in the mirror; think of the cancer patient in chemo who wishes she had hair to examine.

Should you find yourself at a loss and pondering what is life all about, asking what is my purpose? Be thankful. There are those who didn’t live long enough to get the opportunity.

Should you find yourself the victim of other people’s bitterness, ignorance, smallness or insecurities; remember, things could be worse. You could be one of them!

Should you decide to send this to a friend, thank you. You may have touched their life in ways you will never know!

Maybe, you don't believe in God. Maybe you dislike discussing religion. But you were made for more. Stop looking elsewhere to fill that void. Just give God a chance. I gave him a chance to prove himself to me and my life has never been the same. Yes, there are sad times and bad things do happen to everyone. But when you have God, even tough times are a blessing. You enjoy life to the fullest and you change to a better person. You learn to balance life and things flow right. It's worth it. Challenge God to reveal himself to you. Get to know Him. I haven't met someone who has and has willingly returned to their old ways. Trust me.

"This is God" e-mail message from unknown author, last message from me.

“Everyone of us is losing something precious to us. Lost opportunities, lost possibilities, feelings we can never get back again. That’s part of what it means to be alive. But inside our heads—at least that’s where I imagine it—there’s a little room where we store those memories. A room like the stacks in this library. And to understand the workings of our own heart we have to keep on making new reference cards. We have to dust things off every once in a while, let in fresh air, change the water in the flower vases. In other words, you’ll live forever in your own little private library.”
— Haruki Murakami

[Picture by ally chalk]

I am

"You're beautiful and awe-inspiring, my heart skips a beat almost everytime I see you, I fear I'll fail you or do something stupid around you, I fear I'll lose you or that something horrid happens when I'm not there, it seems you at least have a part of me, because I feel like somethings missing when you're gone for extended time."

Jose wrote me this a few seconds ago. And then i knew. I just knew I had to stop feeling sorry for myself. I'm worthy, i know so. Why do i keep forgetting that?

Feelings.

Hope is the feeling you have that the feeling you have isn’t permanent.
— Jean Kerr

Feelings. Feel. I feel. You feel. We all feel.
I've been struggling with how i feel...a lot! Im in that point in your life where the things that mean so much to you stop making sense and it forces you to live a life that wanders instead of being a life with a purpose. I've been praying for this to go away and it seems the feelings get stronger. I dwell in past heartbreaks, forgotten people, uncertainty of tomorrows and the purpose of today. I stopped hoping. I stopped holding on my breath for greater things. I'm not going through any tough times, like i had. My life is going well, in fact, there's a millions things i should be happy for now. But happiness just flashes across me so fast, it's like a butterfly i can't catch with my bare hands. I'm trying hard to figure it all out because i'm being a letdown to myself and indirectly to others. Battling through nightmares and not having enough time to actually enjoy it. I don't even have motivation to rise up to conquer future problems or even to go to church. What's wrong with me? I believe this is permanent, and i can feel a tingly sensation of hope...Hoping this isn't permanent.

For every...

"For every beauty there is an eye somewhere to see it. For every truth there is an ear somewhere to hear it. For every love there is a heart somewhere to receive it."
- Ivan Panin


“The greatest gift is a passion for reading. It is cheap, it consoles, it distracts, it excites, it gives you the knowledge of the world and experience of a wide kind. It is a moral illumination.
- Elizabeth Hardwick


"Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope or confidence."
- Helen Keller


"Become a possibilitarian. No matter how dark things seem to be or actually are, raise your sights and see possibilities - always see them, for they’re always there."
- Norman Vincent Peale

All beautiful images from Sea Legs

Road-trip

Going on a little road-trip until Sunday, so in advance i apologize for not updating.
Going to the beach and taking pictures of my friends, i can't wait!
In the mean time, Urban Outfitters posted 23 free tracks for you to download and listen. Be sure to check that out.
Also, Ive been obsessing with a flickr photographer: Zack. He's just 15 but he's really good. Also, these lovely picture below are from Anna & Sea-legs, two pretty ladies with much creativity in their minds.


"Every obstacle is a stepping stone.
Every smile, a secret.
Every tear, a story.
Every day, a new beginning."


"We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are."
- Anais Nin


"Memory is the diary that we all carry about with us."
- Oscar Wilde


"Keep your fears to yourself but share your courage with others."
- Robert Louis Stevenson


"If you want him to fall head over heels, give him something to trip over."


"You block your dream when you allow your fear to grow bigger than your faith."
- Mary Manin Morrissey

a tad of inspiration

"For everyone, there’s a person, place, or time that brings you back and makes you feel alive."
— Better Than Ezra


"It is easier to forgive an enemy than to forgive a friend"
— John Dryden


"I have found that if you love life, life will love you back."
— Arthur Rubenstein


"In real love you want the other person’s good. In romantic love you want the other person."
— Margaret Anderson


“You cannot make yourself feel something you do not feel, but you can make yourself do right in spite of your feelings.”
— Pearl S. Buc


"Your vision will become clear only when you look into your heart. Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakens."


"Love is the irresistible desire to be irresistibly desired."
— Mark Twain


"I believe that two people are connected at the heart and it doesn’t matter what you do or who you are or where you live. There are no boundaries or barriers if two people are destined to be together."
— Julia Roberts


"Nothing happens unless first a dream."
— Carl Sandburgh

[Pictures from: Julie, Tracie, Anna, Laurasaur, beth]

the war on our minds

We are bombarded on all sides by the media, family and friends, co-workers and even enemies. They all have a certain identity that they want to assign to us. We have a choice. No one makes us feel inferior without our permission. We will become what we allow our heart and mind to dwell on. An old saying says it well. "You can't keep a bird from flying over your head but you can keep it from building a nest in your hair." In other words, it is impossible to avoid destructive thinking entirely. We will be tempted. We will have negative thoughts and temptations, but we do not have to allow them to dwell in our mind. God has given us a "garbage disposal" for the mind. [Source]


Avoid dwelling on thoughts that hurt the very core of you. I've been battling lately with thoughts about "what if" or "I should've done this or that". We must accept the choices we made and the words that were said. If you said words to hurt someone else, then as quickly as possible go to that person and apologize genuinely. Maybe sometimes we don't feel like we want to forgive, but do it anyways because God calls us to do that and he'll restore you in time. Time keeps going and i've found myself praying over and over about feeling better, happier and inspired. So many things i have to do for college, my responsibilities at church and home, and being with my friends are constant reminders for me to sit in a corner and cry because i can't perfectly juggle them all. But God wants us to let perfection go. Someone once said that perfection is for heaven. However God does encourage us to do our best any way possible. Im doing my best to handle things, and if there are things out of my control, i pray to Him to take control over them. This way, my mind doesn't clutter with pessimism and worry. As Philippians 4:8 says, "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things."

[Pictures: here & here]

Mi cuerpo pide playa, arena y sol

Summer is here! My last Summer with my high school friends. Starting this fall, im moving off to better things ( i love saying that over and over, lately). Mi cuerpo pide playa, arena y sol, which means "My body asks for beach, sand and sun" (in Spanish, just in case). I need to relax, throw old worries away and look ahead to what the future brings me and where will i stand.

I'm getting booked for photo-shoots, which is an answered prayer, since i'm saving for a computer (for college) along with other college necessities. My parent's are sacrificing themselves and I feel that i should lessen the burden if i buy my own computer with money rightly earned with my talents. Im not even buying new clothes because money is tight right now. But God is always good. He says that He is my provider, and if he can feed the birds, how much more will he provide for me, his daughter! I'm also going to a retreat and enjoying what's left of me in ministry, since i'll be leaving my Home church too.

There's no ignoring summer time! Summer is definitely a strong and commanding season, where it leaves many traces of its presence. So enjoy it as much as I will.


“A life without love is like a year without summer.”
— Swedish Proverb


“Here's to the nights where the sand is your seat,
the waves kiss your feet, your friends outnumber the stars,
and even the chilliest of nights, are still warmer
than the cold one in your hand.”


“A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and the lawn mower is broken.”
— James Dent


“Then followed that beautiful season... Summer....
Filled was the air with a dreamy and magical light; and the landscape
Lay as if new created in all the freshness of childhood.”
— Henry Wadsworth Longfellow


“And no matter what anybody says about grief and about time healing all wounds, the truth is, there are certain sorrows that never fade away until the heart stops beating and the last breath is taken.”
— Tiffanie DeBartolo


“ Worrying is like a rocking chair, it gives you something to do, but it gets you nowhere.”
— Glenn Turner


“You have to take risks. We will only understand the miracle of life fully when we allow the unexpected to happen”
— Paulo Coelho


“Summer is the time when one sheds one's tensions with one's clothes, and the right kind of day is jeweled balm for the battered spirit. A few of those days and you can become drunk with the belief that all's right with the world.”
— Ada Louise Huxtable



[Pictures from: here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here & here