thank you God for...everything :)

I am thankful for..

parents who put forth more than they have for my family and my school

a little sister who not only tends to herself but constantly asks how she can serve her older siblings

a little brother who offers me his snack because he is concerned that I won't have enough to eat before ballet

a brother who carries my school bags to the van without even asking

a sister who forces me out of my comfort zone at her own expense because she knows it's good for me

a school family who extends grace and compassion continually

teachers who begin their classes with prayer and scriptural encouragement

friends who start by asking: "How can I pray?"

friends who open their Bible and share a verse they were reading for devotions that morning

friends who listen while I ramble through everything that is going on in my life

friends who like to talk about the symbolism in the current literature novel during lunch (being nerdy isn't a crime)

guys at school who go out of their way to open doors for the girls

guys at school who make me laugh over the silliest things (like brick walls and fuzzy penguins)

extended family that lives less than half an hour away

grandparents who stop by the house while my family is at school just to bring homemade jelly

a grandmother who drives me to dance classes and who comes to every single one of my performances

a grandmother who has taught me how to sew and lets me come over to her house and sew all the time

warm blankets and a real fireplace

bookshelves in almost every room of my house

a whole shelf full of tea and lattes

two fridges and an extra freezer just for keeping food

more shoes and clothes than I know what to do with

a warm house

..and so much more :)

how to convince nature that spring has arrived

Nature is apparently unaware of the season change and I have therefore developed a plan for solving this atrocity...

1. Wear your favorite pastel purple leotard with classic pastel pink tights to ballet class

2. Add pink and purple glimmer eye shadow

3. Finish your look with a sparkly butterfly hair clip positioned on the side of your bun

4. Throughout your ballet class, dance like a beautiful spring fairy

5. Hope that nature notices your beautiful performance and changes it's weekend plans accordingly

music :)

"Living life without the love of Christ is like living life without music." ~Mr. Wes Harris

How simply beautiful is that?

As a dancer, I present my life and many stories through movement to music. Music is the path that I follow. Music is the guide to my art.

In my spiritual life, the love of Christ should be my guide. The love of Christ should be path that I follow through this life.

"For breadth the love of Jesus is immensity, for length it eternity, for depth it is immeasurably and for height it is infinity." ~Charles Spurgeon

"I have spoken with many godly men who have told me that if young women started keeping their standards high rather than settling for mediocre men, then guys would be forced to make serious changes to their masculinity. And even if you are mocked, ridiculed, or ignored because of your stand, you can be sure that God will honor your decision. He paid for the treasure of your heart with His own blood. You disregard His amazing sacrifice for you when you allow your femininity to be trampled in the mud. You are a daughter of the King, so hold out for a man who has royal blood coursing through his veins." ~Leslie Ludy

I found this quote on a friend's Tumbler. I don't know much about Mrs. Ludy, but this quote just fit a little too perfectly to be passed over.