A Milestone

Well gang, its official. I have been around the sun 21 times. Yep, that's right folks. Today I turn the big two-one. Its crazy to think about it. I feel like just yesterday I was entering high school or even attending my 8th grade dance. I can't believe I am 21 years old and a senior in college. It seriously blows my mind. To be honest, I actually kinda feel old. I look at the now young adults that I've known since they were little tots or terror or even babies and I just think to myself, 'where did the time go? how are you a senior in high school?!'. It's crazy. So today I want to share with you some things I've learned along my journey so far. They are coming at you in no particular order and are all based on personal experience. So without further ado I present to you...

--- Life is hard. As if you didn't already know this, I'm going to make sure you do. Life is hard y'all. There are days when I don't even want to get out of bed. But on those days, when I make myself crawl out of bed, I end up having a great day or learn something amazing. Every day is precious and is another opportunity to grow. Use it. I read a quote once that said "Not every day is good, but there is good in everyday." How true is that? Yes, life is hard. Just face it anyway.

--- God is on your side. No matter what, He will always have your back. He loves you (and me) more than we can ever understand and more than anyone here on earth can. Lean on Him and He will give you strength and wisdom.

--- Taco Bell and Cookout are the best places to go when its late at night and you are so hungry you could eat a cow. No seriously. I've done this plenty of times. I'll just be chilling on the couch and then starvation hits me and I hop in my car, usually dragging Kenz with me, and I go hit up one of these places and the world is in balance again. Hell hath no fury than a hungry woman. Well that's a lie, but seriously these places have awesome late night food.

--- Girl friends are better than guy friends. I don't want to go into too much detail on this one because I'm working on a post that is just about my opinion on this. Now don't get me wrong, guy friends rock and I have my fair share of them but when it comes to getting deep and seeking advice, it is rare that you would or should turn to the opposite sex. Who else can relate to you better than someone who actually KNOWS what you're talking about?! Me and Kenz have amazing conversations about things guys would never understand because they don't experience it. Seek to build lasting and meaningful friendships with girls. You'll be glad you did.

--- Laugh at yourself. I used to be terrible at this. I can remember falling in the hallway in like fifth grade and I wanted to cry because I was so embarrassed. Fast forward to high school when it happened again and I laughed for like 5 minutes. It was hilarious. Being able to laugh at yourself will save you from a lot of unnecessary worrying and embarrassment. I laugh at myself at least 20 times a day. Laughter is great medicine. Good for the mind, body, and soul.

--- Honesty is the best policy. I cannot stress this enough. I equate honesty to respect. You should respect another person enough to be completely honest with them. Don't be mean when you're being honest. I used to be that way. I was notorious for being brutally honest, like I made people cry. But over the years I've realized that you can be honest with people without being a jerk. But ALWAYS BE HONEST. Trust me, it's the one of the best things you can do for another person.

--- Do what you love. This is another one that I want to stress to you. I came into college knowing what I SHOULD be majoring in, but instead I did the opposite because I thought I didn't have a chance at doing what I loved. Now that I made the decision to do what I love, I couldn't be happier. Seriously. Do what you love because it will make you happy.

--- Stay positive. I know that this is hard to do, but when you become negative it is so hard to turn that mindset around. Think positive thoughts and you will be lots happier. I pinky promise.

--- Have a hobby. I know this sounds like super grandma-y but I'm serious. Find something you like to do, and do it as often as you can. It's a great way to relieve stress. Who knows? It could even turn into a career.

--- Read often. I love to read. It takes you to another place and is a great way to escape. It is also a great way to learn new things. I highly encourage you to try and read at least one book a month. Its good for you.

--- Ask questions. And ask lots of them. How will you know if you don't ask? I used to not ask questions a lot but now I find myself asking them more and more. Its a great way to learn and get different perspectives.

--- God's love story is perfect. This one. Wow. I could write like a thousand posts on this one. God is perfect, so of course His love story for us will be perfect too. Wait on Him. When you are ready, He will bring your love to you. You don't have to seek that person. In the meantime, be in prayer and grow in the Lord. Seriously. It's so rewarding.

--- Be adventurous. This is pretty much self-explanatory. Go on adventures. Take smart risks. Get outside your comfort zone a little. Let loose and have fun.

--- Be an encouragement. Nobody likes a Debbie Downer. Don't be one. Always be encouraging to people. You never know what people are going through and your words can either help or hurt someone. Always help.

--- Dance whenever and wherever you can. Self-explanatory basically. Enjoy life and dance. Its liberating.

--- Be kind always. I mean nobody likes a mean person. Kindness begets kindness y'all.

--- God's plan is perfect. I've written a post about this already which you can read here. Wait on the Lord. He is the ultimate planner. His plans are way better than even our wildest dreams.

--- Learn another language. I know this sounds weird but do it anyway. Learn how another culture communicates. It also will make you more marketable in the workplace. Plus its awesome to learn a language other than your own.

--- Never settle. This can be said in all aspects of life. Never settle for less than you deserve. Set your standards high. When you settle for something, you are settling for disappointment and heartbreak as well. Remember that.

--- Be thankful. The people in your life are only here for a certain time, be thankful for them. The opportunities you are given and presented with are only around for a time, be thankful. Always be thankful for what you have.

--- "You are blessed - behave like you know it." My mother said this to me yesterday. How true it is. We are blessed and fortunate. So the next time you want to throw yourself a pity party or complain and be angry, remember that you are blessed and you should behave like you know. Be humble.

Well guys, there is some advice from me that I have learned over the years. If you want to keep up with all the birthday shenanigans over the next few days follow me on Twitter and Instagram. I'm sure it'll be a great next few days.

All my love, Carly ♥

Flashback Friday

Since I missed writing a post for yesterday, I decided I would do Flashback Friday today. I'm not even really sure if there is such a thing or if it's what the cool kids do but I'm doing it and I think I'm cool. So yeah. Moving on. I'm going to take you back into time a little bit to January of 2012. I'm going to tell you about a couple firsts I had that month and how it changed me.

So back in January 2012, my mom had a trip planned to go to Chicago for her job. (I don't feel like explaining what she does right now.) Now at this point in my life, I had never, EVER been on a plane. I had also never been above the Mason-Dixon line nor any further West than Kentucky and Tennessee. (I have yet to go out of the country as well.) So my mom had this awesome idea that she would take me on this trip and we would spend an extra day there to explore the city. I immediately agreed because hey, I love adventures.

So I get on my first plane and I'm like nervous beyond belief and excited too. I made mom take a picture of me on the plane because that's what cool people do. She was even nice enough to give me the window seat. I knew she loved me. So we are just chilling on the plane waiting for take off. I'm getting more and more nervous. Why? Well I'm quite terrified of heights. So that was a problem but mom assured me it would be okay. Of course I knew that but I was still having a mini freak out session.

So the plane takes off. I kid you not I held on so tight to my mom's hand, it probably turned white. Granted taking off is cool but that angle gets to me. So we level off and I simmer down. We finally start coming into Chicago after what feels like forever. Can I just say that Chicago is absolutely beautiful from the air? I mean wow. Wish I had a picture of that. So anyway. The landing was way better than I thought it would be. Yay for awesome pilots. 

So we get off the plane and get our luggage and rent our car then head to the hotel before we explore the city. So we do all that and then we go explore the amazing city of Chicago. Now I'm a small town Southern girl. This was my first experience in a true big city. I loved it. Way more than I thought I would. Now before I tell you how the trip changed me, let me just share some pictures with you.

I mean come on, how could you not fall in love with city? Now let me be honest. While I was there, I didn't really fall head over heels. I mean I liked the city and I thought it was awesome and new. But I didn't really think I could live there.

So fast forward to now. Present time. This trip changed me. Has been changing me. I just didn't realize it until now. Like literally, yesterday morning. I have always been an adventurous person. I love new things and I get fidgety being in one place for too long. My father has always told me and other people that I would be the one to fly the nest and that I would be the one to move away from where I grew up, leave the state and be perfectly happy. I would always laugh and say yeah you're probably right. I would dream about one day leaving and exploring but I always felt like it was just that, a dream. Nothing more, nothing less. I have thought about Chicago a lot since that trip, but never really lingered on it. I never really considered it. But i have never really felt like Greensboro was where I belonged. There are even days when Boone can't quiet this desire I have. I just never gave it a second thought because I figured I would never have the opportunity.

Now don't read this the wrong way. I am not planning to move to Chicago. Honestly, I've given up this idea of planning anyway. But now that I am single, I see the world and my future in a whole new perspective. I have always been pretty independent. Not afraid to talk to people or to try something new. Since I'll be graduating in the next year and a half, I've obviously been thinking about my future. I have had multiple talks with some of my close friends, my roommates, my sister, and my parents about my future and my options. Through these talks I have come to the conclusion that I probably won't stay in Greensboro or Boone or even North Carolina very long after I graduate. I have an itch in my soul that spreads into my entire being. I have such a freedom right now. I want to see new things and go to new places. I want to find myself and inspire other young women and maybe even men. 

So what exactly am I saying? Well what I'm saying is something that I have actually literally been saying a lot these days. I would drop everything and pick up and move across the country or even over seas if an opportunity presented itself. No joke. I would be gone. This idea terrifies a lot of my friends and probably even my family a little bit. But you see I'm lucky because my family has been preparing for this for a long time now and because of that, they are really supportive. Sad? Well yes of course but they love me and they want me to be happy. I can honestly say that I feel the Lord preparing me for big changes and for big things. I have a hard time controlling the desire I have to just pick up and leave. Don't think I'm running away though because that's not at all what it is. I just want to live and learn and grow as a person and grow in God. I am getting ancy just typing this post. 

I say all of this to really say just this one thing: the Lord is control and His plans are way better. I don't know for sure where I'm supposed to be but I do know that if I keep trusting God, He will get me there. So Chicago, I might be seeing you again. You stole my heart and I didn't even know it. 

All my love, Carly ♥

A story of sadness, redemption, and hope.

Hello my loves. I know its Saturday and it should be totally fun but I think its time that I actually talk about what happened to me 4 weeks ago today that caused me to write this post on change and this post on plans. If you haven't read those I would suggest you do that now before you read this one. So you done reading those? Awesome! This post is not going to be anything fancy or geared towards you guys specifically. I am just letting go and writing today. This is me documenting a major event. Also let me just say that as a disclaimer, this post is not meant to be hateful or to cast blame on anyone or to make anyone feel bad. This blog is my safe place and I have a right to put whatever I want on here. Again, this post is not meant to be hateful. Okay enough of that. Let's hop to it.

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Women have this extra sense that I believe we receive at birth. It takes a while however to realize exactly what it does so before we realize we have it ourselves, we call it the mommy sense. Its when you have this nagging feeling all the time about a certain thing that you just know isn't right. Like something is seriously wrong. It's not just this natural sense though, I truly believe God gave this sense to women specifically for a reason. I haven't quote figured out its specific purpose but I'm sure when I have kids one day, I'll understand more.

For a while I had been having this nagging sense in my heart and head concerning my relationship. Like that feeling when you know something isn't right. Very few people knew that I was feeling this way. In fact, the only people who knew were Kenz and my good friend Michelle. So my significant other didn't even know what was going on in my head. I just figured that everything would be okay. Though I told myself that over and over I never actually truly believed it.

The feeling never really stopped. Never really went away. But now I can put a name to that feeling. I know what that feeling is. Its the feeling you get when you think you are about to get broken up with. It was getting harder and harder to get up each day. I was so exhausted. It felt like I could never get enough sleep. I was working so hard. I was tired of being tired. I was tired of being sad. I was so drained physically, emotionally, mentally, and even spiritually. But even so I still kept telling myself everything will be fine. I truly believed that. Or at least I thought that's what I believed. Deep down I knew the truth. 

So 4 weeks ago today I reentered the world of singleness. I was devastated. My whole world had come crashing down in the blink of an eye. I was single. Single for the first time in over a year and a half and I didn't know what to do. I called the one person you always call as soon as something like this happens. My mom. I called my mom. Of course I was still sobbing but eventually I was able to utter the words telling her I was now single. And like a great mother and woman of God does she offered to come to Boone to be with me. And of course I said yes. I mean who doesn't want their mom after something like that happens.

I woke up Kenz and I cried on her bed next to her for a long time. My mom and sister arrived a few hours later and by that point, most of the tears were gone. They left later that afternoon and then Kenz and I had a movie marathon. What movie? We started the Harry Potter series because that's the best thing to watch after a breakup. Obviously.

That Saturday was the last time I cried over that relationship. I haven't thought about him much either and that's not to say I don't care about him or how he's doing. Its just that I knew for a long time that it was coming. I had been expecting it. Because of that I was able to move on faster. I still wish him the best in all he does. We were growing as individuals but were no longer growing together in the same direction. It happens. There is nothing wrong with that and its okay to admit that maybe we weren't right for each other in the first place.

I have learned so much from this whole situation. I learned what I do and don't want in a lifelong mate. I learned a lot about myself and about who God wants me to be. Though I was sad and still sad at times, I am so thankful for all of the good memories we shared together. I believe that God redeemed me in this experience. He showed me so many things and I can't wait to share all of those things with you. Here is a quote I found a few days after the breakup on Pinterest. It is so true. I am exactly like this

Here are some things that I learned that I think every woman and man should know. I believe these are things that everyone should remind themselves of, including me, so as to never lose sight of who you are.

If you can't be totally open and honest about what you're feeling in a relationship, its probably time to remove yourself from the relationship. I should have been talking to him about what I was feeling back in May when it started. But I was so scared he'd be mad or would break up with on the spot that I just kept it to myself. That's a no-no. ALWAYS be open and honest.

Never ignore the red flags. Ya know those things that your family or friends say 'whoa that's not okay' or 'hey I don't think that's a good thing' about. Pay attention to those things. They aren't saying it to hurt you or make you mad, they are protecting you and trying to make you look at the relationship and specific situation as a whole. Not just from your perspective but as if you were an outsider looking in on what's happening. It can save you a lot of heartache.

Never compromise who you are. This one is harder for the women than it is for the bros. Why? Because we are emotional creatures and because of that we tend to want to always please. It is also in our nature to be submissive to men. However it is so incredibly important to be submissive but to never EVER lose who you are. I know I am not alone in saying that I struggle with this. When I love, I love really hard which sometimes means I am willing to give up and give in to things way more than the guy is. I know I need to learn how to balance it out. You can be submissive and still be independent. 

The Lord is never wrong. NEVER. Let me say it one more time. The Lord is NEVER wrong. Like ever. He created everything, how could He ever be wrong? He knows what's best and I can promise you that His plans for you are way better than anything you could EVER come up with. Also, His love story for you is so much more beautiful than anything you could ever dream of. Wait on the Lord. He knows when you are ready for a lifelong commitment. Hide yourself in Him and the right man will find you there in God's time. 

I have so much hope in the the future and I can truly say that my hope comes my Heavenly Father. I have hope because I know He holds my future and it is great. My focus is no longer on the Earthly but on the Heavenly. It's time for me to find myself in God again. Let go and let God.

This has been the most difficult post for me to write thus far. I wanted it to sound right and make sense but also not be spiteful or show anger. I have no anger and I am truly happy. I have only had one moment in the past 4 weeks that I had a hard time being single, but other than that I have been great. I am excited to see where God takes me. I want to say thank you to the people that have been there for me throughout this whole thing. You know who you are. I love each and everyone of you. I am so blessed to know you!

Now I'm gonna enjoy my relaxing weekend at the beach. I can't wait to recap it for you on Tuesday! Follow me on Instagram and Twitter to keep up with all the things I'm doing while down in Dirty Myrtle. 

All my love, Carly ♥

Plans, Shmans.

Oh hey there blog. I actually started writing a post last night about my love for quotes but then this morning got up and decided I just wasn't going to write today. So you see blog, I was going to take a break today. I was going to sit around and read. But then last night, from about 11:00 p.m. to about 3:45 a.m., I started and finished an entire book. Yeah, I know. Crazy. But I've read other books faster. I once read a book in like 2 hours and remembered every detail. No joke. I'm kind of awesome.

Whoa. That was a large tangent. I almost forgot what I was talking about. So back to the point. I started the Above the Line series written by the one and only, amazing Karen Kingsbury. I mean seriously if you don't read her books you are surely missing out on a blessing. She writes Christian fiction novels that are so moving and captivating sometimes you think you are there watching the story firsthand.

The first book in the Above the Line series is called Take One. It follows Chase Ryan and Keith Ellison as the set out on a journey to change the world and bring people back to their families and to Christ through powerful movies. It also follows Keith's daughter, Andi, and her roomate Bailey Flanigan as they face college and try to find their way with the Lord.

This is not a book review. This is probably going to be a long post though and I'm about to stand up on my Christian box. I don't do that often because I am a firm believer in actions not words. But don't hear that wrong and think I am perfect or that I think I am perfect because neither are true.

I had a rough weekend and things are changing like I said yesterday. Somewhere along the way in the past year and a half I feel like I have lost little pieces of who I am. Not enough for most people to notice, but enough for me to feel a little off balance and like something was missing. At first I was resistant to these changes, and I was unable to face the hard truth that was staring me straight in my face. 

I had been meaning to read the Above the Line series ever since I finished the Bailey Flanigan series. The Above the Line series actually comes before the Bailey Flanigan series so obviously I'm doing it a little backwards, but hey, who cares? Right? No? Well poo on you. 

So anyway, I started this book last night like I said and I was instantly captivated. Kingsbury has such a gift. I felt like she wrote certain parts of this book just for me. You see, Chase and Keith had a plan. Well they thought they did. But God was going to and did show them that His plans far exceed theirs. If you know anything about me in real life, then you know I like to plan. I get it from my momma and I am not ashamed.

All my life I had this idea of how my life would go. I thought I'd go to school and get an amazing degree in something I loved, I would graduate, work at an amazing job that brought me great joy, get married to a man that loved me almost as much as the Lord, have three beautiful kids, and live this beautiful life. In that order. No seriously. That has always been my plan. And then I read this post by my good friend Hayley over at  A Beautiful Exchange the other day and realized how naive I really was.

Did I really think that the longer I told God my plan, the more likely it would come true? Did I honestly believe that my plan for my life was better than what my Lord had in store? More importantly did I really even think for a second that this was my life? Yes, yes I did. I thought all of these things were true. But when my happy little plans came to a crashing and terrifying halt, I realized that my plans were feeble and would always falter. 

This book brought that to light more than ever. I could feel God telling me the truth about my life through this story. It was so evident to me that I had been telling God, 'I got this. Just sit over there and see awesome I am.' Not once did I think that I should be sitting down and shutting the heck up and saying 'Hey God, what is it that you think I should be doing? What I am supposed to do with this life You gave me?' I never thought about how I was making God feel. Not until last night. Not until the Lord spoke to me through the words on the pages of this book. 

I'm going to share with you some things that I actually remembered to write down from the book that spoke to me.

1.

"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'" -Jeremiah 29:11

2.

The bigger the mountain, the greater the view on the other side.

3.

P.U.S.H. : Pray Until Something Happens

Now obviously there a countless more things that I read last night that spoke to me but these three spoke to me enough that I wrote them down. The last two are really just things that I would love to have framed as reminders of how to live. But the first one, has always been special to me. It has always spoken to me in ways that I can't even begin to describe. And last night was no exception. 

I'm a planner but my God is the ultimate planner with the power to move mountains. It's needless to say that my plans are crappy. They are trivial, fleeting, and not what God has in store for my life. Being a planner is about being in control. And control is, in my opinion, the number one issue for Christians. We don't like to surrender fully. It's scary to give all control to God. I want to know what's going to happen so I can prepare. But God says not to worry about tomorrow because tomorrow will have enough troubles of its own and today's troubles are enough for today. That's Matthew 6:34 in case you were wondering. 

So what is my point today? My point is that my plans clearly suck. And though it terrifies me, I want to start giving my plans to God so that He can do what He does best. I am a tool for God to use and I want to shine bright in the dark world. I want to glorify the God who made me. It's time to start letting go of what's holding me back. I have a year and a half left in college. I want to make sure I am fully prepared for the world and for whatever God wants from me. 

So before I sign off, I ask of you, what are YOU holding on to? What do YOU need to let go? Find your knees and start there. 

This is my prayer for myself and for all of you this week

An Honest Moment

So originally I was going to post pictures that summed up what I had been doing the past few days. However when I started reading through the blogs I follow this morning, I stumbled upon this gem from Belinda over at Found Love, Now What? This first point she made got to me. I have been talking so much game about how I want to be more honest on this here blog and I thought I was doing better, but I'm realizing that I haven't been. So today, I'm going to let you in on some secrets and how I have been feeling lately. The best part: it's not going to matter how many of you read this or how many of you comment. This post is going to be about me letting it all out. So here it goes.

If you've been around this blog for a while, then you know that my boyfriend, Tim, and I are currently embarking on a new journey of being in a long distance relationship, which you can read about here. Now what you may not know is that he has actually returned to NC for the summer due to some circumstances that I will not disclose. He has been here for about a month now. I've seen him only twice due to the fact that I am living in Boone for the summer and he is staying at home in Charlotte.

So what is he doing with all his time? Well, if you live in dear old North Carolina then you probably know what Elevation Church is. Tim is currently volunteering with them and I am so happy with that. He is growing in God and as a result, so is our relationship. His days are filled to the brim with volunteering. Sometimes this is a pain for me, because I don't have anything to fill mine with due to the fact that I only have online classes right now, no money, and no job.

My days are filled with staring at a computer screen, food, and Netflix. Boring, right? Yes. Good, glad we agree on that. I don't get to talk to Tim much during the day so usually I only hear from him at night right before bed. I know that it's only going to get worse when we are both back in school, but right now I am being a total baby about it. I am being needy and annoying and I just can't help it. Well I guess I could but to be truthful I don't want to. I know that this isn't something he can really fix. And God bless him, he really tries to. This is my own insecurity due to past relationships.

My Timothy is not a big texter and because neither of us really ever do anything crazy or adventurous, text conversations are stale for us. Skype or phone calls are usually better, but not by much. I want us to talk more, but we really don't have more to talk about.

Also, today was the first day in LoveWeek 2013 which is done through Elevation and it is a week (July 13-20) all about spreading love through the city of Charlotte. You can learn more about it here, here, and here. (Also feel free to click around all those websites to learn more) So due to the fact that LoveWeek is extensive and time consuming, I will not hear from him until each night if I'm lucky. Now don't take this wrong way. I totally support him volunteering and I totally support LoveWeek. I just miss my boyfriend.

I miss him. I still struggle with not having him 10 minutes away. I miss just being able to text him and say "yo, I'm on my way over." I know this is not going to be easy. I don't need anyone to tell me that. I know it will be hard work. And we are both willing to put in the work. I think the biggest problem is that so many changes have happened that it's hard to find a routine or even a place to begin. When he returns to New York, I want us to be stronger and even more sure than we already are. The problem? I can't figure out where to start.

I have gone so far as to Google advice on long distance relationships. Yes, I Googled that. And everything I got was some superficial, impersonal list of crap that I already knew. A six year old could probably give me better advice than that.

So what is this post supposed to mean? Honestly? I have no clue. This is just me and how my thinking flows. I miss Tim. I am struggling to adjust to the idea of not seeing him or talking to him. I try not to be sad and he is great at making me feel better but sometimes I just want a hug from him or something. I know he loves me, there is no doubt in my mind about that. I know he wants to talk to me more and be with me more. But we both know that it will take time to find a balance.

So there you have it. If any of you guys can offer advice of any kind, I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks for stopping by, and if you want to connect with me further follow me on Twitter and Instagram!

Some days...

I have a great post to bang out from my newly refreshed inspiration well for you guys today! I'm super excited! So let's jump right in.

I've come to realize that, while I have told you guys a little about who I am, I still haven't totally opened up with you guys. This is something I'm not great at, even in real life. Seriously. There are still things that my Timothy doesn't even know and we've been together for over a year. God bless him for being so patient with me. 

While I know that I will never be able to completely bare my whole heart on here, there are things I would like to improve on. So today I'm going to try and be as open as I can about my thoughts. So I welcome you to this place of no judgement, no hate, and no lies. 

So this is how it's going to go down. I will give you 5 thoughts, some of which might be extremely random and are likely to change over the course of time, on each of the above categories. Some of these might even be insecurities of mine or just things that bother be. And for that reason, I beg you to be gentle. Here we go...

Some days...

- I wish I had the drive and smarts to become a doctor.

- I think I should have majored in Dance from the very beginning.

- I want to quit school and just travel the world.

- I wish I had the courage to say exactly what I think to any given person and not care about the repercussions 

- I wish I could act.

Most days...

- I want to lay in bed all day and be served all my favorite foods and just be content like that.

- I wake up and can't look in the mirror. 

- I don't shower. (no judging.)

- I do actually lay in bed all day.

- I write on this blog about my boring life and fail at trying to make it sound fun.

Every day...

- I am grateful for the people in my life. 

- I crave to be in a studio or on a stage dancing and teaching others my art.

- I wish I could find a friggin' job.

- I want to be able to see my future and see what God has in store for my life.

- I am blessed.

So there you have it folks. There is a little insight into my mind and who I am. Hope you are here to stay.

**What things go through your mind?? Can you relate to any that I've said?**

Honesty Hour

I'm back y'all! I had a great time at the beach and I really appreciate Hayley filling in for me. I start my online classes on Monday and I'm not too excited, if I'm being honest. But I have to do what I have to do! I will also be going down to Charlotte on Sunday for a week to be with my Timothy and his family! So be on the look out for some posts about that!

Now moving on! It's Friday and that means it's Honesty Hour! YAY!

So I decided today that today I would be honest about me! This should be difficult simple. I'm not very good at being vulnerable, but I will try my best.

The other day I was Pinterest and I came across this list of 30 questions to ask your significant other. I clicked on it and one of the questions really caught my eye:

"List 10 things you would tell your 16 year old self." 

Like whoa.

I am going to modify this question. I am going to give you 6 things I would tell myself as a incoming college freshman. Hold on to your knickers.

Be yourself. I know that sounds cliche but I'm serious. I spent a good bit of my freshman year acting like a lunatic and not being who I knew I was. Total waste of time. Be yourself and those who take the time to get to know you are the ones who will be there when you need them. Promise.

Pick your major carefully. Seriously. This is a big deal. I just recently changed my major because I discovered that the snap decision I made wasn't the best one for me. Take your time.

Create a relationship with professors. This is important. You want your professors to know you. It is not only good for future recommendation letters and for those times when you need help but it also good to have that accountability. If your teacher knows you personally, you won't be able to get away with missing a class. 

Don't skip class without a valid reason. When I discovered the art of skipping classes, my GPA plummeted and I had to retake a few classes. BUMMER. Don't skip. End of story.

It's okay to say 'no'. This is a big deal and can be applied to all walks of life and all situations. Never do anything that you don't want to do. EVER. Chances are you will regret it and you won't be able to change it. Saying no isn't a sign of weakness, it's a sign of strength. Stand up for what you believe. 

Get plugged in. I really wish I had gotten more involved with clubs and/or my campus ministry sooner. I feel like I've missed out on amazing friendships within the body of Christ because I was too scared to step out of my comfort zone. Things will be different this year. Promise.

So there you have it folks. I hope that if any incoming college freshman read this, that they will understand that I am not saying these things to belittle, I am telling you to uplift. And to maybe prevent you from making the same mistakes I did. Make your own.

Reminiscent

So as I sit here watching Kitchen Nightmares, doing laundry, and packing all alone in this apartment, I have decided to reminisce on this past school year seeing as today was the last day finals. PRAISE HIM! It has been an eventful one that's for sure, but overall it has been amazing. I'm gonna do two lists so this post doesn't go on forever and get all sappy! This first list is 5 major events that happened to me or that I participated in (fair warning: most involve Tim! haha!)

1. Moved into my very first big girl apartment with 3 of the most BEAUTIFUL girls I know!

(Sidenote: not a huge fan of this picture and we actually took a better one today before everyone parted ways for a while but I don't have access to that yet!)

2. I turned 20! WHOO! Not really an important age but I am thankful that God blessed me with another full year of life!


3. Celebrated ONE WHOLE YEAR with this amazing and hilarious man!


4. Found out that my sister's best friend who is like another sister to me is PREGGERS! OMG! So excited!

5. Finally, I used my entire spring break to move the man I love 757 miles away so that he could pursue his dream. I am so proud of him and can't wait to see him in 9 days!Okay so this next list is 5 things that I have learned throughout this year. Little nuggets of knowledge!

1. I believe that I have found friends that will last me a lifetime while here in college and how lucky am I that I get to live with 3 of them!!


2. It's the little things! It's the stupid jokes, mistakes, clumsy moments, and sentences gone wrong that make those stressful times a little easier!

3. Hard work pays off. Seriously. That one speaks for itself.

4. God is amazing. The verse below has become my new motto, thanks to the amazing Beth Moore.


5. Finally, I learned that family is the most important thing. Whether it is your actual family, your church family, or your family of friends, it's the glue that holds you together and makes you who you are.
Okay folks, those are my nuggets and life events! If you have any topics you want me to talk about or anything, just shoot me an email: carlyparrott@gmail.com

With love, Carly ♥

He makes beautiful things...

So first off friends, watch the video below. Make sure you watch the WHOLE THING. Okay, ready, set, GO!

So, you done now? YAY! Good. So, I was on my phone last night before bed checking my various social medias and I stumbled across this video that a friend had posted on Facebook. I have a soft spot in my heart for kids like this boy. I just can't help it. They are so inspirational to me. So I clicked on this link and watched the video and well, I cried, as I am sure some of you did as well. I wasn't crying from pity of him and his situation, I cried because I was so moved and overcome with the Holy Spirit. No lie. It was like being at a worship concert and just feeling so overwhelmed and so blessed, and just basking in His glory. But after I had finished watching the video, I just went straight to sleep because I had an early exam this morning (only 2 more to go, Praise Him!).

However this video has been on my mind ever since I watched it last night. I knew as soon I woke up this morning that it would be the topic for my blog post today. I have been mulling over it and trying to figure out what exactly I want to say about it and how it affected me and how it can affect you, yada yada yada.

This will probably be longest post I've done so far. But it'll be worth it I promise if I can get this out the way I want and they way it should be said.

So while watching this video, like I said earlier, I have a soft spot for kids like Christopher. They are some of the most beautiful people I have EVER met. They are so pure and innocent. They love like no one I know except Jesus. They are the epitome of what it means to love God like a child. They face their own kinds of troubles but still give all the glory to the one who deserves it. It is a gift that I admire and it's the way I want to be. I want to love my Jesus with a blind faith, always trusting and always knowing that He is always in control even when I feel like all hope has been lost. I highly encourage you all to strive to be this way.


So I want to talk about the 2 verses that were put in this video at the end. If you didn't see these, don't fret! They are right here :) The picture directly below is the first verse that appears after the song finishes.

This verse... wow. This is so beautiful. I don't even know where to start with this. They are so many things that can be talked about when it comes to this verse. First off, I will say that Ephesians is one of my favorite books in the Bible. It has so much truth in it. I just love it. Okay, moving on! So, Paul is writing to the church in Ephesus right here. In previous verses, Paul mentioned that since he had heard of their faith, he had not stopped praying for them...wow. As Paul goes on, he says what you see in the above picture that he is continuously asking that these Christians would be filled with Him and the eyes of their hearts would be opened and would be receptive to EVERYTHING God has done, will do, and is currently doing for them through His grace and the hope we have in Him if we believe. HOLY CRAP! Can we just think about this for a second? Though I, as a sinner, deserve NOTHING, I automatically receive this hope that cannot be found anywhere else because Jesus Christ paid my debt on the cross. No questions asked, if I truly accept God, I will have hope. WOW! is that not amazing to think about? It gives me chills, folks. So to anyone who is reading this, or will read it. This is my prayer for you. That God will open the eyes of your heart so that you can see who He is and how awesome He is. This is also my prayer for myself because I am no where near perfect and I never will be. But my God loves me (and you!) anyway. Hallelujah!

This is the second verse that was put into the end of the video.

Another amazing verse right? Let's get something straight though. This verse is not calling for perfection, this verse is calling for (at least in my opinion) a love so strong that all you want to do is seek God in everything you do and say, and by doing this, you see God and all His glory and the blessings He will bestow on you. This is hard, but this is the Christian life. Are you going to screw up? YES! Are you going to wander and stray? YES! Will He always welcome you back home with open, loving arms? YES! So my other prayer for and myself is that we would be pure in heart. That we would seek God in all things and give Him the glory. 

So this is the last thing I will say. I am no theologian and I am not a perfect Christian. I make mistakes everyday but the God I serve loves me and all my faults. To Him, I am his beloved. That's my point here, friends. YOU are His beloved.

The Lord makes beautiful things. Everyone is beautiful to Him. It doesn't matter who you are, where you're from, or what you've done, God sees you as beautiful. Listen to this song by a band called Gungor. Its one of my favorites!

If you want more information on Austism and how you can help just click here. I hope you enjoyed this post. Love you all!

With love, Carly ♥

Chaos...

ohmygosh guys...it has been so crazy here! I've been studying super hard and trying to sleep! I have already taken 2 exams thus far and I think I've done pretty good...YAY! So anyway, aside from that craziness, this past week has actually been okay.

Last Wednesday was the final RUF of the semester up here. For those of you who do not know what RUF is, it is Reformed University Fellowship and it is just one of many campus ministries here at Appalachian. When I first started at ASU, I went to CRU (Campus Crusade for Christ) for that entire year. I loved going there. I loved the music, I loved the sermon, and I loved the people. However, I reached a point where I felt like I wasn't being fed and wasn't getting anything out of it. I know what you're thinking..."you have to have the right mindset and expect to get something out of it blah blah blah...". I had that mindset, I just knew God was calling me somewhere else. So one Wednesday night, I went with some of the girls from my bible study to RUF, and I fell in love. I knew I was home and right where God wanted me. I have been so blessed and learned so much while listening to Matt Howell bring the word of God. I highly recommend listening to the podcasts on iTunes. If you're interested in that, just search for RUF at App State. Two Wednesdays ago was Matt's last time preaching here at App State RUF because he has been called to lead at UT! We are very excited for him, but we will also miss him. It was definitely an emotional night but I am so thankful that God called me to RUF when he did. Matt has really been a true blessing. He will do great things. I am also thankful for the RUF community. I'm just thankful and blessed.

So something fun that I did this weekend was that I went to see Tim McGraw with special guests, Love and Theft and Brantley Gilbert. IT WAS SO AWESOME! It was truly one of BEST concerts I've been to in a long time and trust me I have been to a LOT of concerts. It was such a great show and Tim McGraw is so good at appealing to his audience. He sang mostly old songs which is amazing considering he has SO MANY! Truly a fun a night and just what I needed before this crazy week!

So another fun thing is that my roommate has brought some of the Goosebump movies for all of us to enjoy! Talk about a blast from the past!

Well, I suppose I should get back to studying and whatnot! So I'll write again soon when things calm down!

with love, Carly ♥


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