Back in August 2009, I received an email from my now-husband saying, “Now…this is random, but just go with it and I’ll give you more details later.” He followed the sentence with an excerpt from the book of Mark in the Bible: "Jesus sat down opposite
When we were young we threw stones across the pond's quiet sky to defy gravity and watch them bound weightless along the water before sinking. Some stones skipped for a moment before plunging like Peter on the fragile sea. But the stones that fluttered along the water like hearts quickening before new love seemed a small miracle, like the momentary awakening of
It involves the tongue, the lips, the jaw, the lungs, the glottis, and the vocal tract. It uniquely requires both hemispheres of the brain, various neurotransmitters and long-reaching nerves. It is learned, memorized and exercised with thought, intelligence and feeling. Sometimes. Sometimes our speech is far more
Continued from Color-Ful, a guide to practical color psychology. Associations: Intellectual thinking, confidence, laughter, youth and promise of better times to come. Effects: Makes one more alert, decisive, and organized. Can help to make better choices as well as understand others points of view. Physical Effects: Stimulates the brain,
"See the world before you settle down." ~Common Wisdom I recently attended the stateside wedding reception of an incredible, adventurous couple. Their slideshow could have been torn straight from the pages of National Geographic. Pre-engagement, they had quit their respective jobs to wander the globe together
For the vast majority of my life, I obtained a highly dysfunctional relationship with this “thing,” called love. It was as if one day love would be perpetual in every dimension of the day’s journey, thus plunging itself into the bottomless ocean of my soul, leaving
Granola serves as a pantry staple for many a household. But added sugars and unknown ingredients can make a seemingly harmless snack a nutritional pitfall. This recipe allows for healthful modifications to suit your unique tastes. Experiment with different natural sweeteners, add-ins, and dried fruits
“Every man beholds his human condition with a degree of melancholy. As a ship aground is battered by the waves, so man, imprisoned in mortal life, lies open to the mercy of coming events.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson “Oh it’s just a power outage,” many of the passengers
Ahhh, fashion. Isn’t it just the best? Recently there have been dozens of new parody videos circulating the web about “things girls say.” They are so hilarious, and not only did I find myself embarrassingly watching one after another for about thirty minutes the other
Love is an action, a decision, a choice. Love does not require that we like the person on the receiving end, and in fact the most powerful forms of love occur when the one we love is an enemy or someone who has wronged us. Love
I am no one No dream to speak of No sleep to dream up Purpose Identity in creativity We preach to the young But the young preach to us Freedom The good fight for dreams Just might be a civil war Divided we stand Together we fall Fallen we long For the embrace Of a Saving Grace To give us Perfect
If you feel an unbelievable urge to pet every dog that passes you by, or miss green lights when a pooch in the car next to you is wagging his tail in a loving “hello,” it might be time to adopt one of your own.
Parabens have become a new dirty word in the business of beauty. We have all seen the cautionary articles warning us about the “P” word as a dangerous additive that our previously beloved beauty products contain in order to maintain their longevity, and justify their
This commercial isn't real, neither are today's standards of beauty
Continued from: History of Fashion With Regards to the 20th Century 1920-1930 Key Silhouettes: Flapper--straight silhouette, drop waist, shorter hemlines, bob hair cuts, and cloche hats to match. Details: Long pearl necklaces, feathers, sequins and beading. Designer: Chanel. Economic: Abundance of money circulating through the stock market--people became "all about the
She swerves onto the main road and I immediately know she’s trouble. Her dangly earrings swing back and forth until she straightens out her blingy SUV into the lane beside me. She tries to text on her iPhone while balancing her sunglasses on her forehead and
Compassion can be defined as a sympathetic consciousness of others' distress together with a desire to alleviate it. Or, in simpler terms, compassion is kindness that is moved to action. That kind of character is what I see when I think of Pam Cope, a woman
There is this perpetual saying that all girls seem to know, so deep in code that we question whether guys will ever catch on. Hang around a group of girls for--oh, let’s say 15 seconds--when yummy food has just been served, and you’ll hear this
There I was at the top of the mountain. Skis on my feet, poles in my hands and a fluffy ear warmer secured perfectly into place. With the first swish of the snow beneath my skis I felt exhilarated and completely free. The second swish
During the Christmas season, we're encouraged to be generous, to think of those less fortunate. Soup kitchens have to turn away volunteers for serving holiday meals and charity is at the forefront of the common rhetoric. Once we shift our thoughts toward the new year,
I am a nerd. Learning is one of my favorite pastimes. I love the History Channel, National Geographic, and anything or anyone that can tell me "how things are done…" We can take everyday objects and products for granted, especially because of our consumerist culture and
I am Sleeping Beauty minus the sleeping and the beauty, but definitely with the high castle walls and the climbing thickets of wild, prickly brambles from which it would take a machete and a strong and tireless arm to carve out even the narrowest of paths, that is if one could even make it past the fire-breathing dragon
If I've learned one thing in the past few years it is this: joy is not the same as happiness. Rather, it is having hope in the face of darkness and tragedy, and living life with a grateful heart for all of the things we
Age twelve. I sit in front of the mirror in the locker room after gym, watching my friend put on her mascara. “We don’t like her.” She whispers to me with a cruel smile, eyeing a girl walking past us. “Why?” I ask. “Because she’s pretty.” This dusty little