There's a reason.

"This isn't what I want, but I'll take the high road. Maybe it's because I look at everything as a lesson, or I don't want to walk around angry. Or maybe it's because I finally understand. There are things we don't want to happen, but have to except; things we don't want to know, but have to learn, and people we can't live without, but have to let go."

We have no true say over the outcome of this life or the lessons-struggles-challenges and trials we have to go thru. Nor do we know the joys happiness and love it holds. We don't know what we have to face to grow and to become. We don't know what it will cost us to see what we have gained. We don't know our limits until we test our reach. We don't know our strength until we know our true weakness. The ride of life can be a scary rollarcoaster. We can find ourselves holding on with every ounce of our being and then throwing our hands up and loving every minute of the ride - screaming our heads off in terror one minute and the next with excitement. Sometimes we want to go again and again while other times we can't wait for the ride to end. Whatever ride we are on in this moment we endure. We carry on. For if I truly believe in anything in this life its that everything happens for a reason even if that reason takes a lifetime to understand. There's a reason. NO matter how long it takes to know this reason no matter if we find ourselves in the sunshine of happiness or the darkness of the unknown we must grasp this life right now and live it with every part of our being. For we are growing and becoming and that's truly what our lives are all about.

You matter. You count

"If anything matters then everything matters. Because you are important, everything you do is important. Every time you forgive, the universe changes; every time you reach out and touch a heart or a life, the world changes; with every kindess and service, seen or unseen, my purposes are accomplished and nothing will be the same again."

You see you do matter. Your being counts. Your life effects those that are around you now and those that have been. Whether its minor or major your actions your words effect the people around you and thus also effects the entire world. So how are your actions and words effecting the lives around you and the world? Make it a point to make sure its positive. Make sure you are bettering this world and the lives that live this world. Remember you do matter. Your being does count.

Fall Sundays.

To me there's nothing better than a perfect fall day. When the temps are just right with an add breeze. Nothing like a fall day in Septemeber if you ask me, watching the football games with the windows open and feeling the sun shining in. Its one of my favs. Ranking just up there with summer thunder storms and spring rain showers. I was in awww of mother nature today. Grateful for her to grant us such a day to enjoy. And sometimes when life gets to be life. OR just almost too much to bare its these simple days we find ourselves living makes all the differnce. May we be granted another perfect fall Sunday next week. And an added bonus the Cowboys won. GO BOYS!!!

Looking great at 50

So Janelle turned 50 on the 22nd. I have been slacking at this blog thing alot this fall. And I should have posted this blog two days ago but life is well life. SO I will post it to day.

Just wanted to give Janelle a birthday shout out. Remember age is just a number and I believe your best days still await you. Your life has been quite a journey spent mostly climbing up hill getting knocked down but yet you carried on. You are an example of truly living and dancing in the rain. You don't wait for sunny days to find happiness you find it along the way in each moment of your life. You are teaching us by just simply living your life. You are strong. beautiful. sassy. hip. kind of a twit. thoughtful. kind. understanding. Someone you carries and believes in her faith. You make us laugh. You hold our hands. You dry our tears. You are constant when needed and even when not. You are better today than you were ten years ago. You are more beautiful than you were ten years ago... trust me I have seen the pictures and just remember myself. :)

So keep on living. Keep on smiling. Keep on shining. May your next 50 years be walking down the mountains you have climbed in these last 50. May you enjoy the view. enjoy the ride. enjoy the company that surrounds you. And remember near or far you are never alone in this life. LOVE YOU and HAPPY 50th BIRTHDAY!!!

Breathe

Life at times can be almost too real. too overwhelming. too much to bare. too much to take. So I remind myself to inhale exhale. inhale exhale. JUST BREATHE. Because thou it can be to hard to face this thing we call life. It can also be filled with moments you feel you heart could burst with excitement, happiness and love. Where you find yourself with a gut ache from the laughter and sore muscles from smiling. So when life just gets to be too much... breathe. And know this won't last forever no matter how hard it is or seems. It won't last forever. Like the old saying goes... Tis too shall pass.

Forgive

"Forgiveness is not about forgetting. It is about letting go of another person's throat.... Forgviness does not create a relationship. Unless people speak the truth about what they have done and change their mind or behavior, a relationship of trust is not possible. When you forgive someone you certainly release them from jugdement, but without true change, no real relationshp can be established.... Forgiveness in no way requires that you trust the one you forgive. But should they finally confess and repent, you will discover a miracle in your own heart that allows you to reach out and begin to build between you a bridge of reconciliation...Forgiveness does not excuseanything... You may have to declare your forgiveness a hundred times the first day and the second day, but the third day will be less and each day after, until one day you will realize that you have forgiven completely. And then one day you will pray for his wholeness." - William P. Young. (The Shack) Forgiving someone can be a task. Truly forgiving them takes alot of thinking and will power. Because forgiving someone you can't just half do - its an all or nothing sort of thing. You can't half forgive someone nor can they half forgive you. So you have to decide and follow through on your decision. If you are in no shape to forgive someone don't. Don't speak words that are untrue only to have to go back and say you didn't mean them. Decide to forgive someone and forgive - move forward from that day. Don't hold a gruge. Let it go. Be free and free that person who did wrong. But do this only when you are ready and can't fully commit to this, its an all or nothing sort of thing. "Sometimes honstly can be incredibly messy." Being honest, is well hard sometimes. Because often we are telling someone something they don't want to hear or have a hard time hearing. Many people take the offensive action. "I don't need to punish people for sin. Sin is its own punishment, devouring you from the inside. It's not my purpose to punish, it's my joy to cure." If you feel hurt and the need to punish think of the quote above.

Bridge

Today is my friend Bridget's birthday. I met Bridge my sophmore year at NDSU, and we became fast friends as we spent our years as Bison together as well as taking many of the same classes in the Teaching Education Department. She is a life long member of my Knitting Circle of Friends, she's what I call a journey friend...for I know she will be in my life years and years from now. You know how it is... just some stick around forever.

To help celebrate her day I thought what better gift than to hear just how amazing and special you are on your birthday. It would be easy to say that I know many, and I would prolli have to agree. However, thou I know many I don't speak words as such as these prudenly. Not just everyone has penetrated the walls of my inner soul to become one of my journey friends. I save that title for a select few, Bridge you are surely one.

At first glance you will be knocked out by her beauty. Some words like Malibu Barbie just may pop in your mind. She is in fact flawless on her looks. It would be easy to call her a Barbie Doll however if you took the time to know her or even just talk to her you would find that her inner beauty is even more beautiful than the blonde bombshell your eye first meets. She can be sassy, hip with fashion and speak her mind. She may tell you that shirt just isn't you or you need a breath mint. These are just a few traits of her... being her. Her strongest traits however is her gentle. kind. giving. loving soul. She is someone who gives of her time. She is someone who will wrap you in her warmth when you are having one of those days. She is someone that loves with every breath of her being. She is someone who will make you laugh til you cry. She is someone that carries that at home feeling with her because she makes everyone so comfortable being around her. She is someone that truly cares for you as a person. as one of her friends. She is someone that loves her little boy as well as the two children she now considers her own. Being a mom to Will, Tommy and Syd comes so natural to her. She loves with both roots and wings. Meaning she allows her children to grow and become with her love. She doesn't ground them with rules or laws. Such moms are rare to find. She is a gal that would rather have a budlight than a fancy drink. She is a gal that would rather have a backyard BBQ than a five star restaurant. She can rock a ball gown on a friday night as much as holey jeans and a paint covered shirt on sunday afternoon. So much a small town girl at heart (even thou she's always been a city girl) that loves the simple things in life. She is a woman that knows what matters. Her children. Her love(Dan the Man). Her family. Her friends. Her faith in life. She may not always agree with what she has been handed but she makes the best of it. She gets knocked down but always gets up and tries again. She is an example. a role model without a clue that she is. I know my life changed when she became apart of it. For in many ways she made me grow. I am grateful for the memories she has shared with me. The laughter. The smiles. The tears.

Happy birthday to my journey friend, Bridge. I hope its a great day. I wish more than anything that today you realize the gift you are to OOOh soo many each and everyday. Oh and by the way thou I have done many weddings... you are still one of my favorite brides as well as favorite weddings I have been honored to capture.