Just Try It.

I have always hated roller coasters. For most of my life I have avoided going on roller coasters. It wasn't so much that I didn't think they were fun, but more that I was afraid to even try them.

A few days ago I went to the fair for the first time. I payed for my own entry ticket and a wristband to allow me to go on any ride I would like, because that's what my friends were doing. In the beginning of the day I made a promise to myself not to wimp out and to go on rides. If I was going to pay $49 for this day I was going to make myself go on all rides! I was pretty nervous and even a little scared at some points but ya know what? I had a blast! I loved having the wind blowing in my face and feeling my stomach drop. Don't get me wrong, I felt pretty nauseous on most of the rides, but I loved it. 

I couldn't believe that I had gone my whole life not going on roller coasters because of fear. 

Lesson of the day: Don't live your life in fear, try new things, things that scare you. If you live your life in fear, you will only miss out on unforgettable experiences.

{Chelsea}

A New-found Love

I realized that something I have known my whole life gives me immense joy, doughnuts. I have grown up having a doughnut every so often, but I have a new-found love for those fried circles. Yes, I realize they are not good for me whatsoever and have absolutely no nutritional value, but I love them. Maybe it's all the sugar, or all the different colored frostings, or the endless possibilities of different dough and frosting combinations that brings me such joy. Whatever it is, I find myself a little happier after eating a doughnut. I have come to the conclusion that if I'm having a bad day, a doughnut will certainly make it better. If someone wants me to forgive them, all they have to do is give me a doughnut (in most cases). It all seems a little silly, but hey, that's me.

{Chelsea}

To Save A Life

What makes someone feel loved, or even valued? I believe for everyone it's different. Some people may feel loved when kind words or said to them, others, when kind actions are done. Some may feel loved when they are physically touched or given a gift. What causes someone to decide that they are not valued or worth people's time. It's really no one specific who can cause this problem, but rather an accumulation of people.

I recently watched this movie that was based on a true story of a high schooler who committed suicide and how it affected his childhood friend who had continually ditched him over the years. This kid felt so unloved and useless not just because his "friend" kept being a jerk to him but because people were continually being mean to him. He felt so unloved, useless and miserable that he took his own life. Sure this is an extreme example, but it happens a lot more than we think. That saying, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." is a complete lie.We don't really think about the affect our words and actions have on people. We often say something without even realizing that it may hurt someone. And we often forget that kindness is free and the result that it brings is freeing.

Make an effort to watch not only what you say, but what you do, it could potentially save some one's life.

{Chelsea}

Summer Come, But Don't Come

Almost every child cannot wait for school to end and the season where children don't do anything for 3 months to start. I on the other hand have mixed feelings about summer starting. As I only have 1 week left and then finals, I realize I could wait for summer to start.

I think about all the things I look forward to: I am excited to start a new chapter in my life. I am okay saying goodbye to some people who get on my nerves. I will enjoy not having loads of homework every night. I cannot wait to sleep in every morning. But as I only have 1 week left until finals, I realize I could wait for summer to start. I could wait to say goodbye to close friends who will be leaving my school. I could wait to not be able to see my friends everyday. I sometimes enjoy having a schedule and having some to do rather than wasting away on the couch. 

Call me crazy but in some strange way I enjoy school, I may not enjoy seeing every person there, or having a tremendous amount of homework at night. Of course I will dread it when it actually comes, but I like it. So, I suppose summer will come, just like it does every year and I will enjoy it, but will be waiting for when school starts again.

{Chelsea}

From A Heart of Sadness & Hope:

It's funny how things change. How one minute you can be so close to someone that you feel like nothing will seperate you and then all of a sudden things are different. Maybe it was things unsaid, maybe it was problems never solved or simply a misunderstanding. Whatever it is, it hurts. It hurts not knowing why suddenly you aren't talking anymore. It hurts not knowing if it was something you said or did, or not. It hurts feeling stupid, like it is all your fault. What's worse is looking at that person in the eyes, remembering memories and conversations and realizing everything is different now. Therefore you avoid them, you avoid any eye contact just to make it easier on your already fragile heart. They say "everything has a season", but what if you aren't ready for the season to be over? You are not ready to stop talking, to stop giving each other knowing looks, and having a sense of forever. And all you want is to have just one more conversation with them, one more time to look in their eyes and have a sense of security. Sounds silly, but everyone at some point will go through this in their life. But how do you handle it? I suppose you continue living your life, going to school, sports, family outings, and whatever you may do on a daily basis. But at some point in your day, that person will come across your mind, and again you will be reminded of the hurt. Perhaps only time can mend this wound, but until things are worked out with that person, you will feel a sense of emptiness, an emptiness that can only be filled with Christ. Lean on Him. Trust Him. But most of all remember this: He loved you first, He loves you most, and He loves you best and nothing can change that.

{Chelsea}

The Most Incredible Woman

Who is someone you respect or look up to, maybe someone you would call your hero? For me, that person is my mom. My momma is an amazing woman, she inspires me, encourages me, and shows me what a woman of of God should look like. I respect my mom for the things that she has been though, but how she has chosen to come out of it. I respect her for her generosity and kind-spirit. I look up to her because she is an example of the type of woman I would like to be someday. 

Growing up, my parents both worked, but both of them, though were busy, always made and found time to be with us. As you know, moms are particularly busy, my mom always found time to do hair, make lunches, plan play dates and everything in between. Tiday, she still finds time to give me advice on how my hair looks (when asked of course), makes my lunch when I don't have time, and is always willing to drive to a friends house, or sports game.

My mom would do anything for our family. She always tries to be fair between kids. She remembers the little things that we tell her and somehow manages to work, make dinner, and do various things around the house. Some would call her super-mom, but I'll just stick with mommy. 

Though she has been through a lot, she uses her past to her advantage and always imparts her knowledge and wisdom to my siblings and me. She has a strong walk with The Lord and is always encouraging us to read our Bible. My momma is an example of the busy mom, the everyday mom, the fun mom, and most importantly, the godly mom. I love my mommy so much and am so thankful to have her in my life. 

\\ Happy Mother's Day Mommy

{Chelsea}

Unexpected Blessings

Sometimes you get blessed when you least expect it. This week God demonstrated his power and faithfulness to me. He also showed me how much He cares for me and the things in my life. Lots of little things happened this week that made me really recognize just how awesome He is. First, I was given donation money from people that I have never met so I could go on my first mission's trip in July. Then, I was the only person on the softball team to score a point at our game (which was a miracle)! Then, somehow we found a perfect dress for prom at the very last minute. It was a week of blessings!

Sometimes God will bless you when you least expect it just so you can recognize how glorious He is. He will bless you when you least expect it because maybe you have stepped out in faith or have surrendered a situation to him or simply because He loves you. Maybe He will bless you so He can humble you. Whatever the reason, recognize God's magnitude and glorify Him through it. Maybe God will bless you so you can be reminded of how much He cares for you and loves you. Sometimes we think God only cares for the big things in life, the trials, the big decisions, and big events. In reality, God cares for those things but also everything in between. He cares about me getting a point for the softball team and He even cares about me finding a prom dress!

Live your live for Him and He will bless you immensely.

{Chelsea}

The Next Babe Ruth? Probably Not

Recently I have learned the importance of doing something for others even if it doesn't really benefit myself. A few days ago I was asked to join the softball team at my school. We barely had enough girls to start a team and as the season went on, more and more girls got injured causing the team and coaches to scramble to find replacements. To be honest, joining the softball team was the last thing I wanted to do, considering I have never even played before. It is not that I feel that my team will patronize me, but rather the fact that I do not have any idea how to play! As I thought about it though, the idea started to sound more and more intriguing. I realized even if I were horrible, and we lost, it would be better than having to forfeit. So, I said I would do it. I was given every part of the uniform and did not have to pay for any of it. So, I have come to the realization that blessing other people will benefit you more than you think. I am going to bless my team and my coaches by helping them out even though playing softball is not my first choice. I know that I am going to have a lot of fun, even if I am not that good. I find myself excited to go to practice on Monday and to have the opportunity to learn something new. Whether I am good at softball or terrible at it, I am going to learn a lot, have fun and bless the people around me!

{Chelsea}

The Good Life

What is the good life? The definition of the good life is different for everyone. The answer depends on your personality, desires, dreams, and beliefs. My definition of the good life is the simple moments, the ones where you feel overjoyed inside, the ones with laughter and memories. The good life is living your life for Jesus and being around the people you love. Some people say the good life is described as "a new car, a cold beer, or a big house." When I asked this question on Yahoo Answers, someone said, "Be happy and content with who you are. Set a goal and work toward it." I believe this statement is partly true, but life is so much more than that.

Yes, being content with what you have is a very important aspect to someone's happiness, but you can only find happiness and contentment in Christ. Setting goals in life is crucial, but what is your reasoning behind it? Do you wish to succeed so you can be wealthy? Do you wish to succeed so you can have a good social status and consider yourself a sophisticate? Or do you wish to succeed so you can do exactly what God put you on this earth to do? So many people are motivated to be successful because they envy their neighbor, but this "is meaningless-like chasing the wind." It is impossible to possess the good life from being wealthy or having all the things you could dream of. You won't have a good life by simply striving for success just to gain whatever you think will make you happy. You will have a good life when you smile often, dream big, laugh a lot, and realize how blessed you are for what you have. Enjoy the little things in life, and give thanks for it all.
"Attempt great things for God, and expect great things from God."

{Chelsea}

The Blind.

A few weeks ago I was presented with the question "what is the good life" which was going to be my topic this week. I had to do some research for myself since the google answers that came up did not satisfy me. I went on yahoo answers and asked 3 questions. Within a matter of minutes people had "answered" my questions. The results did not really surprise me, but they did make me sad. I realized two things: 1. Millions of people spend their time answering questions for other people on yahoo answers, which is a very unique way to spend your time. 2. Millions of people are simply missing everything in life, purpose, true happiness. All things that lead to Jesus.

For me, I have grown up in a Christian home, gone to Christian school and to church my whole life. For the most part, I have been surrounded by Christians and/or good influences. I knew going into this I would get numerous answers that went against my faith, but I did not expect to have my eyes opened to something I rarely think about. When I asked the question, "what is the purpose of this life." someone said "Loving, laughing, learning, earning, realizing." Multiple people said, "Happiness and love." I wondered what these people thought happiness was so I asked "What is true happiness?" I got "Not wanting or needing anything." "true happiness is when you dont care what anybody else thinks of you." And "doing well that which one was meant to do." Only one person had a correct answer and that was "God." All of these people who "answered" my question have it all wrong except for the one person.

The sad thing is that people all around the world are missing not only Jesus, but the purpose of this life. They are missing true happiness, which can only be found in Christ. These people do not realize it because some of them do not know better, but others dissemble because their pride gets in the way of understanding. It reminds me of the Jewish people, Jesus came and went and most of them completely missed it. They are still waiting for his first coming when in reality they should be waiting for his second. It makes me so sad to see people living their lives completely wrong without even knowing it.

{Chelsea}

Longing.

What does it mean to miss someone? Some of us say the phrase more often than others, but I believe these 3 little words have more meaning than we think.


Lately I have been saying "I miss..." You name it, old friends, family, current friends, and even family members I have never even met! What makes us miss people? Them not being there with us, not talking to that person, or not seeing that person? I, personally don't believe missing someone is about how long it has been since you have seen someone or the amount of time it has been since talking to them, rather it's about that moment when you are doing something and wishing they were right there with you. We miss people because things would be better if they were with us in that moment. We miss people because they, in some way, have made an impact on our lives. For instance, my grandfather was a police officer and died on the job. I never got to meet my grandpa, but I wish I could have because he was a man of honor. He sacrificed himself for others, and left a legacy for my father and then to me. In some strange way I miss my grandpa, because he has impacted my life, I respect him for what he did. I long for time spent with him where he would have imparted wisdom and virtues with me. Missing someone is more than not spending time with someone, rather wanting that person with you.


The funny thing is that no one can preclude from missing someone, it just happens. If you are missing someone, contact them if you can and if not, cherish the memories you had with them.

{Chelsea}

A "New Way" of Being The "New Kid"

If you have ever been a "new kid", whether it be at school, youth group, sport clubs or anything in between, you know it's not easy. Why? It doesn't have to be scary, or difficult, but for some reason, being the "new kid" has become a terrifying thing.

For the majority of people, when they are put in a situation where they do not know other people or a situation at hand, or even what they day may hold, they tend to not be ourselves. Why? Is it because we are afraid of being judged? Afraid of people not liking us? Or simply because we like to be in control of every situation? Why are we all so intimidated? Intimidated by the people around us, intimidated by people who are just like you. Everyone at some point will be the "new kid". With that in mind, why is it so hard for us to welcome someone new? To smile, introduce yourself, and find ways to relate to that person. I believe it would be easier on everyone if we could simply be friendly. Wouldn't it be easier if we could incur grace on one another? We, as humans all have at least one thing in common, that is imperfection. We are all going to fail, to say something wrong, or to say something that embarrasses ourselves. Why? Because we are all imperfect, we were made that way, so why can't we except each others imperfections?

If you are a "new kid", be yourself. Don't be afraid of people judging you, because in some way those people are just like you. If you see a "new kid", go talk to them. Make them feel comfortable and smile! Extend grace on them and realize that you (if you haven't already) will someday be in their position.

{Chelsea}

The Gift of Life

Gifts. Not a gift that you receive for your birthday or Christmas. Not spiritual gifts that one can receive, but the gift of life. As we eat, go to the places we need to go, interact with people, and simply live our lives, we rarely think about what a gift we have been given.

Take a moment and think about your life, the simplicities and the complexities. The simplicity of eating food to the complexity of trials that we all go through. How many times during your day do you think about your next breath, or the fact that you have food, or simply that you are alive? I think we need to recognize the little things, the things in life that have the most impact, the ones that create memories, and the ones that shape our life. Take time to slow down and realize all that you have. How many times in your day do you complain about not having something, that is not superfluous in your everyday life, when some people do not know if they will even have breakfast. You have numerous times in your day, to not only be thankful for your life, but to recognize the little gifts that make it up. The gift of clothes, the gift of your next breath, the gift of the people in your life, and even the gift of the trials that shape us into the people that God intended us to be.

If I can leave you with one thing, it's this: slow down. You live your life and it's gone before you know it. Make the most of everything. Enjoy the little things, the simple things, in life and you will be a happier person.

{Chelsea}

The Act of Love

Lately I have been thinking about love. Not romantic love or the feeling when you say "I love you" but the kind of love that has the ability to change a moment, a day, or perhaps a life.

Maybe instead of thinking of love as a feeling, we should think of it as an action, a choice, or an opportunity. Think about all the moments God has given you, the good ones, the bad ones, and the everyday ones. Now, think about the times when you could have loved, the times when you could have been a little nicer, the times when you could have done something for someone without complaining, and the times when you could have been a fruit loop in a world of cheerios. Opportunities to love surround you whether you know or not. When you take those opportunities, time seems to stop to a place where memories are made and something ugly can be turned into beauty. I believe this has something to do with the fact that God is love and we are made in His image. What about Daisy Love, an 8 year old girl who fought cancer for 3 years, and passed away 2 weeks ago. If Daisy knew one thing, it was love, how to love, when to love, and who to love. Love was her middle name, literally. Daisy never missed an opportunity to love, to love her family even when she was in agonizing pain voicing her needs without ever being rude. To love people in her life who were going through trials that paled in comparison to hers and always asking if she could pray for them, and to love people she met as she lived her short, but very impact full life. Do not think for one minute that you are not capable of showing the action of love.

The next time you are in a situation where you just don't feel like you want to love, think about Daisy and how this lovely little girl showed love to everyone through her pain.

{Chelsea}