beautiful everything!

Today was sooo wonderful outside! I absolutely addoooree warm weather and I love how quickly we went from freezing winters and wet socks to a warm breeze and flip flops. :)!

Something that I noticed is how much the weather changes the moods of people... It was so rainy and dreary all week and the atmosphere at school, home, and work feel so down. But today was absolutely BEAUTIFUL out and every person that I ran into was so much more chipper! Ya gotta love it, man.

A friend of mine wanted some pictures of she and her boyfriend and asked me the other day... I took this as a very nice opportunity to grow in skills in the studio and really took advantage of it. I think that they really turned out great and I hope to be getting a few of those shots up soon.

Today was the Blood Mobile at our school with the Red Cross. Man, I love it when they come to our school and take our blood. :) I think that it's such a great opportunity for people that us teenagers that don't really think about it all that often... Unfortunately, I just donated about a month ago. When I asked Chris (a family friend/my godmother/awesome woman/nurse) how long I had to wait before donating again, she said that I would be all set to go at it again... Oops! 56 days. So odd and random but I suppose I'm all good. So many others got the chance and I really do think that that's so awesome.

Tonight, at my youth group's bible study, I really learned something important.. OF COURSE, following God isn't always glory and sunshine... There are trials all the time, that's a part of growing as a daughter of God. I have made (and continue to make) mistakes daily (hourly, really..) that aren't how I want the Lord's Truth to be portrayed (and He definately doesn't, either!). Here's the difference between myself as a born-again Christian and myself before I fell in love with God:
MY MISTAKES DO NOT MATTER!
I learn from them, yes. I correct and learn from sins that I've committed and I am constantly renewing my vows to my Father and growing in our relationship like I've never imagined.. When I'm called home and the Lord dissects every sin I've ever made, He won't judge me or my actions.. He's isn't going to cry, or feel betrayed, or sad at what I've done... He will be forever smiling and joyful!!! WHY? Because Jesus's blood has washed everything I've done and God's anguish for it AWAY. It's gone and means absolutely NOTHING. I've moved on and so has my dad! It's the nicest feeling ever.
I really can write about this F O R E V E R ... But my big, warm, comfy bed is calling my name!
One of my all-time favorite verses that really sustains me and keeps me going is Philippians 3:13-14. It describes everything that I just mentioned in a short, sweet, and simple direction:

Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Goodnight and Godbless!