A Theft 70 Years Ago, the Money Returned

A man who confessed to stealing money from the downtown Seattle Sears store decades ago gave the money back Monday, and with interest.
At around 10:00 a.m., an elderly man hand-delivered an envelope addressed to "Sears manager" to a customer service counter on the second floor.
Inside the envelope was a note and a $100 bill:
"During the late [forties] I stole some money from the cash register in the amount of $20-$30," the note read. "I want to pay you back this money in the amount of $100 to put in your theft account."
 ~Oregon Live.com

Ok, so I thought that this was an amazing story! It seems so often that all that is on the news is about death, kidnapping, and other terrible things. But this is such a positive story that I just had to post it. Yes the guy was wrong in stealing it in the first place, but how many people are willing to correct a wrong 70 years later? Especially when they had never got caught back then, why risk getting caught now? I think that those kind of acts are worth respecting. 

Perhaps we can all learn from this that even 70 years later, it is never to late to make right what was once wrong.

Blessings,

New Winter Design!

A Flower in Bloom now has a Winter Flower Wonderland design! 

I thought it was about time to change it to something more... Christmasy? And yes, I just created a word there ☺

Blessings,

Thanksgiving Greed

 So I wrote this on Sunday, but never posted it. Better late than never though :)

I hope you all have had a wonderful thanksgiving and past week, I know mines was sure busy! Last week I did 3 days of schoolwork 'marathon'. Meaning I did three weeks worth of schoolwork in three days, whew -that was tiring! Then we had two days filled of cleaning and prepping for thanksgiving, being that my family hosts it every year. And lastly, my brother and I got up at 3:30 in the morning on black Friday to go shopping, that was exciting! And so all in all, today I am enjoying a peaceful and relaxing day of reading my book, watching Tangled, and doing a bit of painting (and some blogging as well). Today is the first day in a long time that I don't have anything pressing to do, which is such a relief.

So I thought that I would do a post about black Friday. It's not really about my experience of black Friday, but more of what irks me about it. That might sound a bit hypocritical since I go shopping every year, but what I find more so hypocritical is how America has this huge holiday of being thankful for what you have and then turns around and expects you to go shopping on Thanksgiving day and think more about being greedy and getting more stuff than being thankful. Maybe I should back track a little...

Last year was when my family first started to notice how stores were beginning to advertise sales that started at 10pm on Thursday. "Black Friday deals a day early!", "Don't wait till Friday what you can do on Thursday!", or "The best deals yet on Thanksgiving day!". What seems so wrong about this is that on Thanksgiving day people should be spending time with there family, and the sad thing is that employers are forcing their employees to work on Thanksgiving day with no choice. We even have a friend who is a single parent/stay at home mom, and she had been looking to get a job since she earns no income and has just been living with her parents. The problem is though that she doesn't have a car since she doesn't have a job, and she can't get a job hardley since she doesn't have a car. Well, she finally got a job working at a retail store nearby her house that she can walk to. The sad part is though that she didn't get to spend thanksgiving with her family that day. She had to work from 2pm-11pm that day. And she didn't have much choice about it since she has her sons medical bills that she needs to pay for and other things. And so the point is, by shopping on Thanksgiving we are forcing families to spend that day apart just so that they can work that day. Until all of the people stand together in refusal to support greed on Thanksgiving day then it will continue to get worse until people skip the meal all together to go shopping.

The main point though is that people have let greed for worldly items consume them. Decade by decade, year by year, and day by day it has seemed to have gotten worse. Here is what the scripture says about it;

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs

~1 Timothy 6:10 

Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 

 ~Hebrews 13:5

A greedy man stirs up strife, but the one who trusts in the Lord will be enriched. 

~Proverbs 28:25

For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world. 

~1 John 2:16

As you can see, greed will just destroy us if we let it. It will rip us away from our devotion from God and turn us into someone we once were not. Sometimes the question I have to ask myself when wanting something is "Do I really need it?", often times I don't. That doesn't mean that desiring something is wrong, what is wrong is when we let it consume us and all we can think about is more of what we don't have. The perfect remedy for this is to count your blessings. That is kind of the point behind Thanksgiving, to look around you at your family and/or friends and just be grateful that you have them and the abundance of food before you. 

And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” 

~Luke 12:15 

Have a blessed day,

Peer Pressure; First hand experience at the haunted corn maze

Peer Pressure. Two words that can impact a person hugely. Something that perhaps everyone has experienced at one point in their lives. It can be the smallest thing of being persuaded to buy the latest style of jeans although you prefer a classic look, and it can be as big as smoking a cigarette because your friends are. Either way, it leads you to do things that you may not ordinarily do. It causes you to be someone else. And it can lead you to lose your identity if you let it consume you.

So why did I choose this topic? Well, I was just reading about it in my schoolwork and I just can't seem to shake it off my mind. I must say that I am not an expert in Peer Pressure, for I have not had to deal with it widely considering that I have not gone to public school, or have a job around a bunch of different people with different beliefs. But nonetheless I have experienced it.

I remember just a few weeks ago my friends from youth group were going to a corn maze. Now my family does not celebrate Halloween by any means. We don't carve pumpkins, trick or treat, dress up, or watch scary movies. But we have gone to corn mazes because that's different, it's a celebration of our local farmers crops, it's something that the nearby citys should be proud of and it's our duty to support our local farms since there is not many of them these days. Anyhow, like I was saying, we were going to a corn maze...

"Alright, those who want to go through the regular maze and not the haunted need to raise there hand" My youth pastor stated.

I looked to those around me. A bunch of the middle schoolers that so happened to be joining us high schoolers raised their hand. What to do..... It can't be that bad right? It will probably just be a bunch of mechanical stuff that is supposed to be scary.... I could go through the regular one, but it's all middle schoolers. I don't want to look like a baby....

"Anybody else want to go through the regular corn maze?" He asked one last time
I kept my hands in my pocket to keep from fidgeting, I hope I'm doing the right thing....

-Everyone got divided into small group of 3 to 5 people-

"Ok everybody, get into the car of your assigned leader and then we'll head to Sauvey Island."

"Whoooo!" A cheer came from the group.

I got into the car and sat nervously. Each mile that we came closer to the place the more I became worrisome.

Upon arriving we got in line together. After purchasing our tickets we joined an even bigger line since they made sure that each group had some distance between that way you were for sure surprised and couldn't see what happened ahead.

I was nervous and so I started making jokes with my friend Jasmine to calm my fears. As we got up closer to the entrance I felt more and more jittery. My hands were shaky and my palms sweaty.

Then we saw a little girl come out of the entrance. She must have been only 10 and was sobbing. I felt bad for her, where were her parents? I had little time to worry about it for the employee at the entrance began to state the rules. She said that we were not allowed to touch any of the people, things, or corn. The rule for the people working to scare us was that they could come no closer than two inches to us.

After many other rules we got ushered in. I don't remember everything very vividly, but I know that I was frightened before we had even begun. I remember seeing this shack that was supposed to be a butchers shop and walking through it (it was part of the path through the maze) and the first thing I heard was this loud banging. It's was like when a aluminum baseball bat hits metal, only ten times worse. And that's when I met the butcher.... A 6 foot 2, caucasion, approx. 250-300 lbs. He was as gnarly as his metal club that he was pounding on the table. He invited people to come lay on his table (it was part of his act), and of course, he could somehow sense my fear and followed us for several feet. At that point tears had begun to form but had not fallen. We continued walking.

I guess I hadn't gotten the memo that these people were trained to go after girls since they scream and all. They didn't have the nerve to bother the guys.

Some people came out of bushes and were horrifically costumed. They too latched onto my fear and decided to pester me. I was so freaked out that all I could do was cover my face with my hands and hope they'd go away. But what did me in was the guy with the chainsaw. He was swinging it near peoples heads, and although there was no chain on it, the trauma that I had experienced up to that point caused me to break. I was sobbing and trying to get away from the guy who happened to find it entertaining and was chasing my group. Finally I stopped trying to run and just stood with my face in my hands. And the guy still wouldn't leave us alone! Finally my friends Jasmine looked at the guy and said if he didn't leave she'd slap him. Somehow he got the picture that it wasn't a joke anymore.

My group, which included Jasmine, Luke, and my youth pastor Loren, asked me if I wanted to leave the maze. I said no, nobody else was out of the maize and so I would be standing alone and then my group would feel bad, that was my reasoning for staying in. That and I wasn't going to let this defeat me.

And so for the rest of the way I walked through the maze with Luke in front, Loren behind, and Jasmine next to me holding my hand (yes, I am that much of a baby!). I survived as you can see since I wrote this post. But that night I vowed to myself that I would never do something stupid like that again just because my friends were doing it. That, and I went against my beliefs. I have never been so shooken before by not only how I gave into peer pressure, but how I threw out my beliefs of halloween being bad as well. I disregarded everything that I had been taught it seemed. And I didn't like it. I felt ashamed that I allowed myself to do something that I knew was wrong.

So now I am a bit more aware of peer pressure than I was before that day, and I am sharing my shameful experience with you so that perhaps you can be more aware as well. I am thankful though that I experienced it with something as little as this considering that there are so many terrible traps to fall into that lead to addictions and such. It's important that I learn some of these life lessons so that when I am going to college and working I will Lord willing not fall into the real traps that can lead to disaster.

Sometimes it takes me to make mistakes in order to learn something, I wish I could say I was perfect, but let me tell you, I am far from it. I am thankful though that God can use my mistakes to make me a better person, to grow closer toward him, and to maybe inform others of what to be careful of.

Have a blessed week,

S.A.S. Weekend; Story behind Strong Enough

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me..."

 Here is a song that is about just that and the story of how this song got created follows:

This was a letter sent to Mathew West during his time at a cabin were he wrote several songs based on story's he received from people:

The Story Behind: Strong Enough

September 14, 2010 - Comments (11)                                                                                                     

Tonia,
Camby, IN

By the grace of God, I am the mother of 3 awesome children, Haleigh (22), Kelsey (18) and Jordan (16). It has always been me and them against the world. I had my first daughter, Haleigh, at 19. We grew up together. When she turned 19, she had a bad car accident after sliding on black ice and shattered her right leg (high impact pilon fracture). She was in the hospital off and on for months. Her health insurance got cancelled because she couldn’t maintain her full time college status. She got MRSA from the hospital. Ended up having to have 11 surgeries. As a single parent and her Mother, I didn’t leave her side. But when I did, I would go home while she slept long enough to sleep a bit and run through the shower. I remember feeling so alone though. My family was/is great. They were there as much as could be, but at night, when the lights were out, I would lie in my bed and just cry from the loneliness and exhaustion, mentally and physically. That has been 3 years ago and she is still recovering. She was at one hospital that wanted to amputate her leg from the knee down, so I had her transferred to the hospital in our home town where 2 wonderful Doc’s were a God send and took over her care. She is still in a boot, still has an open wound that is still healing due to the blood flow being compromised and has a long road of healing ahead of her as far as surgeries and physical therapy are concerned, but she is beautiful, living her life, going to college, living on her own,being independent and not letting it keep her down. Most importantly, she is still here with us. I have told her all along that God has a reason for everything and she definitely has a purpose. One of the times that we were in the hospital going through this horrific ordeal, I said to her “Haleigh, the Lord doesn’t put anything on us that he doesn’t think we are strong enough to handle” and she said “Well he must think we are pretty freaking strong then!” If it wasn’t for my faith, I would have gone out of my mind. Life is hard, but God is good and I am a firm believer that there is power in prayer. Through all of that, I never felt like he left my side. He guided us to do what was necessary to protect her and sent us the wonderful Doctor’s who took her under their wings and took care of her. On a side note, my daughter Kelsey has pretty much a full ride scholarship for college in the fall and will be Majoring in Pharmacy and is sunshine. My son, Jordan, is getting ready to get his license, which scares me to death. My kids are my life and I thank God for them every single day! God Bless Matthew!

His Response:

Matthew’s commentary on: Strong Enough

...I’ve wondered the same thing. I’ve faced a seemingly impossible situation or two in my life, and found myself having candid conversations with God. “God, are you sure you got the right guy here?” “God, I can’t do this on my own.” And therein lies the point of it all. We can’t do it on our own. Nothing is possible without god. But we can do all things through Christ who gives us strength. Phillipians 4:13 has been a significant piece of scripture in my life, and one that I have to be reminded of time and time again. “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength, and I don’t have to be strong enough.”
~http://www.matthewwest.com/2010/09/14/the-story-behind-strong-enough-2/ 


We all go through moments in life were we think we can't handle it. But God doesn't want just us alone to carry our burdens, he wants us to find the strength to seek him through the rough times and to lift our worrys and sorrows to him. Through him we are strong enough.

Sing A Song Weekend

Sorry this is a bit late, it's been a busy week!
As probably everyone knows, the christian movie Coragous has been in theatures now for a while (I have yet to see it) and the movie soundtrack that is sung by Casting Crowns has been playing on the radio. And I absolutely love it! 

I am definitly praying that my future husband will be coragous just as this song says ♥

Assuming Purpose

Just this morning I was icing my sisters birthday cake (she is now 7 :) and my mind started to wander off thinking about some things that I have been pushing to the back of my mind and trying to ignore. They were thoughts of doubt. And they were doubts about my purpose. That may or may not make sense, but it seems like more often I have felt sure about what God has made me to do. To minister to other girls. And I have also been thinking of going on a mission trip this summer after I graduate to pursue my heart of ministering through some type of organization. But I am beginning to wonder  if I have gotten to the point were I am assuming God's plan for me rather than asking him for guidance, which is a huge no-no in a christian walk.

Does God really want me to be going on a missions trip at this point in my life? Is the path of baking for college what he wants me to do? Or is there something completely different that he has planned for me? These questions seem to be swirling in my head and I am just feeling the need to read my bible and pray for direction for I feel so lost now with what I am really meant to do. I have never felt such a need for answers in my life until now that the weight of these questions seem to heavy to bear. If any of you have any suggestions of bible verses then I would much appreciate them, and I would be ever so grateful for your prayers.

Thank you to all my readers, you gals encourage me so much! ♥

Insecurities; My Big Feet

You might have read the above title and be just a bit curios of what this post is going to say... It's not everyday someone makes a reference to their 'big feet'. But when it comes to my insecurities, that is one of the very odd things                                                             that I don't like about myself.

Now I know that I am not the only one with weird insecurities. I remember last week my teacher made a comment about not liking her nose. So how's that for odd! Perhaps you don't like your hands or ears. Or maybe your eyebrows even. We all have our insecurities, both physical and emotional. And if you happen to have no insecurities; then please share the secret to this!

For years I have heard people say "God has made you beautiful", or "He sees no mistake, He made you perfect". In one ear out the next. It's not that I don't believe that God makes us perfectly beautiful, it's just that hearing people say that has not solved the issue of my insecurity. It hasn't made me change my mindset were I automatically find myself gorgeous. In fact, it sometimes makes me look closer in the mirror to just doubt the statement more; Me, beautiful? Does He seriously not see the teenage acne or plain face? Yes, these are sometimes the thoughts I think but never say.

So how can I minimize my insecurities? It's simple, He must increase so that I can decrease (John 3:30). In order to stop scrutinizing and analizing yourself, you must take your eyes off of you and gaze them toward God. Beauty is vain. When you are looking at your reflection in the manner of analization, you are being selfish in only looking to please yourself with your looks. But God doesn't tell us to do that. He says that our beauty is from within. And we will become beautiful inside when we follow him and obey his commands. Havent you ever met someone who just shines Gods love with everything they do? They just shine beauty and are admired, but not because of outward beauty. It's because they built a foundation in the word of God and follow him. He makes them beautiful.

We all have the opportunity to lay down our insecurities and follow Jesus. But you can't just expect to pray to God asking for guidance in that area and calling it good. It is up to you to make a choice daily to follow him and to lay down your fears and weaknesses.

It can be tough to do this, I know from personal experience, but becoming intimate in your relationship with God is a beautiful thing that is well worth it. Here are some verses to think upon;

Psalm 34:5

Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed.

1 Samuel 16:7 

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”

Proverbs 3:15

She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her.

Proverbs 31:30 

Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

Psalm 139:14

I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.

God made you beautifully on the outside, but he can also make you beautiful on the inside if you lay down your insecurities and open your heart to him.

Blessings,