Friday, March 30, 2012

Sing-A-Song Weekend!

No matter what I can always count on God, and I know that when the time is right, I can depend on him to bring someone ever so wonderful in my life! ♥

This is a song that I would love to play on my wedding day:


Thursday, March 29, 2012

The Impression of Impressing...

Have you ever wanted to impress someone? How about trying to be so impressive that you act dumb? Haha, that's me sometimes! 

 I've been told all my life that I don't need to impress nobody, we have probably all been told that at one point in time or another. But does it ever sink in? That is the question at hand.


I got to thinking about this when I found myself wanting to impress this guy.

You see I've always prided myself on not being one of those boy-crazy girls, but in truth I kind of am (my dear friend Anne could attest to that!).

I don't flirt or even really talk to the guys that I like, it's more of something I keep to myself, but when I know that they are near I try to act in a way that leaves a nice-girl impression. Like hoping they'll see me being sweet to my siblings and maybe thinking in their minds "what a nice girl" or something of the sort.

I suppose that I am not being terrible in my actions of trying to impress, but I got to thinking... Do I really want a guy to like me for someone that I am not naturally? If the person doesn't like me for who I am then does it really mean anything to have earned their attention? That my dear readers is the question that I have faced myself with.

A verse in the bible really struck me:
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. 
Matthew 5:6-10... 

 The part that I bolded really struck home for me. 
You have to BE merciful in order to RECEIVE mercy.
Let's translate that to my scenario:
You have to BE yourself in order to RECEIVE others liking you for who you are.

I am not sure if that really makes sense, but I can't even truly expect someone to like me when I am not even being me. In other words, I need to stop trying to impress, but rather be myself and leave a true impression.

I'll leave you with this last impression:
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.”  
1 Samuel 16:7

Be yourself, and if you really want to impress others (not that that should be a goal, but nonetheless) then work on your relationship with God because what's in your heart is what matters.

Blessings,



Friday, March 23, 2012

Legacy

Hello Readers,
So lately I have been listening to a song by Nichole Nordeman, which has really inspired me. I encourage you to listen to it before continuing on with reading this post.

~*~
 Have you ever thought of what people will say or not say when you have gone home? What they will remember you by? How about if they even remember you at all? 


I can't say that I have dwelt on it too much. Partially because I try not to focus too much on what I think others might think of me, especially when I do dumb things, because then I'd be miserable thinking that they have terrible thoughts about me. But nonetheless I do care about the legacy that I will leave behind.

Just like the song says, "You could take my picture and hang it in a gallery with all the who's-who's and so-and-so's that used to be the best, at such-and-such, it wouldn't matter...much."

And then it moves on to say, "I want to leave a legacy, how will they remember me; did I choose to love? Did I point to you enough to leave a mark on things? I want to leave an offering, a child of mercy and grace who blessed your name..."

Nichole Nordeman is talking about how to leave a legacy as well as how not to. Leaving behind an imprint doesn't mean by being good at worldly things. It takes more than just being able to bake a good cake to leave a permanent memory of you, but rather to be a child of God that is merciful and graceful. To display the fruits of the spirit to others.

To make it short, when you display God in your life and act accordingly, you will touch the lives of those around you. They'll notice a difference when you are around and an absence when you are gone. They will forever remember the light of God that shined through you and you will leave a legacy.

I encourage you to examine your life as I examine mines and whether or not your doing the best you can to shine God's light and ultimately leave a legacy (of which I already know I am failing at).

Hope you enjoyed the song and that it inspires you as much as it does me :)
Blessings,
Adriana Castillo


Monday, March 19, 2012

Showing & Recieving Patience

Hello Dear Readers!

Lately I have been getting so irritated! (just being blunt there), Have you ever felt that way? I was sitting in class and these two girls were being so disruptive and interrupting the teacher any time he spoke a word. And I'm just thinking, didn't they learn to raise their hands? I was becoming very intolerant with them by the end of class time. There are many other things that have bugged me, but I think you get where I'm coming from on the matter.

It all comes down to patience though. It's ironic because all my life I have had people tell me that I am so patient. Well truth be known, I may not show my irritance, but I certainly am thinking it!

The Bible doesn't say though that so long as people don't know your intolerance that your a'okay. God knows all of our thoughts, and I think it's just as bad to think it in comparison to doing it.

Here are some examples of patience that we as christians are called to follow:

Numbers 14:18 (KJV) ‘The LORD is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression..."

1 Timothy 1:16 But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.

This one was convicting to me especially;
Romans 2:3-4 Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?

These verses have really made me realize that I am so imperfect and that in truth I am one of those girls that are irritating. God has shown patience and mercy with me when I don't deserve it, yet I can't bear to show any patience to these girls from class.

It reminded me of the parable of the unforgiving servent in Matthew chapter 18:21-35:

21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”  22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.[g]
   23 “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold[h] was brought to him. 25 Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.
   26 “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ 27 The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.
   28 “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins.[i] He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.
   29 “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’
   30 “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. 31 When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened.
   32 “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ 34 In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.
   35 “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”
Notice how at the end it says to forgive them from your heart. It doesn't say to just bear it and not show your unforgiveness, but to let go of it completely from both actions and feelings.

So I guess that that is something that I have been thinking upon and realizing. It seems like I am one who tends to not show stuff on the outside while on the inside I just harbor it, yet it just seems to come back to me in the form of heartache from such a heavy burden.

If you too suffer from heavy burdens of keeping stuff in your heart then I just encourage you to lift it up to Jesus and not concern yourself with matters that really aren't up to you to judge (Like me and those girls in class). Here is a verse that is one of my favorites that I'll leave you with:

28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
~Matthew 11

Blessings,

Friday, March 16, 2012

I'm Here!

Hello Dear Readers,
So you have all probably thought I fell off the face of the earth, being that I haven't made a post in like.... forever! (February 23rd to be exact!)

My life feels like it's swirling by, there has just been so much school and events that have taken place that blogging has just been on the back burner.

Well, I'm here to claim back my existence in the blogging world ;)

I'll be honest though, my brain has been scattered these last few weeks that every time I sit to write something I just can't get my thoughts to form a complete post. I suppose that the only reason that I am writing now is because I have been having a heavy thought that I've been avoiding but need to write about in order to sort through it. Writing therapy I suppose :)

Anyways, lately I've been job searching. I've applied for over 30 stores in the last two months. I have had 1 interview. Uno. One. That's it! I am so frustrated because I a) Need a job, and b) I have run out of places to apply for. Literally, my family will suggest a place and I'll be like "Already Applied There....".

A month ago I had thought about working at a summer camp, especially since I have always loved working at camps and felt kind of empty last year when I didn't get to. So I had called this camp and left a message saying that I had some questions about their staff positions. So just today (a month later) I received a message on my cell phone from the camp saying that they had been away from the office and were returning my call. So I'm thinking great, maybe God is telling me to work at this camp (because I had forgotten about it until the message). Then I found out that it doesn't pay.....

So where am I going with this?

Well I just feel so confused as to what to do. I need a job to make money this summer for school tuition next year, yet I love missionary/camp type work and have a passion for serving others. Does God want me to work at a camp? Or am I to just keep on applying at fast food joints and other places?

I just don't know what His will and plan is for me anymore. The most common question in my head lately is "Am I doing the right thing?". And sadly, I don't know the answer.

So that is where I am at in life now. Your prayers would be appreciated :)

Well, on a brighter note!

My friend Paperclip (camp co-worker :) from a Teenage Jesus Freak, tagged me in a post. You can read it HERE.

Anyways she gave me a blog award!



Thanks Paperclip! ♥


RULES: If you are awarded the Paperclip Award, you must answer the 13 prompts given, and then you must give the award to 13 bloggers (although, as the creator of the award, I’m giving you permission to give it to less, or more, and bend the rules a little) and give a link to their blogs. Also, no awarding the blogger who awarded you! Got that? ;)
1. When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A Pediatrician and then a Teacher, always a Mommy though :)

2. What is your ultimate favorite place to be?
Hmmm.... My room!
3. Name one famous person who inspires you. (Just one!!!)
Well, I really don't focus on famous people all that much.... I suppose from ordinary people I am really inspired by Fire Fighters, just because they do things that I would be too scared to do, yet they are still courageous in their jobs to help others and keep them safe. 
4. Tea or Coffee?
You readers should know this! ;) Tea of course!!!
5. If you could be any other person for 48 hours, who would you be?
Hmm.... Britt Nicole! She is such an amazing singer and such a godly woman :)

6. What is your earliest memory?
 Getting a little red plastic shopping cart with baby dolls for Christmas :)
7. If you could ask anyone in the world, living or dead, anything, who would you ask, and what would you ask them?
I honestly don't know.... 
8. What is the scariest thing you have ever done?
Gone through a haunted corn maze ::chills::, never again...
9. What is your favorite book?
Oh No!!!! I have way too many favorites! I'll tell you the authors: Janet Oke, Colleen Coble, Lauraine Snelling, T Davis Bunn, ect...
10. Briefly explain one of the weirdest dreams you have ever had.
Giant bugs invading our home, that was sure somethin.... 
11. What one song best describes you? (Feel free to post a link to a Youtube vid)
Legacy by Nichole Nordeman, just because I have felt the desire this past year to do something withn my life to make a difference. I want people to remember me when I am long gone for being a Godly woman :)
12. Pen or pencil?
Mechanical Pencil! 
13. Is 13 an  unlucky number or not?
Who Cares??? ;)
And No it's not :)




So Now I have a blog award to give out! :)

This is my 'Blooming Flower' award!

So first I'll award this back to Paperclip! :)
I have loved reading about your growth in the Lord and am proud to call you my friend Paperclip!

Secondly, I want to award this to Nela from Beloved Star
Nela, You have been such an encouragement to me just by reading my blog :)


Also I'd like to award the following:
GodsGirlz1
Elisha
& Carli Nicole
^For reading my blog and encouraging me with your comments :)^

So that about sums it up!
Hope this post wasn't too long for some of ya :)

Blessings,



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