if you imagine this story as a movie with the characters as severe as william wallace, maximus decimus meridius, or benjamin martin..etc, it becomes much more visual than it already is. oh how i love the word!
7 Therefore, as soon as they heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp and all kinds of music, all the nations and peoples of every language fell down and worshiped the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
8 At this time some astrologers[a] came forward and denounced the Jews. 9 They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “May the king live forever! 10 Your Majesty has issued a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music must fall down and worship the image of gold, 11 and that whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into a blazing furnace. 12 But there are some Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego—who pay no attention to you, Your Majesty. They neither serve your gods nor worship the image of gold you have set up.”
13 Furious with rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king, 14 and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up? 15 Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?”
16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us[b] from Your Majesty’s hand. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”
19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual 20 and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. 21 So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace. 22 The king’s command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, 23 and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace.
24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?”
They replied, “Certainly, Your Majesty.”
25 He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”
i don't need anything else to get me fired up. it's amazing the journey of the heart when pursuing after god. thank you heavenly father, for the greatest gift next to your son, your holy word, and thank you for blessing this time of reading. amen.
Friday, August 19, 2011
Thursday, August 18, 2011
conversations with an au pair
i literally just had this conversation with myself:
me: seriously, if you don't stop allowing these grey hairs to show up whenever they want, i swear i will rid you forever with chemicals!!!
myself: get over it it's a part of aging, plus you did just have a birthday
me: yeah ok, i know it's a part of growing up, but really? it was only my 23rd birthday!!
myself: yeah well you can blame dad for your genes.
me: whatever, i'm just gonna leave it for now.
myself: that's the spirit! a few more and you can rock the stacey london grey!
me: LOCK IT UP
"so scared of getting older, i'm only good at being young..."
thanks john, you're the only one who understands
p.s. i am not a fan of grey hairs at 23, even if it was only 3 today.
me: seriously, if you don't stop allowing these grey hairs to show up whenever they want, i swear i will rid you forever with chemicals!!!
myself: get over it it's a part of aging, plus you did just have a birthday
me: yeah ok, i know it's a part of growing up, but really? it was only my 23rd birthday!!
myself: yeah well you can blame dad for your genes.
me: whatever, i'm just gonna leave it for now.
myself: that's the spirit! a few more and you can rock the stacey london grey!
me: LOCK IT UP
"so scared of getting older, i'm only good at being young..."
thanks john, you're the only one who understands
p.s. i am not a fan of grey hairs at 23, even if it was only 3 today.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
oh nebby, you just don't know...
it smells like fall outside, it's about to rain, and the "you've got mail" soundtrack is inspiring me to have a cup of coffee with blogspot. why don't you sit with me and read my heart:
currently i've been going through beth moore's bible study of daniel. though i am only in week 3 and have much to learn, i have to say that it's hurting my feelings a bit, even through all of beth's reassuring "oh beloved's" and "sweet sister's." but before i get to my self-loathing, i'll recap what's happened in daniel 1-3:7:
*please note this is my slang version of the story so far and i encourage you to actually go grab your bible and read it.
so, daniel and his friends were taken from their home in jerusalem to babylon under the reign of king nebachadnezzar (i call him nebby). nebby only wanted the best looking and best trained men to teach the babylonian ways to the newbies so they could serve the king. now daniel and his friends were to be trained as well, but they didn't want to participate in anything that didn't glorify their lord, the god of heavens, meaning they didn't want to get drunk off their faces, and then hit 3-a-days 5x times a week to keep in shape. so they asked that the king to test them and only give them a healthy diet, which was fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and breads. turns out, they're diet was better than eating all the finest foods in babylon, they looked healthier than any other, and they kept their integrity. also, because they obeyed the lord, they were blessed with knowledge and wisdom, which nebby found to be useful in his kingdom. starting in chapter 2, nebby has a crazy dream and demands that someone interpret it. none of his astrologers can do it, so he threatens all magicians and astrologers that they will be cut to pieces if they can't figure it out. oh but there is one man who can: daniel, for he was also blessed by the lord, and the secret to nebby's dream was revealed to him so that he might save his friends lives. p.s. the whole time, daniel continuously gave the glory to god, so as not to fit into the culture of babylon. so when daniel explained the dream to nebby, ole' neb was shocked and fell on his face in praise to daniel's god, the king of kings. and daniel is thinking, "oh nebby, you just don't know how great he really is." daniel was therefore appointed to serve in the king's court. chapter 3: after a while, i suppose the insecure king nebby became bored with life and decided to build a 90x90 ft. gold idol in the center of the kingdom! why would he do that? (go read what his dream was in daniel 2). then king nebby gave the order that if anyone did not bow down and worship his idol, they would be cast into the furnace...thus foreshadowing the story of shadrach, meshach, and abed-nego...
ok so i'm going to stop right there and you'll have to go read the rest of the book yourself because it's awesome. now, why does this story hurt my feelings? because in all that i've read and seen in these 3 chapters, i find myself to be more like king nebuchadnezzar. an image builder and self-seeking being in babylon, which was a city much like our world today, where beauty, body, the perfect man, and status are what make life worth living. now, i don't worship my physical appearence, i'm not one to obsess over any guy, and i realize that if it were up to me, i would rather be homeless and happy than rich and miserable, so what's my deal?
i'm constantly an image builder with trying so hard NOT to be one...meaning i am constantly thinking of myself, but in how selfLESS i am.
*i hope this makes sense because i sometimes just ramble to figure out my own brain*
here's an example: i came to sweden to be an au pair and had no idea my job would entail doing all the dishes and laundry, cleaning after 3 kids constantly, not getting a day off for a month, cooking dinner every single night, AND all that with no thanks or appreciation. as far as i'm concerned, cinderella and nanny are not the same person, yet i am convinced i have become both roles. so i ask myself, what the heck AM i doing? i just want to go and be 23 and single again, and go see all my kids when it's convenient for me...and there you see? i'm just being selfish with being selfless. ridiculous, really. i signed up for this job, willing to get my hands dirty, knowing that the job entitled my childcare services plus everything else i know how to do, and all i care about is getting recognized! when, if i was doing my job with all sincerity in my heart, gog would be getting the glory. and what image did i expect as an au pair? being a mom or a substitute mom is not glamorous!
i suppose i like to think of myself as humble, but i don't think i've ever really been humble in the way the bible says we ought to. in fact, i think quite highly of myself as a selfless person who will avoid any argument, conflict, or confrentation that could threaten someone's positive opinion of me. humility? not a chance. all i feel that is, is a lie to myself, and to god, and just another way that i have tried to gain glory for myself. "oh sara, you just don't know..." and there is a lot more that i don't know, but i am glad i am slowly beginning to understand. shout out to all others in their twenties going through the "growing up" and "finding yourselves" stage of life.
"therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of god, that he may exalt you in due time."
1 Peter 5:6
"humble yourselves in the sight of the lord, and he will lift you up."
james 4:10
now here is daniel's character, the character i admire and look up to so much now, and who i would much rather be able to relate to. these verses are my prayer, a prayer for humility, so that god can prepare me for what's coming next. i pray that i am able to recognize when i am image building and am able to refuse the power of the evil one's tactics to get me to fail. it should be easier now that i know right? ha we'll see, but that's why i serve a big and indescribable god.
signed,
valley of tomorrow
currently i've been going through beth moore's bible study of daniel. though i am only in week 3 and have much to learn, i have to say that it's hurting my feelings a bit, even through all of beth's reassuring "oh beloved's" and "sweet sister's." but before i get to my self-loathing, i'll recap what's happened in daniel 1-3:7:
*please note this is my slang version of the story so far and i encourage you to actually go grab your bible and read it.
so, daniel and his friends were taken from their home in jerusalem to babylon under the reign of king nebachadnezzar (i call him nebby). nebby only wanted the best looking and best trained men to teach the babylonian ways to the newbies so they could serve the king. now daniel and his friends were to be trained as well, but they didn't want to participate in anything that didn't glorify their lord, the god of heavens, meaning they didn't want to get drunk off their faces, and then hit 3-a-days 5x times a week to keep in shape. so they asked that the king to test them and only give them a healthy diet, which was fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and breads. turns out, they're diet was better than eating all the finest foods in babylon, they looked healthier than any other, and they kept their integrity. also, because they obeyed the lord, they were blessed with knowledge and wisdom, which nebby found to be useful in his kingdom. starting in chapter 2, nebby has a crazy dream and demands that someone interpret it. none of his astrologers can do it, so he threatens all magicians and astrologers that they will be cut to pieces if they can't figure it out. oh but there is one man who can: daniel, for he was also blessed by the lord, and the secret to nebby's dream was revealed to him so that he might save his friends lives. p.s. the whole time, daniel continuously gave the glory to god, so as not to fit into the culture of babylon. so when daniel explained the dream to nebby, ole' neb was shocked and fell on his face in praise to daniel's god, the king of kings. and daniel is thinking, "oh nebby, you just don't know how great he really is." daniel was therefore appointed to serve in the king's court. chapter 3: after a while, i suppose the insecure king nebby became bored with life and decided to build a 90x90 ft. gold idol in the center of the kingdom! why would he do that? (go read what his dream was in daniel 2). then king nebby gave the order that if anyone did not bow down and worship his idol, they would be cast into the furnace...thus foreshadowing the story of shadrach, meshach, and abed-nego...
ok so i'm going to stop right there and you'll have to go read the rest of the book yourself because it's awesome. now, why does this story hurt my feelings? because in all that i've read and seen in these 3 chapters, i find myself to be more like king nebuchadnezzar. an image builder and self-seeking being in babylon, which was a city much like our world today, where beauty, body, the perfect man, and status are what make life worth living. now, i don't worship my physical appearence, i'm not one to obsess over any guy, and i realize that if it were up to me, i would rather be homeless and happy than rich and miserable, so what's my deal?
i'm constantly an image builder with trying so hard NOT to be one...meaning i am constantly thinking of myself, but in how selfLESS i am.
*i hope this makes sense because i sometimes just ramble to figure out my own brain*
here's an example: i came to sweden to be an au pair and had no idea my job would entail doing all the dishes and laundry, cleaning after 3 kids constantly, not getting a day off for a month, cooking dinner every single night, AND all that with no thanks or appreciation. as far as i'm concerned, cinderella and nanny are not the same person, yet i am convinced i have become both roles. so i ask myself, what the heck AM i doing? i just want to go and be 23 and single again, and go see all my kids when it's convenient for me...and there you see? i'm just being selfish with being selfless. ridiculous, really. i signed up for this job, willing to get my hands dirty, knowing that the job entitled my childcare services plus everything else i know how to do, and all i care about is getting recognized! when, if i was doing my job with all sincerity in my heart, gog would be getting the glory. and what image did i expect as an au pair? being a mom or a substitute mom is not glamorous!
i suppose i like to think of myself as humble, but i don't think i've ever really been humble in the way the bible says we ought to. in fact, i think quite highly of myself as a selfless person who will avoid any argument, conflict, or confrentation that could threaten someone's positive opinion of me. humility? not a chance. all i feel that is, is a lie to myself, and to god, and just another way that i have tried to gain glory for myself. "oh sara, you just don't know..." and there is a lot more that i don't know, but i am glad i am slowly beginning to understand. shout out to all others in their twenties going through the "growing up" and "finding yourselves" stage of life.
"therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of god, that he may exalt you in due time."
1 Peter 5:6
"humble yourselves in the sight of the lord, and he will lift you up."
james 4:10
now here is daniel's character, the character i admire and look up to so much now, and who i would much rather be able to relate to. these verses are my prayer, a prayer for humility, so that god can prepare me for what's coming next. i pray that i am able to recognize when i am image building and am able to refuse the power of the evil one's tactics to get me to fail. it should be easier now that i know right? ha we'll see, but that's why i serve a big and indescribable god.
signed,
valley of tomorrow
Monday, August 15, 2011
albums to obsess over
albums i have not been able to stop listening to or the past month; some old and some new.
the head and the heart "the head and the heart"
musikanto "sky of dresses"
kings of leon "come around sundown"
needtobreathe "the outsiders"
maroon5 "hands all over"
onerepublic "waking up"
noah and the whale "peaceful, the world lays me down"
gavin degraw "gavin degraw"
hanna turi "some old tapes"
caedmon's call "rising up the dead" and "40 acres"
john mayer "continuum"
do yourself a favor. you won't regret it ;)
the head and the heart "the head and the heart"
musikanto "sky of dresses"
kings of leon "come around sundown"
needtobreathe "the outsiders"
maroon5 "hands all over"
onerepublic "waking up"
noah and the whale "peaceful, the world lays me down"
gavin degraw "gavin degraw"
hanna turi "some old tapes"
caedmon's call "rising up the dead" and "40 acres"
john mayer "continuum"
do yourself a favor. you won't regret it ;)
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Dear Göteborg
setting: raining and listening to "you've got mail" soundtrack. perfect for blogging, and it smells like fall outside.
here is an excerpt from my personal journal that i thought was blog worthy and straight from the heart of an au pair:
dear göteborg,
so maybe there are stars after all, because i happen to be looking at about 6 of them in my almost dark sky, on my roof, my escape. i am officially sick as a dog, well i suppose as sick as you can be with all this sinus pressure building up around my eyes.
i promise you, i did not want to wake up today and be left by myself with all 3 kids...absolutely did not want to do it. in fact if it wasn't for kristina (jenny's mom), and how sweet and patient she is, i feel like the bitterness would have lasted all day. but ya know what? as much as an inconvenience it is to be sick, you still have to do your job. especially when you are a mom or a caretaker...and i'm pretty sure i still have elias convinced that i am super woman! he refuses to believe that i could be sick and tired. he's 2, what can you expect?
now i am not complaining, because believe me, the little moments i get to experience with these kids make up for at least 2 days of being sick. i suppose this happens for every mom, and here, i only get to "play" mom. it's quite magical. for example: tonight, i either made some dang good chicken legs, or elias was famished. he literally became an animal at dinner, a lion, bear, tiger...something that likes meat and a TON of rice. honestly i've never seen this kid eat like this before, and i was a little scared. i sat with him for almost an hour, waiting and watching for him to get every single little piece of chicken off the bone. i wish i was taking a video because it was almost as if he was ripping it to shreds, and the parts he couldn't get off with his teeth, i had to help him get off with my barely there fingernails. he also ate ALL of the vegetables and 2 full portions of rice!! he's 2 YEARS OLD! i was dying! it was incredible! i don't think i will ever forget that moment.
then i had my moment with erik today. sheesh, i don't understand why this kid likes a struggle and a fight, but he does, and he wanted to fight today. fighting meaning trying to get a reaction from the person in charge, because 7 year olds think they get to make all decisions. well, here's a wake up call : you don't. the end. however today, erik chose not to listen and run away after the hoarse au pair asked him nicely to come change out of his sweat pants and sweat shirt in 93 degree weather. after hearing that it was too hot for sweats and the possibility of heat stroke, he gave me that look saying, "you wanna go?" and i'm thinking, "oh hell yeah, you wanna fight? let's go then." so the au pair chased him down and literally had to drag him into the house, which resulted in the usual "GO AWAY I NEVER WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN!!!" routine. ok, at least he's not in the heat anymore. so he went to go cool off in his room. a wise decision. few minutes later, he hears a knock on his door...and in my best swenglish as i could manage without being able to talk, i explained to him why it was not safe to play outside in his sweats. all he had to do, was change into shorts and a t-shirt, and we wouldn't have to fight about it, and he could have had so much more time to play. i told him that i don't want to find him laying in the woods or the street from passing out in the heat. it's dangerous and can make him very sick. finally, he understood that i was just trying to keep him safe, a lesson we have to teach him over and over again. he likes to think that we don't love him and only he knows what's best for him. heavy sigh. my day could have been better without the fight, but like i said, as much as an inconvenience as it is, you still have to carry out the duties of being a loving mom or caretaker.
then there was a sweet little emma moment. now emma is 4 and LOVES to be the helper! she was my little helper as i was making my first lemon meringue pie. i always let her add ingredients and she loves to blend or stir ´whatever we're making. i wasn't going to finish all the steps so i thanked her and told her that i would have to finish later after the kids were in bed. next thing you know, she has my face cupped in her hands as i'm holding her, making sure i was looking directly at her. it was almost nerveracking as she was so close and studying my face intently. i don't know if she was counting my freckles, checking out my zit, or perhaps just remembering. it was seriously one of the sweetest moments i've had with her. she even blew me kisses before being swept off to bed! sweetheart.
i've had so many of little moments, good and bad, that i wonder what they'll be like when i have my own kids one day. i can only expect them to be 10x greater! it's crazy, this adventure i'm on. as much as i love kids, i don't want any of my own for a long while still, for there is SO much i have to learn about life in general. but this is a wonderful opportunity and good practice for being a caring leader as a teacher, and a nurturing mom one day.
göteborg, it's been a long, sick, and happy day.
signed,
i need drugs to make this headache go away
here is an excerpt from my personal journal that i thought was blog worthy and straight from the heart of an au pair:
dear göteborg,
so maybe there are stars after all, because i happen to be looking at about 6 of them in my almost dark sky, on my roof, my escape. i am officially sick as a dog, well i suppose as sick as you can be with all this sinus pressure building up around my eyes.
i promise you, i did not want to wake up today and be left by myself with all 3 kids...absolutely did not want to do it. in fact if it wasn't for kristina (jenny's mom), and how sweet and patient she is, i feel like the bitterness would have lasted all day. but ya know what? as much as an inconvenience it is to be sick, you still have to do your job. especially when you are a mom or a caretaker...and i'm pretty sure i still have elias convinced that i am super woman! he refuses to believe that i could be sick and tired. he's 2, what can you expect?
now i am not complaining, because believe me, the little moments i get to experience with these kids make up for at least 2 days of being sick. i suppose this happens for every mom, and here, i only get to "play" mom. it's quite magical. for example: tonight, i either made some dang good chicken legs, or elias was famished. he literally became an animal at dinner, a lion, bear, tiger...something that likes meat and a TON of rice. honestly i've never seen this kid eat like this before, and i was a little scared. i sat with him for almost an hour, waiting and watching for him to get every single little piece of chicken off the bone. i wish i was taking a video because it was almost as if he was ripping it to shreds, and the parts he couldn't get off with his teeth, i had to help him get off with my barely there fingernails. he also ate ALL of the vegetables and 2 full portions of rice!! he's 2 YEARS OLD! i was dying! it was incredible! i don't think i will ever forget that moment.
then i had my moment with erik today. sheesh, i don't understand why this kid likes a struggle and a fight, but he does, and he wanted to fight today. fighting meaning trying to get a reaction from the person in charge, because 7 year olds think they get to make all decisions. well, here's a wake up call : you don't. the end. however today, erik chose not to listen and run away after the hoarse au pair asked him nicely to come change out of his sweat pants and sweat shirt in 93 degree weather. after hearing that it was too hot for sweats and the possibility of heat stroke, he gave me that look saying, "you wanna go?" and i'm thinking, "oh hell yeah, you wanna fight? let's go then." so the au pair chased him down and literally had to drag him into the house, which resulted in the usual "GO AWAY I NEVER WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN!!!" routine. ok, at least he's not in the heat anymore. so he went to go cool off in his room. a wise decision. few minutes later, he hears a knock on his door...and in my best swenglish as i could manage without being able to talk, i explained to him why it was not safe to play outside in his sweats. all he had to do, was change into shorts and a t-shirt, and we wouldn't have to fight about it, and he could have had so much more time to play. i told him that i don't want to find him laying in the woods or the street from passing out in the heat. it's dangerous and can make him very sick. finally, he understood that i was just trying to keep him safe, a lesson we have to teach him over and over again. he likes to think that we don't love him and only he knows what's best for him. heavy sigh. my day could have been better without the fight, but like i said, as much as an inconvenience as it is, you still have to carry out the duties of being a loving mom or caretaker.
then there was a sweet little emma moment. now emma is 4 and LOVES to be the helper! she was my little helper as i was making my first lemon meringue pie. i always let her add ingredients and she loves to blend or stir ´whatever we're making. i wasn't going to finish all the steps so i thanked her and told her that i would have to finish later after the kids were in bed. next thing you know, she has my face cupped in her hands as i'm holding her, making sure i was looking directly at her. it was almost nerveracking as she was so close and studying my face intently. i don't know if she was counting my freckles, checking out my zit, or perhaps just remembering. it was seriously one of the sweetest moments i've had with her. she even blew me kisses before being swept off to bed! sweetheart.
i've had so many of little moments, good and bad, that i wonder what they'll be like when i have my own kids one day. i can only expect them to be 10x greater! it's crazy, this adventure i'm on. as much as i love kids, i don't want any of my own for a long while still, for there is SO much i have to learn about life in general. but this is a wonderful opportunity and good practice for being a caring leader as a teacher, and a nurturing mom one day.
göteborg, it's been a long, sick, and happy day.
signed,
i need drugs to make this headache go away
Saturday, August 6, 2011
The Dreamer
"...and he fell into a sort of waking stupor in which his mind was as it is when a person sleeps but his dreams are composed by his open eyes."
~tinkers, paul harding~
great quote. great book. much meaning.
i remember taking psychology in highschool, and going through the chapter on dreams. it was one of my favorite parts because we had to keep a dream diary for about 10 days, where we had to write down our dreams as soon as we woke up. i had about 2...so dissappointing. i remember hearing about other people's dreams and thinking, "well that's intriguing, wish mine were that vivid." i also have a friend i lived with for a while and she had the craziest dreams, usually comical, and quite often. i think i sleep so hard that i don't give my mind a chance to remember any of the statistical 4 to 6 dreams per REM cycle the average person has a night.
but oh, i have LOTS of dreams. and like old george in the book tinkers, my dreams are also "composed by 'my' open eyes." some of them are realistic and dreams i am living now, and some, i will be honest and say that my head is in the clouds...but a girl's gotta dream!
dreams that have come true:
all in all though, i'm such a lover of life with SO many dreams, that i would be just as happy if only one of them comes true! i know my mind and heart will always be able to see and feel love and joy through the simplest things in life, and that i hope to always remain true, that i always keep my eyes open.
Dreamin'
Amos Lee
My soul,
is as open as the sky.
Often time,
it's just as blue.
People tell me,
I need to keep on dreamin'.
That's just what I'm gonna do.
Now everybody,
wanna treat me like a house fly.
Turn me around,
and tell me to shoo.
Wanna tell me,
keep on dreamin'.
That's just what I'm gonna do.
'Cause every moral,
has a story.
Every hand needs a glow.
Sometimes it's full of glory.
Oh, but mostly, it's for the love.
It's the love..
Mmm..
It's the love.
It's the love that pulls me through.
'Cause when they tell me,
keep on dreamin'.
Thats just what I'm, I'm gonna, thats just what I'm gonna do.
~tinkers, paul harding~
great quote. great book. much meaning.
i remember taking psychology in highschool, and going through the chapter on dreams. it was one of my favorite parts because we had to keep a dream diary for about 10 days, where we had to write down our dreams as soon as we woke up. i had about 2...so dissappointing. i remember hearing about other people's dreams and thinking, "well that's intriguing, wish mine were that vivid." i also have a friend i lived with for a while and she had the craziest dreams, usually comical, and quite often. i think i sleep so hard that i don't give my mind a chance to remember any of the statistical 4 to 6 dreams per REM cycle the average person has a night.
but oh, i have LOTS of dreams. and like old george in the book tinkers, my dreams are also "composed by 'my' open eyes." some of them are realistic and dreams i am living now, and some, i will be honest and say that my head is in the clouds...but a girl's gotta dream!
dreams that have come true:
- be an au pair. this is a 3 in 1 dream come true: be an au pair, live in another country for at least 6 months, and learn the language of that country.
- travel in europe. where i have been: spain (barcelona), germany (hammelberg, fussen, northeim), austria (driving through THE ALPS!!!!), italy, oh italy (tuscany: lucca, pisa, firenze).
- swim in as many oceans as i can. i have several to go, but i have swam in the atlantic, pacific, the mediterranean, tha north sea, and the baltic sea. my favorite coast is still the golden coast of california.
- dance in the rain in the middle of a football field. it was only 1 out of about 5 dates, and it didn't work out with the guy because he ended up a little creepy, but it was a movie moment for sure.
- be a rockstar! it was only for one night, but thanks to my partner jsherb, we made it happen and it was a blast! one night was all i needed.
- run a half marathon. i am currently training for my 5th and i think i'm hooked!
- go cave exploring. it was a one hour tour through "grotto del vento" in italy! coolest ever!
- win a volleyball tourney. i had a great team, it was 3 of us, grass courts, all day long, and a money prize and the end. it was bliss.
- write to a soldier. it felt like i was in "you've got mail", until i met him in person. plus he was in the marines. it just wasn't right and there was zero love, i can promise you that.
- i've been touched by a lemur! in stockholm, we visited the zoo,
- go sailing/learn to sail
- have my own sailboat
- retire on the coast of the mediterranean sea, preferably italy or spain mmm
- live on the east coast with just me and a dog (a golden retriever perhaps)
- travel in europe: i still have yet to see more of italy, like rome, venice, sicily...the UK (ireland, scotland, england), france (the french riviera, nice, the louvre, palace of versailles), amsterdam and the van gogh museum, turkey...
- go on an elephant safari
- explore the amazon
- learn to scuba dive
- see the great barrier reef
- swim with sharks
- run the golden gate bridge
- run a full marathon
- run the rock and roll half marathon series...all of them (i've only run virginia beach and san jose)
- go to austin city limits, also, maybe live in austin for bit
- get my masters degree
- settle in a great town with a great teaching job
- go on a mission trip
- go on a cruise
- find prince charming. my brothers pick on me for this one and think it would be too difficult to find a cowboy riding towards me with a guitar strapped to his back, carrying a sailboat on rope behind him...i honestly don't expect all of that...maybe just if he was interested in those things too ;)
- raise my own horse, on my own land, with my own barn...and a bunch of dogs and cats
- buy a piece of jewlry from tiffany's, but only in new york
all in all though, i'm such a lover of life with SO many dreams, that i would be just as happy if only one of them comes true! i know my mind and heart will always be able to see and feel love and joy through the simplest things in life, and that i hope to always remain true, that i always keep my eyes open.
Dreamin'
Amos Lee
My soul,
is as open as the sky.
Often time,
it's just as blue.
People tell me,
I need to keep on dreamin'.
That's just what I'm gonna do.
Now everybody,
wanna treat me like a house fly.
Turn me around,
and tell me to shoo.
Wanna tell me,
keep on dreamin'.
That's just what I'm gonna do.
'Cause every moral,
has a story.
Every hand needs a glow.
Sometimes it's full of glory.
Oh, but mostly, it's for the love.
It's the love..
Mmm..
It's the love.
It's the love that pulls me through.
'Cause when they tell me,
keep on dreamin'.
Thats just what I'm, I'm gonna, thats just what I'm gonna do.
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