Unpopluar Opinion of the Week. . .

MAKEUP DOESN'T MAKE YOU MORE BEAUTIFUL.

There. It's been said. And it's true. You don't need makeup to make you more beautiful. Sure, when makeup is applied correctly it can enhance your features. Stick with me -- there's a huge cliche on the way. Beauty comes from within. And the only reason I say that is because it's the truth.

I really believe that whatever is in your heart while shine through into your countenance.

Don't get me wrong -- I absolutely love makeup. I'm not saying that you can never wear makeup ever ever again. Really. For me it's more a matter of having confidence in myself that I look my best. But when it comes to an obsession, now that is where I have a problem.

"I have to have makeup on, I look ugly without it."

I really hate hearing that.

Really. Mostly because it's never true.

Jesus Christ is the best possible accessory you can ever wear.

~Rebekah

Cruising, Part One!

Almost exactly a month ago, I went on a cruise with my parents, and it was positively gloriously fabulous and I wish it didn't have to end! So I thought I'd share a little bit of the Caribbean sunshine and my little adventure with you!

Day One was the hustle and bustle of arriving at the terminal, checking in your bags, going through security, receiving your very own Carnival ID, getting on the actual ship and elbowing your way through the mob of people waiting for the elevators to arrive to deliver people to the appropriate floors, and searching through the windy hallways to locate your room. After that, the relaxation began! The three of us went onto the top deck after a quick buffet lunch to watch as the Carnival Conquest began moving out of the harbor and out to the ocean.

Daddy and I being goofy :)

Us three! It was a tad rainy, but we didn't mind one bit!

Day Two was a rainy day at sea. The water was rough, and the ship was rocking pretty badly. But we still kept ourselves entertained -- it's not very hard for us to do! That night, was the first elegant night! I absolutely adore dressing up. So I dusted off my prom dress and curled my hair. Trying to walk straight on a rocky boat is hard enough -- strap on a pair of 4-inch heels, then try it! Before dinner, Mom took me out and she snapped some pictures of me on deck right at sunset, which was breathtaking! The dining room is so fabulous. It's decorated with Parisian flair and the waiters are absolutely awesome. The food isn't too bad either! All through the evening, the Carnival photographers have backdrops and lighting set up all over the ship, so we had some professional portraits taken too! They aren't scanned in yet, so I'll share them another time -- but I must say, they are beautiful pictures!

Look at that hot bunch!

My adorable parents all dolled up!

Day Three {part one} was another day at sea, but the sun emerged! It was a gorgeous day, so we decided to lay out and read for the better part of the day! Serenity is the only word I can think of that will do justice to that feeling of lying on deck with a book in hand and watching the water flow all around you. Gosh, I miss it. Nothing monumental happened that day either, but that is not a bad thing to be honest. ;)

Days three {part two}, four, five, six and seven to come! :)

Surrender

While I was at Camp Eagle (WHICH ROCKED! But more on that later), I had a really deep conversation with God. Everyone in the camp was given a small wooden cross, and we were challenged to write something on the cross that God placed on our hearts. Mine was 'Surrender'. I tend to plan. A lot. And I really felt God telling me that I need to surrender to Him. To stop fighting Him, trying to get around Him. And it took a figurative knock on the head to figure out that that's impossible. He is my plan. My future.

Along with 'Surrender', I also wrote on my cross the words 'Love', 'Worship', 'Peace', 'Missions', and my favorite Bible verse, 2 Corinthians 12:9. 'Love' to remember to love people like Christ loved us. 'Worship' because I feel like God is telling me to worship Him with everything I do, every day. Every action, every word, every moment is in worship of Him, so I better straighten up. 'Peace' is what I've been told one of my spiritual gifts is. That whenever I talk to people, they calm down, become peaceful. I've even had a moment when I was comforting someone when they were super upset, and I had my hand on their back. I could physically feel peace flowing out of my fingers and into the person I was consoling. They stopped crying in minutes. It was one of the most amazing experiences I've ever had. God told me to continue to use this gift, for everyone and anyone who needs it. I realized that it's not my gift. It's His. I wrote 'Missions' on my cross because for as long as I can remember, I've always been pulled towards mission work. God told me that one day, I'll have my chance. He even told me where He wanted me to go. That was an intense moment. Last, I wrote 2 Corinthians 12:9 on my cross. "He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, my power is made perfect through weakness.' Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." I've always felt like my weaknesses are something to be ashamed of. That if people find out about them, that they'll judge me for them. Every time I read that verse, I feel strengthened that God is being glorified through my weakness. So in a way, they aren't weaknesses at all.

<3

HOPE

I haven't written anything in a while. I've been in a rut for the last couple of months, trying to dig my way out, but never finding the right foot-hole to boost myself up. Everyone has felt distant. Hope seemed lost. It was, for a while, I suppose. Nothing was important -- everything was just . . . there. Nothing grabbed my interest, not even reading my favorite book or working on my novel. Which made me feel even worse. I've had to work on having a good attitude.

It's hard to cry out for help when no one realizes you need it. You feel it's an inconvenience, just silly to tell someone you're feeling down and need a pick-me-up. If only I had friends that noticed when I was sad instead of complaining about their own small trifles. "I don't want to work over the holidays!" "My parents won't let me go to the club..." "My mom is so unfair, she took my car away from me." "The guy I like doesn't know I exist!" Why can't you realize that those problems are so petty? I've listened to you go on about stupid stuff for years, and given advice. I can tell when something is wrong with you when no one else notices.

Why couldn't you tell that I've been depressed for seven months? I'm a good actress, but I can't be that good. I may put on a strong facade, but inside, I'm weak and crumbling.

True friends should know when something is wrong without being told. Which means I must not have good friends here. And that really stinks.

It turns out though, I don't need them. After having a long conversation with God a couple nights ago, my eyes have been opened. The kind of strength I need to get out of this can only be provided by Him, and though it may take another month or two to be completely depression-free, I can feel my old self coming back. My soul has been awakened. The things that I loved are finally becoming the things I love again.

I never thought I would get out of it, let alone feel the weight on my shoulders lessen. I thought there would be no hope. But there is hope. He's called the Lord Jesus Christ. He died on the cross for us so many years ago so that we could have hope of a better life -- eternal life in Heaven with Him. Dream has always been my motto. But my new motto? Hope. With Him, you will always have hope. All you have to do is surrender your life to Him.

So. One last time for all the other depressed teens out there.

There is hope.

Believe that.

He will pull you through whatever it is you're going through.

Take it from a girl who has been through it. I know where you are. And it can be so much better than what you're feeling right now. He is the only hope you have.

A Provincial Life. . .

I'm going to quote my absolute favorite movie.

"And for once it might be grand, to have someone understand, that I want so much more than they've got planned. . . "

"There must be more than this provincial life. . . "

Yep. My feelings in a nutshell. Beauty and the Beast is pretty much my life. . . well, up to the being the odd one out and not being accepted in society. I'm still waiting on the whole falling in love part. Yeaaaah. I'm probably most similar to Belle out of all the Disney Princessess. . . although none of my friends really realize it. Well, more like a cross between her and Ariel. . . but that's beside the point ;)

I feel like my life is too cookie-cutter right now. Monotonous. That people just put me in a category without really knowing me. The nerdy girl, book-reader, story writer. The unsociable one. I want out of that stereotype so badly. But how do I get out of it without trying to be a completely different person? The answer? Trick question. I can't.

How do I tell people that my plans for me are different then theirs?

I honestly don't know. If you do, please let enlighten me.

This is pretty rambly. . . but I mainly need to just blow off some steam.

:)
W.G.

I Don't Understand . . .

I don't understand . . .
Why the wind blows so fiercely
Why the waves crash so
Why the flowers die when spring is gone.

But most of all . . .
How God still loves us after all we've done
Why this heart-wrenching feeling won't go
Why guys must toy with a girl's emotions so

What I understand most is . . .
Why chocolate tastes so sweet
Why books are an amazing feat
Why love makes a girl fly above the clouds
Why we're surrounded by endless love

Am I a "Southern" Belle?

Okay. That title might be misleading. I really don't mean a southern belle, but a southern Belle as in the Beauty and the Beast Belle. I mean, think about it.

I'm always the outcast. I'm stuck in a tiny country town. Every day is the exact same. I prefer to hang with my parents instead of other people. Okay, I've never had a flock of guys drooling over me, or a jerk determined to marry me, but still. I'm independent (as a girl my age can). I want adventure and true love.

But here's the kicker; I don't know if I'm going to ever going to get out of here. I want to travel, I want to experience new things. I don't want monotony, I want spontaneity. Maybe that's why I write. To escape from everything here. Okay, maybe I'm being extreme. It's honestly not that bad. I know I'm extremely blessed with my life and the people in it, but I just want . . .

Change?

Maybe that's it. I don't know.

I just noticed the similiarities and got to thinking. I've been doing that a lot lately. Wondering into deep and off-topic thought. Thought I would share this one. Ha. Like you guys even care ;)

WG