Embrace

Happy New Year!

A week into the new year and I am still feeling all the warm fuzzies and excitement for all this year is sure to bring.

A new year is the perfect time for a fresh start.
You have a blank page to write your story, your way.
It is a time most of us think about bettering ourselves.

Did you set goals for yourself this year?
Did you make a resolution?
Are you looking forward to something in 2017?

This year my goal is to live everyday with intention, where my "yes" means "yes" and "no" means "no." Being honest with everyone including myself is so important for growth. I want to take chances and not be afraid of falling. I want to kick fear in the face and not letting anyone or anything tell me I can't do something!  I want to love myself and be proud of my accomplishments. I want stop comparing my chapter 1 to other's chapter 10, it isn't a race, we are all human and our journeys are suppose to look different. This is my year to be me! To be proud of all that I am, and excited for all that I can be. I am responsible for my choices and reactions so I choose to make this the best year yet.

My word of the year is going to be embrace.  I am going to embrace all that is around me and learn to truly love and appreciate the life and opportunities that I have and will be given. Most importantly I am going to embrace myself.  I am going to learn to love my imperfections and see that all those imperfections is what makes me beautiful inside and out.

We all have room for improvement or goals we have only been dreaming about.  Every year, month, week, day, hour, and moment is a chance to start again and make yourself better. Don't let one bad day ruin your week, or even a bad hour ruin your day. If you haven't made a plan to reach your goals or didn't make a resolution on January 1st, there is still time to get started.

Wishing you all a happy, healthy, and productive 2017!

Love for All

#PrayForDallas

I write with a heavy heart today. This country {and world} that I love, is falling apart in front of my eyes.  People I love are full of fear not love.  We are fighting violence with violence.  
We have forgotten how much more powerful it is to love. 

We were all made different but beautiful. We shouldn't have to hide behind "normal" because of fear. Be proud of who you are and the story you are writing and then be the change this world needs. I challenge you {and myself} to embrace someone that looks, prays, lives, or loves differently than you, because the closer we are to someone the more love we will have for them. Glennon over at Momastry had it right when she said, 

 "Hate is fear and fear can't survive proximity. So let's get close to each other. Eye to eye. To really see and know a person is to love her. And perfect love casts out fear."

We shouldn't have to specify that "any lives matter" because of course they do! We are all a son, daughter, brother, sister, nephew, niece, grandson, granddaughter, husband, wife, father, mother, or friend to someone that loves us.

Everyone deserve love.

Everyone deserve respect.

Everyone deserves to be treated fairly.

We ALL matter.

Labels. They are being used to divide us and drive hate. Just because I wear a "white" and "Catholic" label doesn't mean that I am racist and conservative. All blacks aren't criminals, all immigrants aren't here illegally, and all police officers aren't bad.  Remember, ignorance comes in all colors.

Hate is a choice.  Hate is something we learn. So, how about we start teaching love? Teach by example and let's finally drive out hate with love!

Don't hold back, love like you have never loved before!

Anyone up for a love mob? Is that even a thing? If not, let's be the first.

Love. Love wins.