new year's goals and other such ramblings

this year i have quite a few of them!

1. drink more water, drink less soda. Eat more veggies and run more.

2. build up the courage and run track again.

3. read more.

4. become a better blogger and get to 100 followers!

5. work on core/abs strength. 

6. be a better secret-keeper. (i know this sounds terrible, but sometimes a secret gets

leaked to even just one person, and i want people to know that if they trust me with a 

secret, it will remain as if no one was ever told.)

and for my biggest project of the year:

7. i'm going to start a project called "365: a sketch a day" where i try to sketch

every day possible. (but really it will probably be about 340 because of two missions

trips in the summer). i just figure that since i'm planning on majoring in art, 

i should be a little better at drawing. so hopefully i'll do periodic posts about my better sketches.

of course, with all of these, i will be trying to grow in my faith, love for the Lord, patience and biblical love. and i pray that all of you will too! 

... now comes the part where i brag about my christmas presents. ;)

from adelle, now hanging by my bed to keep me dreaming for years to come. love it. love her more. 

some totally  a d o r a b l e  chicken feather earrings from Em! how cool is that?! i absolutely love them. and her! :)

the hunger games mockingjay pin. oh. yes. (i didn't actually get the book, i just figured it was more interesting than my hand)

my yearly calendar in audrey form once again! :)

my tiffin!!!

i am in love. but i still need an adventure to take it on. or at least somewhere to go to eat lunch.

from anthropologie!! we found it on super crazy reduced clearance and i fell in love.

I also got an awesome artist beret hat from lib that makes me feel like i'm in france. and cam gave me one of the coolest presents ever, but i didn't take a picture, so i may tell you about that later.

what did you get for Christmas?

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did i ever tell you that i like the hunger games? well i do. i couldn't remember if i mentioned it or not. ;)
anywho, there's a song from the movie that's out and i just adore it. it's kind of sad, but i keep listening to it over and over again. you can listen to it here.

Have a wonderful evening, and read a book by candlelight for me, would ya?
I think i will.


Sending love and hugs,

Lou

{a ramble about our gifts}

Whether we realize it or not, God has given every one of us gifts. Some people are great at sports or music, others are really outgoing and friendly. Some are great at dancing, theater, singing, cooking, or so many other things! But sometimes we simply can't see the gift that has been given to us. We focus too much on the talents and abilities given to others, that we become jealous and discontent and can't see that we are special in our own way. 

You see, I have a problem. And it's really quite a big problem. The gifts that I have been given are all in the creative realm. I love to create- everything from a drawing, a cake, a knitted sock, or a photo, to a piano piece, a song and dance, or a blog post. The problem is that I feel like I have to be the best at everything. No matter what it is, I always have to work the hardest or be the greatest. And I've really struggled with this lately, because there are simply too many things I want to do, and not enough time to do them. Which is probably a good thing. See, this problem is not really anything too complex or unheard of... it's called pride. There, I said it. Yes, it is a mixture of perfectionism and pride, and not being humble enough to be teachable and realize that there are other people who enjoy the same things I like, and just let them shine. I need to be more loving in the sense that I am not so self-seeking that jealousy, rather than joy creeps up in me when I see others excelling at something. See, I told you this was a bad problem. So I am sorry if I have acted this way towards any of you. I truly am. And I am ready to let this pride go so that I can rejoice with those who are talented and find something they enjoy. This was hard to write, but it was good to get it out of me. Thank you for reading. I hope and pray that if any of you can't see the gifts you've been given, that you would realize that God loves you so much, and made you in His image, and you are special.  "I will praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made!"{Psalm 139:14}

{completely random picture}

I'm off to take a long walk now. Have a marvelous day!

Much Love and a hug,

Lindsey Nicole