Just take that first step...

Well hello, everyone! :) So... It's a beautiful Sunday morning, my Huskers won yesterday, and it has been a nice relaxing weekend; can't complain! Once again, I was looking at quotes, imagine that and I found a lot of good ones like usual, but the one I want to share is by Martin Luther King, Jr.

"Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase."

 

Everyone gets scared in life, because none of us really know where we are going. None of us know our actual purpose do we? Every single one of us are in the same situation, but we all act as if we are the only ones going through this. No one can see the whole picture, no one except for God, that is. We can't see the "whole staircase," but yet some of us still accomplish so much. How will we get anywhere in life if we never go outside of our comfort zone?

 

Oh_and NEVER compare your life to someone else's. Come on...none of us have the same journey in life and yes, some people may have an easier one, but that also means God knew you were strong enough to handle yours. He doesn't give any of us anything we cannot handle.

 

It's just ONE step at a time. Have a little faith and take some chances in life. How can you have any regrets if you are going after everything you dreamed of? The only regret you will have is not going after what you wanted.

 

Decide now what life you want and where you want to go. Decide now if you want the life you dream of.

 

:) Have a great day!

 

-love-

  dan

Stars...

Okay...sooo I've been kinda slacking pretty bad lately. I've had plenty I wanted to talk about, I just haven't had the motivation. So much has happened this past month, it's been crazy_ crazy, crazy, crazy!!!! One of my favorite things to do, like most girls, is to browse Pinterest! :) ...not just that... QUOTES...I love finding new ones!

"Stars can't shine without darkness." I love it! ...It's just like "...learning to dance in the rain..." Without bad days how could you ever have any good days? If everyday were good, would it actually be that great? If everything went the way we wanted it to, would we actually try and accomplish all we are capable of? Probably not!

 I know personally that I would not be where I am if things went great for me right out of highschool...  If I hadn't torn my ACL in highschool...well I could have done without that, but I would have then joined the Army, instead of the Air Force and missed out on the many opportunities I accomplished later and the absolutely amazing people I met along the way!_If everything worked out how I expected, I would still be with my first boyfriend or the next one and so on... no offense...but no thanks.Some of those ended pretty badly and caused some heartache, but I would have never learned what I truly deserve. There are soooo many things I would have preferred not going through, but without all of that darkness... I wouldn't have seen any light. I wouldn't have accomplished so much. I wouldn't have appreciated my accomplishments so much!

It's hard looking around sometimes and seeing other people live, what looks like, an easy life. I do believe other people 'have it all'...get through life so much easier, but I also know that everyone has their own obstacles as well. We shouldn't compare our lives to someone else's anyway.... God created us all in His own image. He created us all with a specific purpose. God knows all of our stories, He is writing every single one of them, so why in the world do I want someone else's story?? I shouldn't... but sometimes... I do. I should trust in the Lord and be satisfied with His work...and I try. We should all try a little harder to be more satisfied with what we have. It's great to have goals and dreams, but don't forget of the things you do have while you are going after the things you want! :)

Stars are one of the most beautiful things!! I love living in the country... LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it!!! :D I don't have to squint really hard to see those stars... unless it's super cloudy, I get to see them every night or morning! Hehe _But could you imagine... a night sky without any stars?? How boring would that be? Just...BLACK! ...but like it says.. you can't see those stars without the darkness! ..I don't see anyone laying out during the day to look at them!

Just stay postive and have a little faith... You will get where you are going. PATIENCE is key! :) Have a great day/night!! :) God bless!!

-love-
  dan

but as for me... I will always have hope!

So...last week or so I wrote about finally getting back to school. Well!!! Change of plans!! It seems all I am doing is going back and forth and it's quite tiring, but finally I found out when I am going back to training.. I should be happy. I am happy. BUT... I'm a little sad too, scared even. I was so ready for this so how can I be scared? I was getting so used to the fact of nothing happening, that I think I convinced myself it never would. ..I'm scared not because I can't do it, but because I am worried I forgot everything I need to know. ...I'm scared because this will be the first time I'm not home for Thanksgiving..or Christmas. _I can't complain about that!! Most of my AF friends had to miss many holidays with their familes already...and probably many more. That right there though may be the hardest thing I will ever have to do. It's too bad I can't take all of the people I love with me!! ..That would be one large suitcase!! :) One I am willing to invent!! Hehe!

I am so happy though... FINALLY.. I will be moving forward with my life, not just sitting around  working my life away. The AF changed my life and I don't want to be done with it. I've met the most amazing people and I can't wait to meet many more. I'm so happy I will get to put that uniform back on! :) SOOO HAPPY!! This is what I wanted... but naturally my emotions are all mixed up, there is good and bad in most situations.

I just have to keep in mind that I won't be stationed there forever. It's just a few months.. and I have done it before! My friends and family will always be here... and they will do just fine without me. ..and I need to remember that as long as I have God, I will not fail. Because of Him I was given a second chance, this is how He planned my life. I mentioned in another post that maybe I am where I am because it's where I need to be... maybe the time for that is about up and then it is time for me to be somewhere else. Like... MISSISSIPPI! :) I've never been to there before!! What a great experience it will be!! :D AND... I have a few friends there! YAY!!

 

Sometimes you are delayed where you are because there is a storm where you were headed. Everywhere God takes me is for a reason... that gives me hope! That gives me the strength and courage to do what I need to do. God gives me the strength and the courage! :) Besides... people are just people... why am I so worried about everything...they shouldn't make me nervous, because really, I'm only scared of making mistakes and not doing everything perfect,  but...I already know I'm not perfect. And worrying will never change the outcome, so what's the point?

I know what I want to do in life. I want to protect people...I want to protect my country. "You can't fall if you don't climb, but there's no joy in living your whole life on the ground." I could be like a lot of people I know and spend my whole life on the ground... but hey...I LOVE heights!! Why in the world would I want to stay down on the ground?? I did something most of the people back here haven't..it was emotionally and physically tough, but I made it just fine. I could have decided to be something around home..that wasn't so hard, but if you don't invest very much, then defeat doesn't hurt very much, and winning isn't very exciting. ...I want to win, but I don't want anything handed to me ALL the time. If you don't work for your accomplishments, then how can you claim the accomplishment as your own? I've worked my butt off to get where I am. Even though it may have sucked at times, I still accomplished it because I didn't give up.

I am so excited for this chance and I look forward to my new journey!! One other thing I will be sure to keep in mind .... My God is bigger than any problems I face!He is much, much bigger!! :) God bless! I pray every one of you continue with your dreams as well! :)

-love-
  dan

A girl's best friend..

 

 

 

Maggie - her happy self!

It has taken me a while to post a blog... I've had plenty to say, I just couldn't bring myself to do it.. Last Wednesday, August 22, my long time friend/pup died. We knew it was coming_ she was getting old, but I guess I was never prepared enough for the heartbreak it left me.

It all started about.... 14 some years ago. (we aren't completely sure when we got her) ..But my aunt and uncle lived in Ashland, Nebraska and they owned a basset hound. ...They received a phone call one night and someone asked them if they were missing their dog. Nope. It wasn't there dog. ...A few days later they called back again and asked if they wanted to take the dog or else it was gonna be put down. WHAT?!?! ...they were gonna put down a perfectly healthy dog? :( How awful! So soon after they received her, we came down to visit. I was about 8 which would make Nick about 6... OF COURSE WE WANTED HER!!! :D Sooo we took her home. I can remember very vividly the ride home, how we were trying to pick out a name. Maggie it was.  ...What baffles my mind though is_ Who honestly wouldn't want her? Who in the world would just dump her on the side of the rode and leave? It was a busy highway...it was no accident.

That thoughtless act, however, gave me one of the best dogs I could ever imagine! ...  her, Nick, and I went on many adventures together. Too many to write about here... we created some amazing  memories together. It was the three of us who went out to the pond and fell through because Nick and I had to save her, of course. :) We went in the trees all the time... she made us feel safe. It was funny too..everytime my family and I went camping we had to take her along, she wouldn't have it any other way... and when we were out on the jet skis, so was she. :) Can you imagine? A little basset hound riding a jet ski! hehe .... Every day my brother and I would get on the bus, she was right there waiting with us. When the bus took off I saw her run the other direction to grandma's! :) ...and then she knew approximately when we got home from school, because she would say goodbye to grandma and come running home to us! She really, really loved us. We were her people.

Then...one day my mom, dad, Nick, and I were eating supper.. I was in 6th grade.. my dad was terribly sick at the time.. and a kid came to the door and told us he had hit our Maggie. She was just lying there... and I thought that was it. Then... ten minutes later... she popped her head up. It was a miracle to me. She had survived and lived for another ten or so years! That dog was meant to be in my family's life. When my brother and I went through good or bad... she was there for almost all of our tragedies.

Maybe you don't care about my story, but I'm sure most of you have your own with a pet. Isn't it crazy how much you love them? How a dog or cat can be your best friend? How much a dog can truly love you? They devote their lives to us.. they know love more than we do, I think. I knew one day this would happen... but I guess I never thought one day would actually get here. or perhaps..I was HOPING it would never get here.

All she ever did was love us...never hate. When you get mad at your pets, they are sad, but then... they still love you!  I just pray she is great and healthy and happy now. All dogs go to Heaven right?? How could they not? So innocent. <3 They know not what they do wrong.

 Gunther (my pup), Suzie Q (Nick's pup) and Maggie (family pup)

They were best friends! :) and Abby (kitty, not pictured) hehe

Thanks for your time...and if anyone else is saddened over a loss of a pet, it will all be okay... they will be okay. :)

-love-
 dan

Unexpected Kindness...

Yay! Finally, back to school... I'm not sure what is more exhausting though. My day full of classes or my 12 hour day at work?? I'm beat... One plus to this arrangement is the fact that I can sleep in a little and then wake up to watch the news before I head to my first class. This morning they talked about a 30-year-olds dying wish.

His name was Aaron Collins and his brother, Seth described him as "he was the type of person that took great joy in unexpected kindness." Aaron's request: "Leave an awesome tip (and I don't mean 25%. I mean $500 on a f***ing pizza) for a waiter or waitress." Not only did they leave $500...there generosity turned into about a $50,000 charity.  How awesome is that?? First.. he inspired his family to do something like that...and then can you imagine the impact it left on those who received it?? They couldn't believe it... that sort of thing never or rarely ever happens.

I am sick and tired... and I will emphasize that even more... SICK AND TIRED of hearing that this world is awful, no one has any respect anymore, it is all about hate. Look around darlin'...There is plenty of love in this world. What the young man did...that was love. It proves there are good people. Not only a few either... you just have to start looking for the positive instead of the negative. ...Last Christmas I was sitting in a drive thru during my lunch break ..I heard the girl at the window tell the woman in the vehicle in front of me that the person in front of her had paid for her meal. I remember hearing her ask..."but why would they do that?" I know why...Because they are good hearted people too!! :) Witnessing something like that made my heart smile... And kindness is very contagious! I wanted to do that too!! It inspired me... So... I did it ... I don't even know the reaction of that person..but I pray it made there day!

"The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow, do good
anyway. Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough, give
your best anyway. For you see, in the end, it is between you and God. It
was never between you and them anyway." -Mother Theresa

 You never know what someone is going through... If you do some unexpected kindness, people may not remember your name, or what you look like...but they will never forget how you made them feel! Maybe that person was just about to give up hope, maybe they just lost their job, lost the custody battle for their child...maybe they just woke up on the wrong side of the bed. One small act of kindness can do some wonderful things in someone's life.

"Be kind and compassionate to one another..." -Ephesians 4:32

It's much more than giving away money. Try telling someone you like their hair or shoes or eyes. Perhaps they are lonely and just want someone to talk to. Better yet... you probably try something as simple as a smile. Those things go a long way! :)

Don't be selfish, think of other people's needs AS WELL AS your own! :) You could make a huge difference!
<3 God bless

-love-
  dan

Could I make that sacrifice?

Good evening everyone!! Lately there seems to be a lot of negative emotion in the world, with all the shootings, death, hate.. Perhaps I am just noticing it more because I am growing up. Surely it isn't any different than any other time in the past. This past weekend I read in People Magazine about the shooting in Colorado...about the people who lost their lives..about the brave souls who gave up their life for the ones they loved! The other thing that got me thinking about all this is a song by Keith Urban, "For You."

Well, all I saw was smoke and fire...
I didn't feel a thing.
But suddenly I was rising higher...
And I felt like I just made... the biggest mistake.
When I thought about my unborn child...
When I thought about my wife...
And the answer rang out CLEAR from somewhere up above

No greater gift has man, then to lay down his life for Love.

And I wondered, would I give my life?
Could I make that sacrifice?
If it came down to it, could I take the bullet... I would
Yes I would, For You

Could I make that sacrifice? Ever since I was really little I have asked myself that. YES! I could... and I would. In fact, that is one reason why I want to be a cop and a soldier. So if the time came, I could be there to protect the ones I love. I have fears like anyone...snakes, needles, the dark, failing... dying is not one of them. In seventh grade I overcame my fear of death. I decided then, by myself, what and who I truly believed in. I now know where I am going.. maybe having that knowledge gives me the courage. No matter what happens to my Earthly body, my happily ever after lies beyond the gates of Heaven.

My mom and I were talking about this the other day. We were talking about whether or not we would risk our life for the ones we loved.. OF COURSE..without a doubt we would. Then..would we risk our life for a stranger? ... Yes... I would give my life for anyone else... yes, anyone. A complete stranger. My brother. My parents. My best friend. My "not so good" acquaintances. Why? ..because I care way too much about people... all of my friends and family mean the world to me. If something happened to any of them my heart would be broken... and that's why I would give my life for a stranger. Because if something happened to them...their friends and families hearts would be broken as well... so if it was up to me to prevent their pain, I would. I pray that I never have to make that decision, that I am never in that situation, but my decision will forever stay the same. :)

I'm not trying to make it seem like you are a bad person or anything if you wouldn't. We are all built differently.. I feel like I have a rare courage that many may lack. That doesn't make you weak if you question it or if you are incapable. Everyone has a different job in life... different jobs require different abilities. But.. could you make that sacrifice?

Don't think about it too much :) And have a great night! God bless!

-love-
  dan

"For You"-Keith Urban

*Check out this song... it is AWWWWESOMEEEE!!! :)
  


It helps me learn...

Soo..the hardest thing for me to do right now, is to write without making people mad... I'm starting to realize how much of the world doesn't agree with me and I'm starting to not care. My mom always tells me, "who cares what other people think." .."If they were your friends, they wouldn't care." Ahhhhh!!! I LOVE MY MOM! ...she and I, well we don't always see eye to eye, perhaps for the soul reason... I AM my mother's daughter. We are too much alike, mostly stubborn! :) ...but even so, she is my biggest fan! :)) She is there for me when no one else is.

Yesterday for example... I just got a new pink/camo hat!! Yay! I love it! ...camo and pink :) Well anyway.. I wore it yesterday and I was told it doesn't look good on me.... :(((( WHAT?? I was like gee thanks... but it bothered me all day! So, of course, I told my mom... she said... "you look amazing in hats, you know that" ... and then.."wear it again tomorrow since they don't like it!" :D great idea mom! ...if someone doesn't like something you wear or do, wear it or do it anyway if that is what you want! Why did I let that ONE person ruin my day? It's funny how much I grew over the years though...I used to care, but now.. the story is changing.

But why I originally decided to write this is because many times..I speak of God. I by NO means, mean to offend anyone! ...I talk about God because it makes me feel better. It helps me understand His word more. It helps me learn...A lot of people feel that if someone talks about God that you are forcing the information on them. YES, when I speak of God, I want the people listening to believe.. I really do, but I don't think you are a bad person if you don't.  I don't think I am any better just because I do believe. I have had people say..."well Christians think their beliefs are the only right ones."..WELL...let's think this one through... If you believe in something doesn't that mean you think you are right?? Why would you believe in something you aren't sure of? Haha that actually makes me laugh...people get soooo aggravated when God is mentioned... when they hear His name the conversation is over. Why in the world am I such a bad person for spreading His word, when other people aren't "bad" for telling me to shut up?? ...does it not go both ways...or will I constantly be in this world where I will never win?

...Then I start to realize why I am the one being ridiculed for my beliefs.. this world is full of sin. OF COURSE, the belief of God is gradually getting lower and lower.. hanging by a small thread that Satan created... I see hate every single day... just how people act towards one another at work even... It is disgusting.  I see people mocked every day because they say something about God..... Oh the wonderful joys of growing up... and moving out there into the world. ..In my little small town, USA I never saw what I do now. I was sheltered for sure, but I love that sheltered life.. It gets overwhelming because everyone knows your business, but at least, for the most part, you are respected here.

I guess what I am trying to say... everyone has their own opinions and beliefs..THAT'S GREAT!! ..but don't hate people because of theirs. Don't be close minded. "Never, ever apologize for anything that makes you happy" << My beliefs make me happy!! They are what get me through the day! ...I hear stuff that makes me think all the time... maybe someone has a better point than I do... These posts may not help anyone but myself..but then again, who am I living for? ...myself and God. Judge me if you must, but I know who the real judge is! :) Plus... "those who matter don't mind and those who mind don't matter!" ;) ...Goodnight!

-love-
  dan