The cold wind warms me up.

There is something about the early cold morning that familiarizes me with my past, or brings me back to my existence in this country far from home. I guess I never really experienced autumn anywhere else but here in the states. The crisp winter air reminds me of how lonely I am or rather how I am alone out here far from my family and dear friends. I somehow warm up to these thoughts; I enjoy the feeling of being on my own and cIinging onto God to trust him in bringing me out here in the cold. I feel more alive when I can feel the sun warming my face in the bitter cold. It makes me more in tune with the harshness of this life and makes me yearn for my family and childhood days. The past three winters in grad school have been dark, and have numbed me in ways that I needed to be, only so that I could learn to use the cold to warm my heart in other ways. Many times, I did not want to be living in my thoughts of what-ifs, but wanted to live in the moment . This Fall, I am embracing the cold back into my life.

The Memory Keeper gets broken easily..

Amen!

                                   You've got to understand God wants to

                                   do things that you've never seen before.

                                   He wants to pour out His favor in

                                   unusual and extraordinary ways.

                                                                              -Joel Osteen

Guarding your heart -Tyler Perry

I was fighting with this for a while. Thank you for sharing again, Eggi, I loved it.

Hey --,

If you can get this, this will change your life… I was out taking my morning run. I love how still it is when I’m running. I can hear clearly and really commune with God. I wanted to share this with you. It’s a lesson I had to learn.

One of the keys to success is to be able to guard your heart. Now, usually when someone says guard your heart they are talking about keeping yourself from heartbreak. Although that is important (as long as you don’t go overboard... but that’s another conversation) that isn’t what I’m talking about. When we are born into this world we enter with such a pure heart but as we grow older situations, circumstances and people tend to make us change. Now I know it is nearly impossible to keep a childlike innocence in our hearts all of our lives, especially after people have betrayed, lied, mistreated and downright been the devil. Trust me when I tell you, I have seen it all. I have been there big time. If you’re like me you’ve been there too. But if this is your situation I want you to know two very important things about those moments of heartbreak. Number one, learn the lesson in it. See how it will work together for your good, because it will. Once you do, it’s easier to forgive and move on. Secondly, and this is just as important as the first one, you must not let that person or people change your heart. What do I mean by that? Well, if you are a giver and someone you have given to misuses your gift, don’t stop giving… just give to someone else. If you are a person that loves people and someone you love hates you, don’t stop loving… love someone else. Eventually, you will find people who appreciate your kindness and your love. Remember this, lots of people have been conditioned to not be able to accept purity of heart. They can’t take it in. Most times it’s not even their fault. It’s just what has happened to them on their journey in life. But don’t let them turn you into one of them. There will be a lot of people in your life who will not appreciate your pureness of heart. If they hurt you don’t stop being you… just be you with someone else.

Why is this so important? Because God blesses you according to what is in your heart. If you are being kind, giving, loving and sharing because it is in your heart and you are not looking for anything in return, then that is a heart that God wants to bless. If you change who you are because you’ve been hurt, then you’ve changed the thing that God wants to bless you according to, and that is your heart. The people who hurt you are not worth that. You can lose everything that you have, but don’t let anybody change your heart.

Mom made me Run and Dad made it happen.

In dedication to my parents on my b'day  : )

I ran the race for the unconditional love of two individuals, and not for someone’s game. I ran to remember my parents’ sacrifices and their hope that one day I can feel their love in my hardest situation and not give up. I ran because I knew pain would be worse if I lived in their shoes. I ran because they disciplined me with whatever strength and love they could give to their six children. While dad was fighting wars so that he could support his children's dreams, Mom made me run with her in the mornings. I run because every race is a challenge to overcome the bitter moments and finish strongly. I will run for those who have had unforgivable moments in life with God and yet,  gained their faith and moved on bravely facing the hostile world ahead. The race I run will be my reminder of these people and a victory over things that have brought me down.