Wordy Wednesday

It's Wednesday.  For many, it's one of the busier days of the week.  You realize all the work that must be done before Friday.  Maybe you have commitments in the evening that tie you up.  Maybe you are just tired after a couple long days at work.  

Regardless, Wordy Wednesday here at 'The Sunset Won't' is a quote, short passage or verse that I enjoy and I want to pass along to you.  Today's quotes are from two different TV shows, each quote dealing with paths and choices that define who you are.  Enjoy.

Everyone's got their own path. Some are only just beginning, while others end all too soon. However you do it, the fact is, the path you're on, the choices you make, define who you are. Choices. They're the building blocks or our lives, they shape our past, present and future. And despite all the mistakes I've made, every new day brings with it new choices and their whole new world of possibilities.  

-Being Erica

It's a choice.  That you make every day.  About who you want to be.  And who you want to be it with.  It means appreciating what's happened in your life to bring you to this point.  And letting go of it.  And it means being willing to commit with no guarantees.  It means knowing and expecting reality you just might get the fantasy you always dreamed about. 

-Life UnExpected

A Part of a List That's Part of a List

One thing on my list of 101 Things to do in 1001 was to answer the "50 Questions That Will Free Your Mind."  The questions have no right or wrong answer.  Because sometimes asking the right questions is the answer.  Here are some of the questions and my responses:

Which is worse, failing or never trying?

a.    Failing.  I really don’t like failing.  I am a perfectionist and I would rather not try than do something I would fail at.

If life is so short, why do we do so many things we don’t like and like so many things we don’t do?

a.    We often do things we believe we have to do.  We do things we don’t like because we think it is expected of us.  We like things that we don’t do because what if we did them and failed or they turned out not to be as good as we thought.

If happiness was the national currency, what kind of work would make you rich?

a.    Working with children or music.  Luckily I chose to be a teacher, and trust me, it’s not for the money. :)

If the average human life span was 40 years, how would you live your life differently?

a.    If I had less than 20 years left I would trust a little easier, love a little harder, talk a little less, do a little more.

What’s something you know you do differently than most people?

a.    I know that I organize a lot of things differently that most people.  I color code almost everything (to-do lists, notes, calendars).  My movies are alphabetized.  Books are sorted by author and then alphabetized.  I even have running lists of books and movies I own. 

How come the things that make you happy don’t make everyone happy?

a.    Because if the same things made everyone happy there would be no individuality.  Being different is what makes us special.

Why are you, you?

a.    I am me because of my ancestors who came before me.  I am me because of my family and the way I was raised.  I am me because that is who God made me to be.

Why do religions that support love cause so many wars?

a.    Because those involved in the war are human.  And humans are not perfect.  We are flawed.  We often twist pieces of our religions to support our wars.

So, how would you answer some of these questions?

Jar of Patience

I thought I wanted to move.  To get away from what I feel 'defines' me.  You grow up surrounded by expectations and you rise to meet them.  I feel like I grew up fast.  I often feel 'older' than my years.  So my thinking was that if I moved, I could start over.  Not totally reinvent myself, but do a little tweaking that I don't feel like I can do here.  But then...

... I got involved at my church with the high school youth.  I love it.  I love the kids and I really enjoy working with the other leaders.  I am really liking the direction the Youth Group is going.  So I don't know if I want to leave.  As soon as I started to feel this way I decided to email the school district of the last application I have yet to hear from, near where I live. 

I got an email back saying there was no opening.  Translation: either they filled it and didn't tell me, or the teacher decided not to leave, and they didn't tell me.  I was devastated.  That was my last hope of staying in the area.  So I had a bit of a pity party with my friend Hagan Daz.  It was a good time.  I had faith, have faith, that I will end up where I am supposed to.  But that jar of patience is getting mighty low.  So late that night I took out my bible and searched through some of the devotions and found these:

Both the steps and stops of our lives are ordered by the Lord.  

The important thing is for us to follow where he leads.

Don't mess up your life with do-it-yourself projects when God has promised the very best for you.

I realized that I need to just take a step back.  Have a little faith.  Eventually the jar of patience will be refilled.  I was trying to make my own path without help.  He has a plan for me (though a sneak peak would be greatly appreciated!) and I need to wait.  At some point all will be revealed.  That perhaps this stop in my life has some meaning behind it.  There is a purpose to my waiting.

The next morning I found a middle school position opening nearby.  I would prefer high school, but hey, beggars can't be choosers.  This morning I had a pre-screening interview with a school district in Virginia.  A LONG way from home.  But I love when I have visited the East Coast.  The conversation went really well.  Who knows what that means.  It sounds like they interview a lot of people.  But the women told me the phone interview does put me ahead of the curve.

So now, I wait.  And wait.  And wait some more.  Staring at that jar of patience as it empties.  I stand waiting for a replacement jar.  I hope and pray that a job will be offered to me soon. I want to teach.  I want to get in the classroom and work with students.  I loved my student teaching experience, and all the subbing I did.  This is the career for me.  Now I just need a fantastic school district to see that!

Remember to live your life the best you can.  Tell the people you love, that you love them.  Take a minute to enjoy the day.  Little things in life can wait, the sunset won't.

Wordy Wednesday

It's Wednesday.  For many, it's one of the busier days of the week.  You realize all the work that must be done before Friday.  Maybe you have commitments in the evening that tie you up.  Maybe you are just tired after a couple long days at work.  

Regardless, Wordy Wednesday here at 'The Sunset Won't' is a quote, short passage or verse that I enjoy and I want to pass along to you.  This weeks quotes come from an episode of the tv show Inside the Actor's Studio.  The following are from the episode in which Dave Chappelle was interviewed.  While the name Chappelle may not sound like one that would have serious inspiration, I was surprised by the message behind some of his words.

"The worst thing to call someone is crazy.  Its dismissive.  'I don't understand this person... so they're crazy'.  That's bullshit.  People are not crazy.  They're strong people.  Maybe their environment is a little sick."

"I'm going through some real tough, real times, some nitty-gritty stuff.  When you go through things like this, it helps you put it all in perspective. I'm famous today. People like me today. Might not like me tomorrow. You never know. You can't count on it. The world can't tell you who you are. You've just got to figure out who you are and be there, for better or for worse."

"'Oh, my God, I'm one of those people.' It's a small club. It's a weird place to be. And there's really no going back. You can't get unfamous. You can get infamous; but you can't get unfamous."

"I feel like I'm going to be some kind of parable — about either what you're supposed to do or what you're not supposed to do. ... I'm going be something... I'm either going to be a legend or just that tragic fucking story, but I'm going full throttle, I'm going all the way. I'm eager to find out how this is going to resolve itself."

"Name your price in the beginning.  If it ever gets more expensive than the price you name, get out of there."

"The mark of greatness is when everything before you is obsolete; and everything after you, bears your mark."

"The only way you know where the line is, is to cross it.  And I think that, what is life if nobody is crossing the line.  You just want to try to be on the right side of history. And sometimes what’s going on in the immediate present is not as important as the long term.  The truth is permanent and then everything else falls by the wayside."

Pretty great, right?

Which is your favorite?

H2IK

Life is full of H2IK moments.  As a teacher I have had more than my fair share.   H2IK originates from a short lived TV show called Defying Gravity.  The term can be used to appear as if you are giving a technical explanation for something when in fact you don't know.  If someone who is familiar with the term hears it, it can be considered a request to help explain without embarrassing the original speaker (explanation found on Urban Dictionary).


So what is H2IK?  It means "Hell if I know."  We all have these moments, right?  Whether its when I'm teaching and a student wants to know exactly how many soldiers died on D+3, or who the first person was to shoot a bullet during the Spanish-American War.  While I love their curiosity, H2IK.  I'm not a walking encyclopedia.  


Maybe it's when someone asks you what your plans are now that you are done with college.  H2IK.  I can make all the plans that I want, it doesn't mean they are going to happen.  I planned on getting a job right out of college, didn't happen.  I planned on being in a serious relationship by now, didn't happen.  Am I complaining?  No.  Because someday it's going to happen.  And if it doesn't that I just have to believe it wasn't meant to be.  Because there are plenty of things I DO know.


I know that my family loves me even when we drive each other crazy.  I know that I made my parents proud by graduating college.  I know that God has plans for my brother despite his disabilities.  I know that the experiences I had as a babysitter and as a nanny helped me to save a baby's life.  I know that while I may not have many friends, I have friends that count.  I know that I am not the smartest, funniest, prettiest girl in the world.  But I'm not supposed to be.  I know that I am who God made me to be.  I know that I may try to be someone I'm not, but I don't need to.  I know that who I am is enough.  I know that the desires of my heart will be fulfilled in God's time (and when I don't know it, I have to believe it).


I know that sometimes its okay to say H2IK.  Because sometimes, we can't know it all.

If You're Happy and You Know It... Make a List!

As I continue on my journey to complete my 101 in 1001 I am continually amazed at how happy I am working on my list of 101 Things That Make Me Happy list. 

Through our crazy schedules it's sometimes hard to find the things that make us happy because we assume they have to be big things.  But the little things are just as important as the big ones.  Remember to live life the best you can, love the most you can.  Moments are precious, many things can wait, The Sunset Won't.

Here are the newest additions to My Happy List:

61. Starting my day slowly.  You wake up when you want to, not when your alarm goes off.  You thrown on a robe or sweatshirt and head to the kitchen where you make a fresh pot of coffee.  You check emails, read, sit with your coffee and look outside.  You take the time to start your day on the right foot.  Taking the time to start my day slowly makes me happy.

62. Finding a new drink you like.  Whether it’s the chai tea that I’ve been making every night the past 5 nights because I like it.  Or the Pink Truck wine that I put on ice last night and added a little 7-up to to make it bubbly.  Finding a new drink that I like makes me happy.

63. Feeling useful.  Nobody wants to feel useless.  So when you get that opportunity to help someone, whether you are asked or not you feel good.  And the point is that you didn’t do it so you would feel good, you did it to help someone else.  But feeling useful, feeling a part of something, feeling like you can do something is a wonderful feeling.  Feeling useful makes me happy.

64. Seeing God’s hand in something.  For everyone this is different.  It can be in a person you meet, a song you hear, a light you miss, a job you do or don’t get.  But looking back on that event, or sometimes if you’re lucky, in that very moment you stop and think that was exactly how it was supposed to be.  Call it fate, serendipity, God, call it what you want.  But those moments where I see God’s hand in something makes me happy.

65. When someone does something unexpected for you.  Most recently my best friend called her workplace and told them she couldn’t work one day because a relative of mine was having major surgery and she wanted to be in the area in case something happened.  We talked on the phone a few times throughout the day.  It was awesome.  She didn’t have to do that, I would have understood if she had to go to work.  Did I mention that she works at her college 2 hours away.  She stayed at her parent’s place near where I live.  When someone does something unexpected, and thoughtful, it makes me happy.

66. Typing without looking at the keyboard, making a mistake or just typing fast.  Lame, right?  But I get so excited when I don’t have to slow down to hit delete.  When I can just zoom through what I am typing.  When I came home from college I was im’ing with a friend and my parents asked to see my computer because they didn’t believe that I was typing that fast.  Getting on a roll when I am typing makes me happy.

67. The perfect cup of coffee.  Coffee and tea drinkers have a certain way they like their beverage made.  For coffee, I most often like one packet of sweet and low and some hazelnut creamer.  But there is a certain ratio that must be achieved.  I most often do not achieve it, but when you take that first sip of your drink and its exactly how you like it?  Well, having the perfect cup of coffee or tea makes me happy.

68. When your distress signal is answered.  When we are down, sad or in a rut I think that on occasion we must send out silent distress signals.  Like the bat signal high in the sky.  Maybe you heard the call.  You got a sudden urge to text or call a friend.  To shoot an email.  Or maybe your signal was answered.  You received a random text from a good friend on a day when you were seriously bumming.  Answered distress signals make me happy.

69. Sales.  Those shoes you think are really cute.  A book by an author you love.  Your favorite kind of ice cream.  Whatever it may be, when you walk through the store and see that the item you were keeping your eye on, or something you are interested, and it’s on sale, doesn’t it just make your day?

70. Perfectly timed commercial breaks.  You’re watching a favorite show but you want to grab a drink, snack, your cell phone you left in another room, etc.  Then its commercial break.  You dash up the stairs to your room and grab your phone, head back to the kitchen, rummage through cupboards until you find that bag of sun chips and then look in the fridge for a diet soda.  You hustle back to your tv and just as you sit back down on the couch the show comes back.  Perfectly timed commercial breaks make me happy.

So what makes you happy?  What little things bring a smile to your face?  A ray of sunshine to a busy, hectic day?

Wordy Wednesday

It's Wednesday.  For many, it's one of the busier days of the week.  You realize all the work that must be done before Friday.  Maybe you have commitments in the evening that tie you up.  Maybe you are just tired after a couple long days at work.  

Regardless, Wordy Wednesday here at 'The Sunset Won't' is a quote, short passage or verse that I enjoy and I want to pass along to you.  This week I am reading books from a series by Robyn Carr.  Today's quotes come from Forbidden Falls.  As I was reading it this portion really jumped out at me.

“Everyone has worries.  The rich have as many as the poor.  The healthy as many as the sick.  It’s a worrisome deal, this life business.  You have to learn to mellow, not stay up all night feeding it.”

   ‘Well, you sure shook off your funk pretty well.  Maybe I’m just not as good at is as you are.’

“Hanging on to it a little, are you? … There’s a trick to letting it go, in case you’re interested… You can’t try.  Trying is a struggle and doing is an act.  You can’t witness the act of trying, but you can see the results of doing.  Trying brings on stress because not only do you have the problem, but now you have all this frustration with it not going away just because you want it to.  It’s kind of like being told not to think of pink elephants- impossible.  What you have to do is stop.  You say to yourself, this is over for now.  I’m done for now.  Take your mind to another place and concentrate on that peaceful place.  Deep breaths.  Go limp.  Put your mind in another state.  It takes practice, but it gets easier, over time… My gramma used to say, you can only feel one feeling at a time.  For example, you can’t feel trust and fear together.  If you want to trust but you’re afraid, fear is still in charge.  If you trusted, there wouldn’t be fear.  She also used to say you have to listen to what you feel- feeling fear could be warning, right?"

   ‘What else did your grandmother say?’

“Don’t make love to your problems- they’ll never give you back the satisfaction you give them.  And, your troubles aren’t worth the paper they’re written on, but that doesn’t mean writing them down won’t help you get a fix on ‘em.  And, God respects you when you work, but he loves you when you dance… she also used to say, ‘if Jesus walked the earth today, he wouldn’t be hanging out with Billy Graham.  He’d be found with the drug addicts and prostitutes and the like.”

Music, It's the Story of Life

I love to make playlists.  For me.  For friends.  For road trips.  Sad Occasions.  Celebrations.  One playlist, called "The Story of Life," I started years ago and continually modify as new songs come out.  Songs tell the story of our lives and I thought stringing them together would tell an even bigger story.  There are of course some gaps in time, but it's still fun to listen to.  So here is The Story of Life in song...

All-American Girl by Carrie Underwood

Father and Daughter by Paul Simon

You're Gonna Miss This by Trace Adkins

How Can I Help You Say Goodbye by Patty Loveless

Keg in the Closet by Kenny Chesney

That Kind of Day by Sarah Buxton

Place in This World by Michael W. Smith

Miss Independent by Kelly Clarkson

Find Out Who Your Friends Are by Tracy Lawrence

Defying Gravity by Original Wicked Broadway Cast

Full Grown Woman by Sarah Buxton

Like My Mother Does by Kristy Lee Cook

Good Friends and a Glass of Wine by LeAnn Rimes

Free to Be Me by Francesca Battistelli

Fight Like a Girl by Bomshel

For Good by Original Wicked Broadway Cast

Cowboys by Sarah Buxton

I'm The Fool In Love With the Fool by Lee Ann Womack

This is How a Heart Breaks by Rob Thomas

What Might Have Been by Restless Heart

Even Now by Caitlin and Will

Tryin' to Find the Sun by Tommy Joe Wilson

I Can't Outrun You by Trace Adkins

Love Don't Live Here by Lady Antebellum

Marchin' On by Timbaland featuring OneRepublic

Where You're Going by Jimmy Wayne

She'd Give Anything by Boy Howdy

Dig a Little Deeper by Jenifer Lewis

Ready to Love Again by Lady Antebellum

Future Love by Kristinia Debarge

Haven't Met You Yet by Michael Buble

Stand Beside Me by Jo Dee Messina

You Picked Me by A Fine Frenzy

Can't Take My Eyes Off You by Lady Antebellum

Smile by Uncle Kracker

My Life Would Suck Without You by Kelly Clarkson

Someday Soon by Francesca Battistelli

Say Yes by Dusty Drake

Mama's Song by Carrie Underwood

I Loved Her First by Heartland

Wedding Dress by Matt Nathanson

Love You Out Loud by Rascal Flatts

House Like That by Donovan Chapman

Happy To Be Here by Trace Adkins

Where Did I Go Right by The Warren Brothers

Sounds Like Life To Me by Darryl Worley

What Would You Say by Trailer Choir

Blaze of Glory by Bon Jovi

Make Heaven Wait by Wayne Brady

Untitled Hymn (Come to Jesus) by Chris Rice

No One Hurts Up Here by Kasey Chambers

Wheel of the World by Carrie Underwood

Do you make playlists around a certain theme?  If so, what are they?

Take That Chance And Trust

Sometimes it's necessary.  It might be a little scary.  Your palms begin to sweat, your heart skips a beat.  And for one moment you think you shouldn't do it.  But when you do, when you take that chance, it can be worth it.

I'm slow to trust.  I'm quick to love.  I do not like to see people I care about in pain.  Sometimes when I'm upset about something it just slips out.  But not all of it.  Sometimes though it's important to do it.  To take that leap.  To trust that your friend, confidant, whoever, will understand.  That instead of turning their head they will look you in the eye.  Instead of running, they stay.

Trusting that person with whatever your feeling is tough.  While I can sit here and say telling someone about it, sharing that burden or feeling makes it better, it doesn't mean I always do it.  But I've noticed over the last couple days that people can surprise you.  I got a random text message from a cousin on a day when I really needed it.  I had coffee with a friend who told me whenever I need to talk, she is there.

Just like that.  So take that jump.  Make that move.  Try.  Try to trust.

Remember the sunset.  Live life the best you can.  Love as much as you can.  And when you feel like you are sinking, or stuck, or just not whole... remember there is always a sunrise.  There is always another day, another sunset.  

Wishing for a Neon Sign and Dancing Fireflies

Hello?  Is anybody up there?  Well, I mean I know you're up there, but are you listening?  Or are you listening but just not answering?

One question that plagued me throughout my faith life has been hearing an answer to a prayer.  How do you know it's God answering and not just you answering it in your head?  Sometimes I wish God would throw up some big neon signs around.  'Go this way.'  Or maybe a giant stop sign.  Perhaps he could lend me 100s of fireflies that can lead me down the path I am to take like they did for Tiana in Disney's The Princess and The Frog.

But alas, I have no neon signs.  No small bugs buzzing around me guiding me down the path that I should take.  Instead I wait.  I have to admit my patience is beginning to wane.  It's hard to sit in limbo for so long.  "I know the plans I have for you says the lord," well that's all fine and dandy but it would help to get a peak at those plans down here.

For those of you who, like me, are stuck waiting.  Maybe the point is that we are learning something while we wait?  Or maybe that's wishful thinking on my part.  While I wait I will continue to try to see and hear the answer to my prayers.  Perhaps I am just missing it.  Missing the message.  Missing the sign.

It's been awhile since I have thrown in the following: Remember the sunset.  Live life the best you can.  Love as much as you can.  Let's add in: And when you feel like you are sinking, or stuck, or just not whole... remember there is always a sunrise.  There is always another day, another sunset. 

Is Unplugging Possible?

Remember when you used to have to actually talk to people?  Like, face to face.  Or you had to hand write out all your activities on a planner?  You had to use a map to get places?

It seems, as technology improves we find ways to make our daily activities a little 'easier.'  But are helping or hindering ourselves?  I hold nothing against technology.  I own way too many technological devices to think otherwise.  But when you watch movies about 'the old days' or read a book and see how a family had to actually talk to each other or play games for entertainment.  They read and walked a lot.

Now all we have to do is fill out a FB status and instantly 300 people now know what you're doing.  You can pull out your laptop and play a game or surf the internet.  You can stick those white headphones in your ears and tune out the world.

Sometimes I wonder if I tie myself down too much with it all.  The reason behind this post?  I caved.  It seemed like everyone in my family (cousins, aunts, uncles, brother) all had one.  They were cool and I felt a little left out.  So I spend an absolute fortune and bought myself an ipod touch with a 2 year protection plan.  Which leaves me to think.  What if I were to unplug it all?  I mean ALL of it?  And go a day, or two, or three without using it unless it was absolutely necessary (the only exception being a phone but even limiting that to phone calls only of important nature).

The iPod mini, iPod classic and new iPod touch, all put away.  The laptop shut down.  The tv and cable unplugged rendering the dvd player, Wii, GameCube and Playstation useless.  No texting.  No tweeting.  No blogging, gaming or watching.  Just being.  Living.  Experiencing things without the wall of wires, signals and machines between me and the world.  But alas, I sit here on my laptop with my iPod next to me, and about to go watch the news on TV.

What would be the hardest piece of technology to go without?

Happy Fourth!

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

The American's Creed



"I believe in the United States of America as a Government of the people by the people, for the people, whose just powers are derived from the consent of the governed; a democracy in a Republic; a sovereign Nation of many sovereign States; a perfect Union, one and inseparable; established upon those principals of freedom, equality, justice, and humanity for which American patriots sacrificed their lives and fortunes.

"I therefore believe it is my duty to my Country to love it; to support its Constitution; to obey its laws; to respect its flag, and to defend it against all enemies."

Book Review: The Witness by Josh McDowell

The Witness by Josh McDowell is a suspense/action novel that follows the story of Marwan Accad. After recently launching his private security business Accad finds himself working for Rafeeq Ramsey whose wife has been kidnapped. As Accad is sharing some of his discoveries with his latest client, the client is killed by sniper fire. On the run from unknown assailants, accused of a crime he was a witness to Accad must work to answer the questions of who and why.
I found the plot enjoyable, but even as a fan of Christian fiction the christian part of the book seemed a bit preachy to me. It felt forced into the storyline rather than a seamless piece. Personally, the writing style wasn't for me but I couldn't put my finger on why. There isn't anything wrong with it, overall it was a decent read.
If you like suspense, action and a little complexity to your stories than this may be the book for you. Tyndale House Publishers was kind enough to provide me with a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes.

Don't Be An A-dull-t

Don't be an a-dull-t.  Allow your inner child to come out and play.

When you're younger you can't wait for those milestone birthdays.  Being a teenager, getting your driving permit, getting your driver's license, becoming a legal adult, being of legal age to drink...  They all seem so exciting and you feel like you are never going to get there.  You don't realize when your younger that the years of running unabashedly through the sprinkler, cooking with your easy-bake over, shoot nerf guns at your friends will soon pass.

And then you do.  You hit 22 or 23 and you realize your next milestone birthday is being the big 3-0!  You've graduated college, perhaps moved out on your own, found a full-time job that you enjoy.  Your life gets into a routine.  On  flip side, you graduated college, still live at home while you search for that full-time job.  Your loans become due.  You have car payments.  You have somehow magically left the 'fake world' for the 'real world.'  

Once, you couldn't wait for that day to come.  Once.  But now you have become an adult.  Or even an a-dull-t.  One who doesn't give a second thought to their inner child who has their nose pressed against the glass, hands spread out like they can somehow mime their way out.  I skipped some of those kid years.  At a graduation party a few weeks ago my cousin told me to sit down and enjoy myself.  I should just be one of the kids/cousins.  I looked at her and said, "I don't know how."

I dont know how to let go.  To just have a good time and not worry about someone getting hurt, making sure everyone is having a good time, that they are safe etc.  This is something I need to work on.  I can't be an a-dull-t the rest of my life.  I don't want to live that way, it's just how I am.   I need to learn to let my inner child come out and play.  We need to put away the worries of everyday life.  Play a pick up game of some sort, have a bonfire, go out with friends.

That kid with his or her nose pressed against the glass, staring outside.  Just waiting.  Once in awhile, let that kid come out and play.