Taking Time

First off I would like to say thanks to my readers! I have officially reached well over a thousand views!!

Which to me is pretty impressive!

Also, I want to make this post about what God is doing in my life right now.



Lately, I've recognized something about myself, that I've been continually telling myself is not true.

I struggle with HATE. HATE, is a "strong word, and we are not allowed to use", is what I grew up hearing over and over and over.
Yet to this day, I don't struggle with the use of the word (I just say "I strongly dislike") but the action of HATE.

I have my beef's and grudges, and I have been really effected by them even though I try my best to push them below the surface. It's become a real issue this summer as I've been trying to control my tongue around kids and adults. The Lord has really shown me what I need to work on in order to move on up in life. If I keep holding on to the things that affected me in the past, I will get nowhere. And that is exactly opposite of where I want to be.

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!  Let your gentleness be evident to all.  The Lord is near.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4: 4-7

All my life I have looked at these things as just "ADVICE" or "SUGGESTIONS" on how to live.

In reality, they are RULES. Which if you know me, I don't enjoy following the rules. But because I have seen enough and understand what would happen if I didn't just follow these rules, but act out on them, I would be miserable the rest of my life. I want people to be drawn to me so that they may know my Lord and Savior. I want them to see that my actions are not that of hate, but that of LOVE. I like to have a plan and I like to know what is going to happen next, God say's do not be anxious. Which means I need to work on that, so that I can do what he is calling me to do. 

With that my friends I leave you, wherever you are this summer, I hope y'all are doing well. 

Love from Colorado,

-Tay

What it's Like Being the Oldest Child: Uncensored-ish

After completing my first year of college and returning home to live with my family for the summer, it's been a rude awakening. 

And I mean RUDE. 

I'm the oldest of four, all of us are two years apart. So we're pretty similar in age, but also so very different at the same time.

Anyways, I have two sisters, whom take the SHARING thing, a little too seriously. I work with four year old's eight hours a day, SHARING is important, when it's okay. 

I come home everyday with some form of clothing dirty, when it had been clean and folded when I left at an ungodly hour. 

WHYYYYY. 

"Well it looked cute."

or.. 

"I didn't have anything to wear!" which translates to "I didn't want to wear my clothes because I'd have to dig them up from the floor."

or my favorite..

"It looks better on me!"

I've come to the conclusion that the only solution is this:

I'm going to put my name on EVERYTHING. I mean it. That way, they can't wear it. Let's be real, no one wants to be walking around with someone else's monogram and name. That's just STUPID. 

It's a real shame too, they have cuter clothes than me. But they feel the need to go out of their way and figure out what it takes to turn me red. 

Another gig that comes with being the oldest, a personal favorite, YOU'RE THE FIRST. 

The first to..

Ride a bike, go to school, graduate high school, go to college, first to go out on their own. 

Not to mention, I have red hair and freckles, it's not like I can hide in the background and get lost. I'm the first they notice, and the last they see. 

I did something terrible a few years ago at a conference, it was right before my senior year in high school. I was pretty much done with the self righteous, guitar playing, bible waving people interrogating me about my future. Thinking I could make a game out of it, I began telling people I was going to skip college and go right in to the bush. Or my favorite, I was saving to buy a sail boat, and planning to sail the world.

 It was fun for a while, then I began to run out of fun idea's. For a while I was going to go on an ancestral trek and make my way to Ireland to find my past and my future. I still wouldn't mind any of those anyways. 

But if you know me at all, you know I love my sister's to death. You'd also know that I love being the oldest, and I love being apart of the firsts.  

It's been great being back with the family for the summer and watching my younger sister's and brother grow up so much and so fast. That's my favorite, I get watch them grow. Whether it be height, age, or maturity, it's a great first. 

It's a fun gig, being the big kid. It's really scary when you begin to sound like your own parents, that's when you know. You know you've almost reached it. 

Adulthood. 

-Tay

last Thanksgiving, we're never serious.