To my Friends going on Project

Unfortunately, this is fantastically true. 

I found that picture on Pinterest the other day and sighed because it was very true for myself. All my friends are going on their summer adventures to all over the world, and its starting to hit me. From Africa to India to North Carolina, my friends are scattering themselves for the summer. Though I will be in Colorado playing with kids and hanging out in the mountains, it will still be hard knowing they are all far away from me. 

I find myself feeling like a mom who's about to have an empty nest, and the loneliness sinks in a little early. It's not like this is new, every summer this happens, but I manage. The best part is when they come back and share their stories of how God has changed their lives. Though I'm sad now, this is just the beginning of something wonderful. Changing lives is what we are meant to do, and to see my friends take the leap of faith to go out and do so is so very wonderful. Almost magical. It's great to see people change in such a short period of time. For the Lord they stick out their necks to do great things that he has called them to do. It's such an adventure in the making and I can't wait to see the out come. 

Prayer requests:

Please pray for my roommate Rileigh Puckett as she heads to India for the summer. She's excited for what the Lord has in store for her.

Please Pray for two of my good friends Anna Ellis and Danielle Dolson. Both of them will be on Summer Project with Cru in North Carolina. 

Please Pray for my dear friend Timo Dykes as he heads to South Africa to work as a leader on the MK2MK summer project for high school students. 

Please pray for safe travels and a great time.

"Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit."- Matthew 28:19

I hope that my dear friends reading this are going to have the time of their lives. And the Lord truly shows them his love and mercy. I hope that they all come back willing to continue to serve the Lord and shine his light wherever they are. 

Love Always,

-Tay

Emotional Feed

Raise your hand if you are a frequent user of social media.

My hand is high. 

Studies show that women are more frequently using social media, checking it multiple times a day.

Hand is still up.

Why though? We use the social networks to keep in contact with people, that's for sure. But what else do we use it for? 

Easy.

We use them for acceptance, self assurance, and to place our emotional resumes out there for the world to like and comment on. 

( Disclaimer, this is my personal thought, no fingers are being pointed, I have done all of these things too on social networks) 

We have all posted a heartfelt status seeking comments and likes to reassure us we are good at the mushy stuff. 

Social media has created a term that is still not accepted by auto correct and dictionaries, "Selfies". A picture you've taken and posted of yourself, taken by yourself. Selfies have become very common and normal, I've even taken a few. But why do we feel the need to over edit and post multiple versions or multiple shots? And when we pick the one we want as our default what do we do?

We sit, and wait.

For comments, likes, approval and praise. 

My hand is still up, and getting very tired I might add. 

We may not of have noticed it, but we do find ourselves looking at who liked the photo or commented. It's in our nature to want to feel accepted and search for it. My sisters have fallen victim to it, and use it as a focus or pass time. When they should be worrying about their track records or yards in flag football. Not which filter to use or if the caption says what it needs to. 

To quote my Adolescent Development professor: " Teenagers have always looked for acceptance in others through appearance and accessibility to it. It's just in the last eight years social networks have enabled them to do it in a lazier way, but also harder." 

It is harder, you have to gain a following base, and get people to notice you. 

Really hard, and my hand is still up. 

Emotional Resume..

To quote someone on twitter:

"Its attractive when guys are good with kids."

You're so right. It is an attractive quality. It's also something every single woman wants in a man whether or not they want children. It's common knowledge. Along with "I want to be treated like a princess and be brought flowers." or the whole "I want a TUMBLR perfect relationship."

Pardon my french, but, what the H-E_DOUBLEHOCKEYSTICKS? Tumblr perfect is a thing? 

I honestly think I have lost brain cells searching Pinterest and Tumblr for information. Coming up empty handed other than seeing young teens embracing eachother in nicely edited photos. 

All those quotes above are prime examples of posting your emotional resume. Wanting a guy to fit the slots. You might as well pass out surveys and take the one that answers the questions most accurately. Honestly, not a bad idea. Just could end badly. 

I see it in all my news feeds. Whether its for friendship or relationships, people are using social networks to fill the void of what they want. Personally, if you want to make friends, or meet a nice guy/girl go out and get'er done. You don't need to publish to the world what you want or need. It's honestly degrading of yourself and the people who are trying to fill that void for you. 

I fell victim to it late middle school, but I soon realized that I don't need to use social networking to fill my void. It's destructive and potentially painful. 

Solution:

Think. Think before you speak, tweet, and post. It's hard I know. I don't always do it myself. I love seeing what my friends are up to, especially the ones I don't ever see. But what I hate is seeing what they want, or wining about how they don't get enough sleep. Internet Etiquette, let's make it a thing. 

Some people it's their only outlet, only way you know what's going on.  And to an extent that's fine. 

But for some people it does nothing but take them down. Yes you may get a ton of likes, but a majority are out of habit. 

Also a limit of five status's a week should be a thing. 

This is just some thought's I had, nothing to take to heart, and no offense intended. I'm not complaining, just observing. Loving and wanting everyone to understand I love them. You should go to people before you go to the internet for therapy. 

What do y'all think? I know I've probably sparked some emotion and debate among my readers. And I'm sure not everyone agrees. But as I've seen it and done it, and recovered from it. I thought, YOLO. 

-Tay

Adventure and the Beast

Adventure is something that I've yearned for my whole life. Though I have no backing or some life changing story that ties into this post and my love for adventure, I have a song.

Ever heard of Disney's Beauty and the Beast?
Yea, me too.
It's pretty cool if you're into that kind of thing (which I totally am). Anyways, there's a great line in one of the songs that she sings, and it goes:

"I want adventure in the great wide somewhere, I want it more than I can tell. And for once it would be grand, to have someone understand, I want so much more than they've got planned."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SEr8VELvl0
( link to the clip)

Anyways, I've got this thing, it's like an annoying feeling in the pit of my stomach, that is always telling me to go do something wild, not dangerous, but you know, unexpected.
Sorry to those who expect me to fit the norm. I want to go and do the unexpected.
When I was a kid she was my favorite princess, for many reasons. She was a real beaut', she loved beyond looks, and loved to read. It took me years to accept my wild red hair that I still can't seem to beable to manage. It took me years to love literature, but yet here I am. Loving beyond looks, and the whole "Don't judge a book by its cover" thing has always been my motto. I don't care what you look like, you could look like a tea pot, or a beast, and we can still be friends.
Belle not only did that, but she was selfless. she took place of her father in the Beast's prison, and that my friends is something to think about.

I want to be like her, not specifically, I'm nearly twenty years old, I still want to be a princess. But I want to strive for adventure and succeed. I want to become the type of woman people want to read about. Someone who's adventures are one's for the record books.
So if the opportunity arises that I could stay in a castle with talking furniture, I'm taking it.


Thanks for reading a completely pointless post, and making my studying for finals worth procrastinating.

-Tay

Natives and a Redhead

"Go and make disciples if all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and if the Holy Spirit." Matthew 28:19

Go. Go. Go. I've been hearing that word for quite some time.

Culture, is something that has struck heavy on my heart over the years. I can remember my few years living in Oklahoma and asking so many questions about the Native Americans. Just having the knowledge that something or someone stood where I stood, was something as a young child so magical. I was still so young to comprehend the fact that their culture was a dying culture, because it was all around me. A few years pass and I go to cultural fairs in my town in Arkansas that had tribal dancers. Booths containing craftsmanship of hardened hands working hard for little income. Still to this day I picture the old Indian woman's face when I asked her about her work. Small carved wooden dolls, littlest of details etched into the craft. It all sounds cliche, I know. But as young as I was this was my biggest fascination.Years pass and here I am. Attending college in Tallahassee Florida, home of the Seminoles. Everywhere I turn there's something pointing towards the Native American culture.
Why?
Holy cow batman, that's a hard one.
God has made it clear to me within this last year that he wants me teaching, not just teaching, but teaching in Native American schools. Weird, right? I know. People are always like "wow, I've never heard of anyone wanting to do that". That's true. You probably wont again either, but hey, you asked. But God is working in my heart and allowing me to grow through this. I've become aware and researched the culture and the reservations needs for teachers, and it's interesting to see what they need. Often times students on reservations don't complete high school or go on to college, because they are such poor communities. They're spiritually dark too. It's a constant war of alcoholism and drugs. Women raise their children in alcoholic house holds and have no way out.

 Where?

Good question, God is still preparing me and educating me, and I'm just now completing my freshman year of college. But, he has laid it on my heart, and it doesn't seem to be going anywhere, no matter how hard I shake it. I've found that the WHERE aspect of it all is to be determined later on by the Lord and he will do something great with it.

God has done a lot in me this year, and it hasn't been easy to battle with. Coming to terms with what he wants for me wasn't exactly my dream, but dreams do change, and so do people. It's an adventure in the making (and I'm all about that) that he has already planned out.

Go, I'll be going. I sit in excitement for what he has in store for me. Now all I have to do is wait, and do what I can in the mean time. Things change, plans change, life changes. But everyday I find myself dreaming up and coming up with ideas of things I can do, I have a small note book where I write them down so that I wont forget.

I wanted to share this with y'all because its all I can think about. I waited long enough to know it wasn't a phase, and that I wasn't dreaming up something. I felt the need to share what God had been working in and on my heart in this last year, and last forever. God is truly amazing. I can finally answer the question "What do you want to be when you grow up?" truthfully.





-Tay

Not so Cool Story, Bro.

Growing up, I was never typically embarrassed by my family.They've always been really chill and relaxed. My parents weren't/aren't super strict, and always have been encouraging.

So I'd say their pretty cool. How? well....

For starters my mom, Laura, she's pretty awesome. She has a heart for God and I can't imagine the world without her. Rarely do I ever go a day without talking to her, whether it be me calling and complaining, or asking random questions, sometimes as an excuse to call her.
Recently she's made friends with a women who's son plays volleyball with my little brother. She doesn't speak much English, so my mother being the saint that she is has offered to tutor her in her English. Which in my book, makes anyone who offers to do such a thing is awesome. It's a difficult task learning another language. Much less teaching it. me and my BEAUtiful mother.







Next in line, can't forget DaddyO. My Dad, Mike, has always been my partner in lazy Saturday afternoons watching the history channel, or some random action movie on tv. He's always had a knack for tinkering with things and being really creative. I've always looked up to him, because not only does he see prospect in random things hes tinkering with, but people as well. His and my mother's love for each other is the cutest, there's no question about it.

He's pretty cool. 

JACOB: 6'3", Varsity Volleyball.

Position: Front Middle.

Hobbies: Being busy with school, work, and Volleyball

The sweetest boy/man/whatever, you will ever meet. Doesn't complain much, but will eat out out of house and home. Been a real good pall over the years and I really hope he'll join me up at FSU fall of 2014. I love going home to have him meet me at the door with a giant hug that dwarfs me. He's a good lookin' goofy fella that doesn't even need explaining. 

Yeah, he's pretty cool.

Hyperventilating .

Can't shoot with my machete . 

You betcha, Morgan O'Kane. 

Ain't nobody gonna go and try to tell her what to think, do, say. She is her own individual self and I give her a lot of credit for it. She has always had the jealous girls on her back growing up,  and she's always held her own regardless of what they say. shes trouble when she gets going, but trust me when she's done, you'll still be laughing. 

Yep, she's one cool cat.

Last but not least. Ladies and gentlemen. THE ONE. THE ONLY. 

JOSIE O'KANE.

The youngest of us, the most liberal of us, the most opinionated of us, the most popular of us, and good gravy shes a real beaut'. Never at a loss for words, ever, Will watch any movie with you, if you refuse, well good luck. She has a heart of gold, always sticking up for the under dog. Will get her school projects done the day their assigned if she can, shes got the brains, the looks, and the guts. She'll go far, no doubt. 

Especially with a talent like this

so, I'd say shes's pretty cool.

For those of you who actually read this, I'm sorry that you had to experience me brag about my family. Usually that's what parents do, or grandparents. But I'm the big sister, the experimental child. So if I turned out alright, I reserve the right. Right? 

Of course. 

-Tay

How to's and Don't do's

Recently I discovered in my apartment our tea cups, or mugs to the coffee drinkers were stained.

For me this is gross, so what did I do? I text my Kaki of course. Kaki is my Mom's mom, instead of 'grandma' she's Kaki. I don't know where the name came from honestly, it's just what I've known to call her.
Anyway's, yes my Kaki texts, and yes she replied with an answer.

BAKING SODA.

Of course, it makes sense. It's used to clean jewelry if you don't want to buy the actual stuff.

Anyways, the trick is to pour some baking soda in the bottom of the mug and put a little bit of water and mix it together. Make it thick and cover the stained surfaces as well as possible. Let it sit for up to fifteen minutes, or it will eventually begin to take the glaze off.
Works like magic. Within minutes you have removed all the tea stains. Be sure you run it through water to get the excess baking soda off, and to be extra safe a run through the dishwasher could never hurt.

It's the little things my friends, the simple remedies that fix everyday things.

What are the little things that make everyday things more efficient and effective for y'all?
Or do you have a "Don't do" in the kitchen? (aside from setting it on fire of course).



-Tay

Hair Care

Curly hair?

Don't care?

Well, you should. A few years ago some family friends who also had the dilemma of what to do with curly hair introduced me to a magical product. This magical product is called "Ouidad". It's probably the best curly hair product on the market that I am aware of to this day. I don't have super curly hair, but it's curly enough that it's not wavy. Did I mention it's red? I'm not hard to miss. There's no going out with it completely untamed, unless its raining of course.

I learned the first trick to keeping your hair healthy is to ditch the brush. Wide tooth combs are the absolute way to go. It keeps the ends of your hair from breaking off and keeps it from frizzing up as much.
Secondly, DO NOT dry it with a towel, or twist it in a towel. It breaks your hairs, drys it out, and even damages ends. The alternative is to dab it, or gently squeeze it with a soft t-shirt. One that you probably don't fit into anymore, yet still keep out of sentiment. No worries, I'm on the same boat mate.
Third, once you've dabbed it, combed it, and what not use the magic potion.
 Ouidad's Climate Control gel.
Price: $22
Lasts up to six months, assuming you have normal weather.
Worth every penny.

If your one of those people who doesn't like to wash their hair everyday, but it still looks like a birds nest each morning try Ouidad's Botanical Boost Spray. Same price, same worth. It makes mornings so much easier and leaves your hair looking good for another day and doesn't make it all oily. Which is one of my biggest pet peeves.

I'm no expert, but I love playing with my hair, and trying new things, so if anyone has some suggestions on hair care products, please leave a comment or tweet me @taylorokane.





-Tay