Note to Self...Twitter Is Awesome

I've had a Twitter account since early 2009 and quite frankly, I didn't get it...until this past weekend that is. Many times have I promoted my support and love of relationship author, Mandy Hale, and March 11th she released her second book, "I've Never Been to Vegas, but My Luggage Has."

So with pink highlighter in hand, I started to read her new book and much like her first book, "The Single Woman", Mandy helped me gain many a new perspectives on life, love and relationships of all kinds.

After finishing her book I took to Twitter to share with her my favorite quote of the book, which is pictured below:

If you can't read what it says in the photo: "I believe God brings people into our lives to teach us the lessons we most need to learn, and then once we've learned the lessons, I think He sits back and watches to see if we will be obedient enough to let those people go or if we will cling to them out of stubbornness, even though their presence in our lives is no longer fruitful. Everything that happens next is a result of how we respond to that test."

Wow. How I can attest to that! There have been people in my life that show up for a short while then exit my life. Then there are others who come and stay for many years before they leave, and the impressions and lessons they leave are always life changing. I think the main lesson that I've learned is to surrender these relationships to God. By doing that I realize THE best part about God - His relationship with me is not temporary. He is always there for me - He is sovereign. God knows what He's doing when He brings relationships and people into our lives and the lessons that were are going to learn from them. 

But back to Twitter! So, because I loved this quote from Mandy's book, I tweeted it out to her to let her know. Not long after other people started seeing the tweet and started to either "favorite" it (equivalent to a "like" on Facebook) or re-tweet it - even Mandy favorited it! I was thrilled! There were even some women who had never heard of the book and asked me for information on it. I willingly shared it. There was even one woman from a country that doesn't get the copy of Mandy's book that was very grateful that she was even able to read this little bit of it. I tweeted this photo on March 22nd and since then it has gotten re-tweeted over 180 times and favorited over 270 times! Yes! Twitter is Awesome! I hope that not only Mandy's message spreads but her faith in God does as well.

Since I had so much success with Mandy's quote, I thought I would try it again. Sunday night I went to a concert featuring Season 8 contestant of American Idol, Matt Giraud. I took my neighbor Lori to the concert and she really liked Matt's performance. We agreed that it would be fun to go and meet him after the show and buy his CD - being that it was her birthday! I agreed that it would add some fun to her special day - so we went and met Matt. I was able to get her to pose for a picture with him and was able to score his autograph on my brochure and throw a few witty comments his way to make him laugh.

On the way home we realized I didn't get to get my picture with him and we almost went back but decided not to. Later that night I had the idea to tweet him the photo of Lori and him and see if he remembered us. Well...he did! He favorited my tweet and sent me a message saying he liked my joke and that he thought I was cute! Ah!!! I was really excited that he actually responded!

So all in all I've discovered the fun of Twitter and how it can connect me with people that I wouldn't have a chance to otherwise. So if you haven't joined Twitter yet...do it! Oh, and follow me, too @PumaAlie10

-A

#SpringCleaning My Life

It hit a whopping 45 degrees here today! I'm officially calling it "spring" and have made my blog look "spring-like," too! Ah, there's a light at the end of the tunnel! 

When spring like weather starts coming my way this time of year, I have a tendency to want to clean out my closets and get rid of items that I've been holding onto for far too long. It is so refreshing when cleaning projects like that are finished and I can start anew and live a more simplified life.  

Much like when I clean out my closet in the spring, Jesus does that when He forgives us of our sins. There are areas in my life where I haven't allowed myself to believe that when Jesus takes a broom to spring clean my sins away, that I am truly free. Lately I have been able to latch onto this and it has allowed so much happiness and sunshine to enter my heart. I feel much like the guy in this video below: 

I just love that video and if you weren't able to view it on your tablet, click here!

I can relate to the main character in this video when I stop clinging to past sins and let Jesus take over. But when we do fall into this habit we become really stressed this causes our souls to become "winter-like" when God doesn't want this for his children! He wants us to let go!

Last night my mom and Grandma and I went to watch the most beautiful dance recital put on by Girls of Grace. They performed a skit where a woman was bogged down by her sin and just couldn't seem to surrender her life and sins to Jesus. All the while Jesus stood there waiting and fighting for her to break free of her sins. Once and for all she cried out to Jesus and He immediately rescued her and her life was a dramatic transformation and she was filled with so much joy...

I will never claim to live a perfect spic and span clean life. I can't do that - but through Jesus I can let go of the past sins that I have committed against Him and live a refreshingly free life through Him. And be HAPPY!

-A

Going for Gold!

My Valentine's Day consisted of eating dark chocolate, drinking wine and sobbing my eyes out...but not for the reasons that you think! 

After a fun filled day of handing out Valentine's at work and treating myself to a dessert of frozen yogurt I came home quite content as to how the day panned out. I went to check the mail and there leaning up against the wall was a flower delivery for ME! I was thrilled and was secretly glad no one saw me as I jumped up and down and squealed in delight (thanks Amber)! I also got a "love box" from my mom and a sweet Valentine cards from some other friends and family members. I felt so loved. 

So with a heart full of love I sat down on the couch to watch the Winter Olympics and that's when the waterworks began. I was watching a sport I'd never heard of before - the Skeleton Race. It's a fitting name because you practically have to be a skeleton to slide down that skinny track that the competitors race on.

That's when I first heard of Noelle Pikus-Pace.

Noelle has been to the Olympics prior to this one and at the time decided to retire afterwards and work on building her family with her husband instead of going after her dream of getting an Olympic medal. After the 2010 Olympics, Noelle and her husband were excitedly awaiting the arrival of their third child when Noelle suffered a miscarriage. Just devastating. As she told the story of her heartbreak my heart broke right along with hers.

Noelle started training again for the Skeleton Race because that was the only thing at that point in time that was helping her cope with the loss of their child. She soon realized that maybe this was a sign that she should give her dream of claiming Olympic gold another shot. Then she seriously started training for the 2014 Winter Olympics.

The interview ended and it was time for her to race. I've never seen anything like it - Noelle took off running down the slippery slope and jumped onto her board and zoomed off towards her goal. With every bend in the track and every close call to her skidding out and becoming a frozen skeleton, she came closer to reaching her goal. Lizzy Yarnold of Great Britain was currently the leading lady of the race that Noelle was vying to claim.

Then in a flash it was all over and as she zoomed over the finish line the announcers exclaimed with excitement that Yarnold had claimed the gold and Noelle had won silver! As the cameras spanned over to Yarnold so that we could see her excitement as she smiled and waved the Great Britain flag, something else caught my eye as the camera turned their attention back to Noelle. I'm sorry to say this (well, maybe I'm not) but the best part of this race, and it makes me cry to think about, is how Noelle reacted. She knew that she didn't get the gold, but she could have fooled me! She crossed that finish line, the line that symbolized so much that she had went through in the prior Olympics by not placing a medal and the pain she went through with the loss of her child. What she did next is what made me burst into tears. She immediately jumped off of her board and even though I couldn't hear it, she probably did a warrior yell, and literally climbed the spectator stands to hug and kiss her waiting and thrilled family.

Noelle did not care that she didn't place gold because she already had the real gold, and that was her family and achieving her goals despite adversity. It was one of the most emotional victories I have seen and I sat there crying because I could tell how much it meant to her.

Her emotions captivated me and the way she reacted to her silver win made me proud to be an American. When life throws challenges our way we fight back. We don't let being in 15th place or falling and getting hurt, much like Jeremy Abbot, stop us from putting up a fight and defying the odds. No. We get back up and we try again. Jeremy skated his personal best in the Olympics and when he skidded to a stop on the ice his smile was brighter than any gold medal. 

Later that night I received a phone call from my Great Grandma Jean. She had gotten my Valentine package that I had sent to her and my two other widowed Grandma's to make their day more special. She was close to tears as she thanked me for the "Kiss Me" frog stuffed animal exclaimed that she had never received a Valentine as thoughtful as this - that was gold to me. 

This weekend the Winter Olympics will end and those that won gold medals will go home and put it on a shelf or encase it in something special and look at it from time to time. But I believe that Noelle and Jeremy really hold onto the real gold medal - family and having the will to succeed and reach your goals no matter what "medal" you end up with.

-A

Happy Valentine's Day!

Single ladies (& gents) the DAY is here! Did you do something creative for a loved one or a person in need? Share your stories with me! 

<3 A

Status Update: Why and How I Quit Facebook

If you know me then you know how much I love social media. I have loved it ever since that first day my mom connected to dial up internet and fired up our Juno email account. Oh the sound of dial up internet still rings in my ears! Then I discovered the joys of AOL Instant Messaging! Truth be told, that's really how my sister and I learned how to type so fast...sorry Mavis Beacon. 

Earlier this week Facebook had its 10 year anniversary and as a complimentary gift to its users it created a small video of the users most important posts on their wall and status updates. When I first heard about Facebook my sister had just started college and I watched as she joined the now global phenomenon social network. I was jealous. I could not wait until I could go to college and join Facebook. Luckily for me I didn't have to wait until my college years to join the network and I started using Facebook late 2005. It's shocking to realize that I was a part of the Facebook world for about 8 years!  

Since I haven't had a Facebook account for almost 5 months now, I wonder what my video would have looked like and if it would have really reflected who I've become since I joined (and left) Facebook. When I left Facebook last October I was at a turning point in my life and I decided that if I was going to get serious about certain things in my life that I had to be willing to part with some things. When used wisely, Facebook is a great tool to feel and be connected with loved ones. Since I'm a highly relational person I needed to make sure the social media tools in my life were enriching my relationships and if they weren't, I needed to let them go. Facebook just happened to be one of the tools that I felt that I wasn't using wisely and I quit cold turkey. This decision came for me when I realized that I was spending more time updating my status rather than communicating individually and intimately with my family and friends.

At first when I quit I really didn't feel anything and didn't think nothing of it. Yes, I loved Facebook...but there was this side of me that I wasn't positively portraying through that social media outlet and I wanted to focus more on that. As I mentioned about how I want to build strong relationships, I also want to portray who I am in a different light and I don't think Facebook was allowing that. That's mainly why I created this blog. I've loved blogging these past 5 months and I feel not only am I allowing people to view and read about my life at a deeper level but I feel as if it's enriching my personal life. For example, I've had more people reach out to me in different and sometimes creative ways because they legitimately want to be included in my life. I've loved that! It's much more fun to get together with my sister and look at her pictures of her recent vacation and tell her that I like each one in person rather than clicking a "like" button. However, I do realize that being that I live out of state and away from some of my best friends, I want to include a general update in this post and let you know how my life is going.

Since creating this blog I have been encouraged by some of my readers to submit my writings to real publications and quite frankly, I haven't gotten the courage to do so yet. But I do plan on doing that in the next month or two. It makes me nervous and excited to think of someone critiquing my writings. One of the publications I want to submit to also has a weekend filled with seminars that I'm hoping to attend in August.

Next month my awesome cat turns 3 years old! He's just as feisty as the day I brought him home but my life would be boring without him. My best friend Emily, who is halfway through her pregnancy, will be coming home for her baby shower and and I am SO excited to see her baby bump and to celebrate this exciting new time in her life.

 

In April I plan on making the trip to visit one of my friends, Angie, and her family and spend a few days with them for my birthday and to see their new house and life since they've left their home state. I can't wait!  My sister and her husband also plan on coming home for Easter so I'm really looking forward to that. As far as the summer goes I have no solid plans as of yet. I'm just looking forward to continue to write in my blog and form deeper relationships. 

So no, I currently don't have a Facebook account and I'm okay with that. Maybe some day I'll create a new one...but for now I'm okay with my status update being: deactivated. 

-A

#Valentine'sDay

I'm sitting here in Barnes & Noble and it's everywhere...the color red screams it out so loud that you start seeing red...and those little pink hearts don't make matters any better with their just oh so right placements on store displays...you guessed it: Valentine's Day is coming. Or "Singles Awareness Day" as some like to call it. When I was in the fourth grade our teacher told us if we got more than one Valentine from someone that meant that they really liked you. Oh this made me even more excited to look through my bag because I was hoping beyond hope that Reggie, my HUGE crush, would give me two Valentine's. He had no idea that my deep love for him was pretty much for the reason that he and I shared the same last name and I thought it'd be amazing if we got married someday because it'd just be so easy! Oh, the aspirations of a fourth grader haha

You may be reading this having just gotten out of a relationship, starting a new relationship or you just don't care and your main consensus is "ain't nobody got time for that!" Well whatever you believe, it's still going to come (it's less than a month away) and for me, I like to be prepared for it.  For someone that's always had a cheerful heart towards Valentine's Day no matter what my relationship status was, I wasn't too thrilled last year. That was because exactly one month before February 14th I had ended a relationship that I was in. But I have an awesome family, my sister had two dozen tulips delivered to my apartment and my mom came and took me out to my favorite restaurant just so I wouldn't feel alone. My heart breaks for those that don't have a family or friendships to support them in times like that...

When my family did those amazing acts of love for me last year it got me thinking. Isn't that what love is all about? Isn't that why God put us on the earth...so that He could show us love and that we could share it with others? No, I don't have a Valentine this year...and I could just not do anything and hope that the day just passes by and that I don't get shot by the cupid of "Singles Awareness Day" but instead I've decided to pass on love and what better way the what the below picture states?

 

Just think about it...wouldn't it be great to send a card or go to a nursing home and pass out Valentine's? Even if you're in a relationship, don't let that stop you from thinking of others. The main stream media wants us all to think so much on our significant other that we run the risk of becoming selfish. We think like I did in the fourth grade, "oh, is Reggie going to give me two Valentine's??" that sometimes we forget that giving can be so much more fulfilling. My favorite part of giving to someone is when the recipient least expects it. It's going out of your way to show someone that they're not alone and that you care.

So this year I have challenged myself to send/hand out Valentine's to elderly people. This is something that I truly believe that God has put on my heart and I am so excited to do it! If you're interested in joining me, please let me know. I don't have much of a game plan yet so any input on that would be welcome, too!

-A <3

Oh and by the way, I got two Valentine's from Reggie that day in the fourth grade ;-)

It was a White (lies) Christmas

Phew! The Christmas season is over...well, I have yet to take down the Christmas tree, but we're getting there! I can honestly say this was one of the best Christmases I've ever had...and "honesty" didn't always play a huge factor this holiday. Let me explain...

As many of you know, my older sister, Amber, got married about two years ago. Early on in their marriage they agreed to alternate their time between his family and hers for Christmas. Last year we got to have them at our house for Christmas so that meant this year Amber and Steve wouldn't be with us for Christmas...that was until Amber called me a few weeks before Christmas...

Reveal of Lie #1: I called my mom to outright lie to her... "Mom...I'm expecting a package to show up today around noon that you have to sign for. It's a Christmas gift for dad." Mom bought it hook, line and sinker. She had no idea that my sister and I had been planning for over a week Amber's surprise visit. I love my sister, but I have to admit, I was a little apprehensive of her doing this. I mean, come on...driving 6 hours just to spend one night with your family the day before Christmas Eve?! Well, she did it! We were able to keep the secret and mom never suspected a thing...not even when the "package" showed up with a Buffalo Bills license plate...when my mom saw my sister appear the realization finally hit in that my sister was the "package" she had been waiting for! Tears started flowing and hugs were the only signature that was required for this special delivery! Amber and I had pulled off the lie of the year! Until I had to confess up to something else I had been lying about since early November...

Reveal of Lie #2: My mom loves Sarah Palin...just LOVES her! And it just so happens that Sarah Palin was coming to my town for a book signing (her new book, Good Tidings and Great Joy explains how America is trying to omit the name of Christ from Christmas and that it's our job to keep Christmas well)! Mom, being that she lives two hours away from here, begged me to go. This is how that conversation went down: Mom: "Alex...Sarah Palin is coming to your town!" Me: "...um, that's great, mom..." Mom: "You don't sound very excited! You should go...you could meet a cute Republican guy, even!" Me: "Seriously? You're trying to tempt me to go just in case there might be a single, cute, Republican guy there?? haha"
I love my mother and she knows that I'm not that into politics like the way she and my sister are. So a week leading up to the book signing event, poor mom tried again..."Alex, you should really go to meet Sarah...if not for yourself, but because you love your mother!" Me: "....I'd rather eat dirt..." THAT ended that conversation real quick! Bingo! Perfect set up to my second biggest lie of the year because I did go to the book signing. In all actuality I did not want to go and once inside I had to fight the urge to turn around and run back to my car! But because I love my mom and thought it'd be a great Christmas gift, I went. And yes the thought did cross my mind that I might end up meeting a cute, single, Republican guy...but that didn't happen lol. What did happen was pretty much life changing. Yes, I met Sarah, who is a quiet and beautiful woman with a firm handshake, and we exchanged pleasantries as a photo was snapped of us. Then it was over...or so I thought. I had planned on just wrapping up the book with the photo of Sarah and I in a nice frame and giving it to my mom that way. However, I had just finished reading The Single Woman by Mandy Hale and didn't have anything to read...so I picked up Sarah's book and started it. Whoa...yes, you read that right...me, who doesn't really like politics and thought that I wouldn't really have anything in common with Sarah, read her book. You know what I found out? Sarah Palin and I have a TON in common especially the very core of who we are and that is that we stand for Jesus Christ.
2013 really gave me some life changing experiences that have proven to me that if we as individuals don't stand for anything or have one foot in one type of lifestyle and the other in a separate, then we truly will fall for anything. I was challenged this year to really make decisions for myself as to who and what it is that I stand for and Sarah's book helped confirm and support those decisions. It does matter who we vote for and that we vote. It does matter if that person voted into office holds firm to our shared values and beliefs. What matters most is that we find out what and who we believe in and to not let anyone decide for us.
The day Amber came home we decided to open family gifts and we made sure mom opened my gift last. She opened it and the first thing she saw was a letter that I wrote explaining the outrageous lie that I had to tell her back in November. My mom gasped and started crying as the truth sank in that her daughter, the girl who doesn't like politics, not only went to meet Sarah Palin, but read the book and realized that she and Sarah do have something in common after all...keeping Christmas well.

I ran into my friend Nicole (left) and we kept each other company as we waited to meet Sarah