Oh Happiness!

Yesterday, I attended my first official Prayer Pocket here at TBI. The focus of this week's Prayer Pocket was the Joy of the Lord.  This whole thing made me realize how much I LOVE to be happy!  In turn, I got started thinking of everything that makes me happy.  The list is (partially) as follows.
1) Jesus - I mean, who can't smile about Jesus?  Even His name makes me smile each and every time I say it.
2) I Love chick flicks! This one is pretty much self-explanatory as well.  I mean, come on! Boy meets girl, Boy and girl fall in love, boy loses girl, boy and girl reunite, boy and girl get married.  GREATNESS!
3) Writing - I don't know, something about when I'm writing just makes me smile.  I love creating characters, places, and plots.  I love watching the story unfold before me and I love knowing "who did it" before anyone else!
4) My family - I don't know how I would get through anything without the support of my family behind me.  I also don't know how I would survive without them. They can make me mad and sad and emotional, but overall my family makes me HAPPY!
5) My friends - we're crazy and we know it. That's what makes us awesome :) Besides, I love watching my friends do weird things all the time.
So that's only a few of the things that make me smile and make me happy.  There is a trigger that everyone has that makes them happy, so discover what yours is! And determine that today will be a happy day for you!


Quote of the Week:
A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies.  The man who doesn't read lives only one.

Fun Fact of the Week:
'Stewardesses' is the longest word that can be typed with only the left hand.

Story Starter of the Week:
Briana has never been happy before. What finally makes her happy and why?

The Potential for Joy

"Even the worst days have the potential for joy."

A quote in one of my favorite television shows hit me square in the face.  I knew that during the past week, I had been letting my emotions and the stress of some situations dictate whether I was in a good or bad mood.    Right then and there I decided that I will always look for joy in whatever situation arises.  

That means that even when my hormones are going crazy, I am not going to let my feelings control me.  Whether my roommates love me or hate me, I will remain in God's plan and be the happy, carefree person I am.  This statement stands true for people and for characters that I have created recently.

In one of my newest stories, a quote appeared on the page in front of me that read: "She knew that the stress of the situation and the early rising were determining her mood."  Ugh!  How I wish that wasn't true for most of the world.  I have worked for years on keeping my emotions under control.  "I rule my emotions, they don't rule me" was a year-long motto until I finally understood it.  Now I have a different problem.  When I talk to other people - especially women - that are around me, I realize that they are living by their emotions. They can be laughing and smiling one minute and biting your head off the next.  This is no way to live!  However, I am still working on how to let them know that.  Because, If they are living by their emotions, they don't want to hear that.  It's funny how no one wants to know how to fix a problem they have.  Someone I know told me that she didn't want to live on a roller coaster of emotions, but then wouldn't allow me to help her learn how to live above her feelings.  This gets so frustrating!  However, I trust that with time they will learn to listen and obey the voice of God telling them how to rule their feelings.

Quote of the Week:

"A Trap is only a trap if you don't know about it.  If you know about it, it's a challenge."

                                                                                                           -- China Mieville

Fun Fact of the Week:

 On average, 100 people choke to death on ball point pens every year, so be careful. 

Story Starter of the Week:

This week, we have a picture story starter!  Have fun with it!  (and remember to leave your stories in the comments!)

Days Go By...

I can't believe that it has only been two weeks since I arrived here at college. On the other hand, I can't believe it has been two weeks since I arrived!  If you look closely at those sentences, they are almost identical, but with a totally different thought pattern behind them.  The first sentence denotes my sorrow and frustration and how much I miss home.  The second denotes that the time is flying by so rapidly!  You know, it's weird. I feel like I have been here for so long and yet I can't believe I've already been here this long.  Time goes by in funny ways, and right now it feels like Thanksgiving is closing in way too rapidly but I'll never get home for Christmas at this rate.  Is that weird?  Have you ever counted the days until the end of school, only to find that they're going by too fast?  Or is that just me?  Sometimes I wonder if I'm normal or completely abnormal.  Someone help me out here!


Quote of the Week:
"The Impossible could not have happened. Therefore, the impossible must be possible inspite of appearances."
                                                                                    -- Agatha Christie

Fun Fact of the Week:
Six-year-olds laugh an average of 300 times a day. The average adult? 15.

Story Starter of the Week:
Jenna had never seen such a beautiful forest.  It stretched on as far as she could see.  She took one step in and turned to go back out.  Suddenly, she found that there was no way out.  What happens next?


*Don't forget to post your stories in the comments!