Co-Labbing with Kelsy

Today I get to learn how to "co-lab" with my best friend.  She is also a writer (everyone be watching for her!) and we have decided to co-write a novel.  You see, we discovered that our characters, even before we knew each other, are very, VERY similar.  So, through an hour-long conversation, we decided to co-write a novel involving two of her characters and two of mine.  Only problem: I've never co-written a novel before and therefore she must teach me how to do so.
This could be a very interesting week, folks! Stay tuned for how this story goes and more updates on how to co-lab!

Randomness

I have had the weirdest day today.  First, my Barnabas friend left me.  I haven't gotten half the things done that I want to, and the computer lab is unusually busy.  But, that just means that today I am learning to live in Grace.
On a higher note, YFR #1 (or Youth Fall Retreat, for those of you who couldn't figure out the shortened version) was amazing!  I got to dance with Hip Hop Crew and I also got to pray for the most precious twelve year old on the planet!  She came to the altar crying and just needed a hug.  She also had me pray for her family.
You see, I didn't need to know what exactly was going on with her family in order to pray for her.  For some reason I seem to be the designated "give-them-God's-love" person.  Every time I have prayed for someone at a retreat thus far, they have been someone who just needed love.  This girl had such a heart for Jesus that it made my heart beat faster.  She was amazing, just going through some things that she needed prayer for.  God can use anyone, including you.  If you want to be used to give love to someone, He will use you.  Maybe you're scared to pray face to face and you just want to pray from afar.  He will still use you.  You are wanted, you are loved, and God wants to use YOU.


Quote of the Week:
What is straight? A line can be straight, or a street, but the human heart, oh no, it's curved like a road through mountains.
                                                                         - Tennessee Williams

Fun Fact of the Week:
When Astronauts returned from the moon, they had to go through customs.

Story Starter of the Week:
George was a peanut, who liked to eat Peanut butter.  Was he strange or normal?  Why?

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!)