Every Individual Makes a Difference

Though these words have been spoken by many people, one of the greatest is Jane Goodall.

For those of you who do not know who this extraordinary woman is, you may have heard about her experiences. Jane had once left her comfortable life in Europe, to live among the wild chimpanzees with nothing but a pair of binoculars and a notebook. Today, she still works to protect endangered species, including chimpanzees, and still ceases to amaze me.

But I am not writing this post to inform you all about the wonders of Jane Goodall, rather I am writing to inform you (or brag) that the Jane Goodall is coming to speak at Georgia State this year!

Just a matter of minutes ago, I found this out, while in my speech class, and I dropped everything. No more notes. No more listening. Just researching everything I could to find out more.

I cannot tell you how excited I am about this. So much so, that I will probably skip a class or two to see her, and if you know me I don't do that out of fear that I'll miss something super important. But it's Jane Goodall. Really, how many chances will I have for this.

Alright. I think I'm done rubbing my excitement in your face...for now, and really most of you probably don't care. But please, go research her. She is an amazing woman.

It's over...

It's finally over. And not in a good way.

Recently, I have been reading a book called "Love Does" by Bob Goff.

It is one of the most amazing books I have read- which sounds completely cliche, but is totally true. It is one of those books which I have read slowly, on purpose as to experience it as long as possible, and one that I plan on reading...more in depth...very soon in the future.

Bob has taken me on an adventure full of laughter and tears. He has somehow managed to make me feel completely insignificant, but uncontrollably empowered at the same time.

If you have not heard of the book, here is a brief excerpt. I love how he illustrates whimsy throughout the book.

    "Living a life fully engaged and full of whimsy and the kind of things that love does is something most people plan to do, but along the way they just kind of forget. Their dreams become one of those “we’ll go there next time” deferrals. The sad thing is, for many there is no “next time” because passing on the chance to cross over is an overall attitude toward life rather than a single decision. They need a change of attitude, not more opportunities."

I highly recommend this read. And then, I invite you to share your thoughts here.

Rise Up!

So, if you didn't know, Georgia is pretty proud of their football team, the Atlanta Falcons.

And- until recently- I hated football. Really. Quite detested it actually. I always trembled when football season came around, and longed for the day when it was over again.

BUT, that was when we simply watched the game on TV. Who does that?! How can you honestly enjoy the game- and not the food- when you are not there live?

That is how I got into the game- something I thought was once impossible. My dad had a friend who got him free tickets, even though he had to be stuck at church, and my mom, brother, and I went instead.

See how happy and excited I looked? Granted, I probably could've chosen a better picture, but I liked our faces. (Oh, and that's my brother by the way!)

Even though this was a preseason game, it was still pretty thrilling and makes me eager to get into the games this season! So, what do Falcons do? We RISE UP!

**Also, I know this is late, as it's the preseason Cincinnati game, but I'm catching up on what I've missed. It's been a bit busy here lately, so give me a break :) **

How Soon "Not Now" Becomes "Never"...

mo·ti·va·tion/ˌmōtəˈvāSHən/

Noun:	The reason or reasons one has for acting or behaving in a particular way. The general desire or willingness of someone to do something.
Synonyms:	motive - incentive - stimulus - impulse Otherwise known as, something that I lack. I don't necessarily lack the beginning motivation, as I am the kind of person who needs to do something as soon as I have the idea. No matter where or when, and no matter the obstacle, I usually jump right on it. Rather I lack the continuing motivation. After awhile, something that I had such a strong desire for morphs into something that becomes more of a routine than a luxury. That. Stops. Now. I am determined to schedule myself accordingly. To put what's most important to me on paper - to hold myself accountable. This way, I will have no excuses. This includes my blogging. Every day, the views on my page consistently increase, while the amount of writing performed stays the same as it did before. But now, because it is out there for all of you to see, that will change. So expect to see more posts on, honestly, anything I feel like writing about:      - The new painting I will be creating      - Recipes I may feel like trying (or learning)      - Photos that I will get in the habit of taking      - Outfits that I feel adorable in      or      - Life posts that may strike upon me as important at any moment So, be on the lookout. Who knows where this will go!

Check It Out!

I was privileged to be featured on a lovely friend's blog: A Bundle of Contradictions lately.

Wendi Nunnery, who is also to thank for the start of my blogging adventures, is the host of this super creative and adorable blog, which demonstrates her sense of style, her gifted writing talents, and her views on faith and life.

She is a person and great heart and striking personality, so be sure to stop on by...starting by clicking on the link below:
   
http://www.wendinunnery.com/2012/06/sponsor-spotlight-beyond-city-limits.html

A Lapse In Time

Change (n)- The act or instance of making or becoming different.


   When change is announced, there are usually two typical responses: 
       1) An individual can run towards it, or
       2) An individual can shy away from it.


   Which individual are you? When changes happens in your life- a change that you did not pursue- how do you respond? 




   Throughout the past, I have found myself to be individual #2- afraid of what unwanted change could bring into my life. It wouldn't matter what part of my life that change would effect, whether it would be relationships, work, or the other areas of life. I simply did not want it...and avoided it at all costs. But recently, I have decided to sort of embrace what change may come into my life.


   Sean Myers, our new pastor at Water's Edge (now College @ 12Stone), stated "Choosing not to change still changes everything." Just like the cave in the picture shown below (one of my favorites from our caving experience)- the underground river has flown through the twists and turns of the cavern for years. Though the cave has not actively pursued the ever-forming stalagmites and stalactites, the erosion caused by the river and the mineral water dropping from the 'ceiling' has still caused that change. 


   So why not open myself to what change God has planned for me? How else can I become the person that He has called me to be- a person who continuously matures in their faith and in their world? How else will I truly experience the joys that only He knows this life will give me? Accepting change will allow me to open myself to these plans and allow me to grow my relationships- with God and with community. 

   
By the way- this picture is unedited. Can I just say how proud I am of this? Although, the cave offered it's own beauty to go around for ages.

Naturally,

There are various pathways in which you connect to God....something we have been discussing in the college ministry at my church, 12Stone.

One of these pathways being the naturalist- in which you hear from God and feel closest to him in the natural setting. Whether this be your backyard, caving in Tennessee, or backpacking through Europe, this is where you sense God's presence.

I truly experienced this through this past weekend. My family and I traveled to Tennessee as a quick weekend getaway and also as a birthday retreat for myself. :) After seeing all of the beauty that the caverns, Cade's Cove, and pastures on the side of the road had to offer, I knew that all of that HAD to created by the hands of God...there was no other possibility.

So, there you have it...I am a naturalist at heart-although, there are other pathways that I take a part in as well, which we will discuss in the future. In the meantime-here is one of my favorite pictures taken from the weekend....edited a little of course. :)

Just A Simple Introduction

To start off, my name is Bree. I am many things in life: a student, a daughter, a sister, an assistant, a dreamer...and the list goes on. I may seem like your everyday average person, and truth be told, you probably wouldn't recognize me even if you were to pass by on the street. 

But none of that matters. I am here because, after talking to a co-worker and friend at lunch, I realized that I have a lot of passions in life, but no motivation to pursue any of them....Well, that stops now. I have always had a passion for many artistic and cultural aspects of life, but primarily my number one love has always been music. It has been a passion that is almost indescribable, and though I listen to basically any genre you can throw at me, I have always been the one to encourage the underground and unknown artists. The bands that have true talent, because as we all know, they are quickly diminishing in today's Pop Culture. 

When talking to mentioned friend, Wendi Nunnery, she noted that she had kept a blog, primarily consisting of Author Interviews, or Book Reviews. (If you haven't guessed, her passion is writing, and you should check her out at wendinunnery.com.) After hearing this I wanted to keep a blog in which I could introduce not only my friends and family to the music and other arts that I love, but also random passersby that may come across my blog....my goal is to EXPAND THEIR HORIZONS, and to communicate some of my passion for these things to others along the way. 

The world has obviously lost touch with art and true talent, though it has not been completely diminished, and I'm not here to say what the world is doing wrong, or that my way is the correct way of thinking. I'm simply just here to call attention to the talents that may go unnoticed in this world of uncommon acts and huge displays for attention. 

**Just a discloser: This is purely opinionated. Feel free to form your own views of life. It's the diversity in our ways of thinking that make this life what it is.