Monday Inspiration: November 23, 2015

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By: Gabriela Yareliz

This will be a simple, no-frill post. I don’t have too much to say. I know. Rare. Maybe that is a lie, though. We’ll see how long this post ends up being.

This weekend was pretty introspective. Apparently, I appreciate the art of making myself uncomfortable. So, after a weekend of lovely friends, waiting for trains that never came, and then riding the train with a man who lit a cigarette with a match in front of me inside of the train car and drunk rappers arguing about zodiac signs and of course, rapping– this is what I got:

Sometimes, we are so focused on what is going on or falling apart in our lives. It feels like this is it, and we can’t see past it. Life can get dramatic quick, like a bad episode of The Shahs of Sunset.

I hope to focus on Habakkuk 2:4 this week– “the just shall live by his faith.” Maybe, I can’t see past this, and right now, this is something that consumes me because maybe there isn’t much else to steal the show. Still, I have to learn to see past it– even if fog blocks the horizon. Even if I don’t know exactly what I am looking to beyond this, I have to look away and take time to look above and beyond what is in front of me.

If your life feels more dramatic than reality tv, take a second to take a step back. Think of all the other things you hope to achieve and the people important to you. And also, think about who you are. Gratitude for the things we have is important, but we should also be grateful for who we are and who we are becoming by the grace of God.

And most importantly, think about who God is. We often live life as if we think God doesn’t love us. We won’t understand everything. The just shall live by his faith.

This week, look up; look past; look with hope.

It is Thanksgiving week, and I wanted to say thank you to all of you who take the time to read what I write. That always means so much. It has been a long journey, and it is just beginning. It has been amazing interacting and corresponding with many of you. As I look at the blog stats, I know that it’s not just a number but that so many people have given me an opportunity to dialogue with them and make them think or reflect. That is huge to me. Let’s continue this journey, and I look forward to hearing from you and sharing along the way.

I am grateful for you. Stay golden.

 

[Image from Tumblr]

Sunday Girl: November 22, 2015

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By: Gabriela Yareliz

Have you ever felt like everything you have worked for and everything you hold dear is hanging by a thread? I needed this today:

“Hello fear,

Thank you for being here. You’re my indication that I’m doing what I need to do.”

Cheryl Strayed, Brave Enough

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Reflections Before Bedtime #48

“I want everything—love, adventure, intimacy, work.” 

Virginia Woolf, from a letter to Leonard Woolf

By: Gabriela Yareliz

On the other side of the world, two of my friends are getting married, right now. They are both extraordinary people. It’s like they were made for each other.

This world is full of mismatched couples–so, it’s neat when you find a couple well-matched; two people that help each other grow.

Different things drive people to come together. Sometimes, it’s a lease that is about to expire; lust; economic dependence; a fear of loneliness; an erroneous sense of needing to be completed by another; duty…

Marriage is a big deal and an interesting thing to think about. As we grow older, we change, the things we look for change, and oftentimes, good things are found in surprising places. I also think that with age things get more complicated, but also, in other aspects they become a lot clearer.

It’s okay to remind yourself of what you deserve and to not settle for the randos out there who are constantly preying and harassing. There are plenty of men out there who can’t handle their own peers and decide to try to score with someone half their age. No, sir. And then, there are women who think that love is when he stops playing his video game to look at you for a split second. Do we seriously date men who play video games? Let’s not go down that road…

I get that companionship is important, but I don’t think it justifies weird, mismatched couples. What is most important, I think, is to be super happy with oneself first. Be alone; be pure; be you. Grow yourself.

I think all of us are capable of a good match if only we would be patient and not settle or excuse certain things. This isn’t about searching for an impossible perfection, it’s about seeking and holding out for a good relationship that is possible, mature and healthy.

Love is probably like that Fast and Furious 6 scene where Vin Diesel and Michelle Rodriguez race cars in London (where a young Rita Ora marks the beginning of the race).

Do your thing until you find someone ready and willing to drive full speed ahead in this crazy life with you.

Drive, drive, drive. Don’t stop for anyone who can’t keep up or drive stick shift. 

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Monday Inspiration: November 16, 2015

(The hilarious Fran Fine).

By: Gabriela Yareliz

The 90s were good to us. For some reason, cassette tapes came to mind. I used to make a lot of tapes, with many songs recorded right off of the radio by boombox or walkman. It was a moment of excitement when your song would come on, and the radio DJ would stop talking in the perfect moment, while you clicked ‘record.’ Sweet goodness.

The world felt like a different place back then. Ross loved Rachel; families spent more time together; neighbors talked; schools taught; and students were taught to respect and care. Cameras had film, so you had limited shots and had to wait in suspense to see your photos. Not much was on demand, but we survived. Hair looked bigger because flatirons were rare, and 80s perms left an aftertaste. People read more and spent more time outside. We would order books from Scholastic catalogs, and we would read about profound things that didn’t involve vampires. It was different. We were different. Weren’t we?

I just wanted to take a trip down nostalgia lane. If only I had the Magic School Bus.

The world keeps spinning. Maybe we are dizzy.

Christmas decorations are up. The wind is rough, cutting through our lips and cracking our skin.

This weekend, I was on the train, and I bit my lip slightly. Suddenly, I had that strange taste of blood in my mouth. I pulled out my mirror and looked. There was a tiny red dot, where I had bit my lip. Weird how something so small can spread such a terrible taste.

I hope that this week you stay warm, hydrated and without wounds. Don’t let small things bitter the whole. Realize that it’s a tiny cut and that no, you’re not bleeding to death, despite of how it feels.

Be filled with that warm, fuzzy feeling you got when you realized Rachel got off the plane.

Sometimes, that is all we can do when surrounded with so much tragedy– we can cling to the good we have experienced, knowing there is good to come.

Happy week!

“For every look you take at yourself, take ten looks at Jesus.”

Ellie Holcomb, She Reads Truth

“Love God and He will enable you to love others even when they disappoint you.” Francine Rivers

“You’re going to make mistakes in life. It’s what you do after the mistakes that counts.” Brandi Chastain

“Right now, I smell like old books. My hands scented with tired words and broken ideas. Right now, I smell like paragraphs and one too many adjectives.” Tyler Knott Gregson

[Images from Tumblr]

Douce France

By: Gabriela Yareliz

Tonight at church, we had an amazing spoken word and music night. I heard the music and testimony of a young man who found God, hope and music in the midst of his chemotherapy and anguish. He was so vulnerable with us tonight. It was beautiful.

Tonight, we were pained to hear of the terror attacks in my sweet France. It left the world in shock. I find it truly heartbreaking. As many of you know, France has a dear place in my heart, and it has given to me some of the most amazing moments of my life. My prayers are with those who are suffering, scared, confused and angry.

Part of what the young musician said tonight was how the world has nothing to offer us. We live in a broken world gone mad. Money, aesthetic, images, glittery romances, the music scene, notoriety… It all leaves us empty. When you are sick in a hospital bed, you quickly realize none of these superficial elements matters.

Everything is devoid meaning if it is not infused with an eternal perspective.

When we are spiritually empty, nothing else can fill the God-shaped void in us. Things can burn, fade, be stolen or destroyed. We must cultivate that which no one can take from us.

In this time of pain and hurt, let us look at our lives; let’s reflect on love, honor, justice, innocence, good and truth.

Let us cling to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. Let us be filled with the peace God gives that the world cannot take away. Let us know that His plans are greater than ours.

You know when you meet someone amazing that fills your thoughts? It’s a surreal moment when you realize that someone has chosen to love you. Being loved, really loved, is pretty magical. That’s what God is offering us. Regardless of how we respond, He loves us. He wants you to have that moment where you realize you are valued and dearly loved. Perfect love casts out all fear, scripture says, and it adds, God is Love. Love never fails.

En deuil avec ma France❤

That Bod

By: Gabriela Yareliz

Our bodies are always changing. Some prefer the rock hard body, others go for a more sculpted soft tone. Regardless of your style, a good body starts with your diet.

Our bodies are temples. Some people think I look the way I look because I am twenty-something. While my age may be an advantage, that doesn’t change the fact that I am very selective and careful with what I eat (vegetarian, gluten free). There are obese twenty year olds; people seem to forget that. People think age is magic. Health is not an accident.

As the holiday season approaches, let’s be extra careful about what is going into our bodies. Feeling good starts on the inside, and it shines out. Two words: lifestyle and discipline.

There can be health and beauty at every age and stage of life.

Here’s to never letting ourselves go! #cheers #whereisthenog?