GABRIELA YARELIZ

Happy Birthday Sugetha!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SUGETHA!

What can I say? You and Srinivas have been such a blessing to my life. You have the most amazing heart. Gold, pure gold. We rarely come across people as thoughtful as you in life; never lose that. When the weather is bad, when I feel sad (and many times you didn’t know), you reached out to me and made me smile. Your time and your thoughtful attention to detail are beautiful symbols of the priceless and abundant love you spill onto all who surround you. Those of us around you are so happy and fortunate to call you friend.

You inspire me, and your words have been a great source of encouragement and joy to me. God has spoken to me many times through you. It has been beautiful to share, talk and pray together.

I knew about you long before I met you, and I knew you were special. When I met you, you confirmed everything I already knew. 🙂 I hope you have a blessed day and new year. Never forget how special you are! God will give you an extraordinary year. Each chapter that comes is better than the last.

Life will give us more memories together and great times to come.

Today, let’s jam to this song (one of our favorites):

Sending you a virtual hug to the West Coast (and a hug to Srinivas trapped in the polar vortex, as well)!

Love you girl.

XOXOXO

Gabby 🙂

Belongs to Gabriela Yareliz [Two of the most loving, extraordinary, brave and hardworking people I have ever met. I am so blessed to call them my friends.]

Monday Inspiration: February 23, 2015

By: Gabriela Yareliz

Happy Monday to all of you. I could not get out of bed this morning, but once I did, there was no turning back. The week begins at full speed once that alarm goes off. Time to hustle. This is the last week to make February count for everything it’s worth. It is going to reach 0 degrees tonight, so I guess if we keep moving, we won’t freeze.

Keep it real. Stay inspired.

“When life is sweet, say thank you and celebrate. And when life is bitter, say thank you and grow.”

Shauna Niequist, Bittersweet

[Leila Bekhti]

“Stop beating yourself up. You are a work in progress – which means you get there a little at a time, not all at once.”

Unknown

[Power couple Leyla Milani and Manny Khoshbin]

[Macarena Garcia]

[Persepolis]

[Random New Yorker humor (the lawyer cartoons)]

[Feeny wisdom]

[Images from Tumblr and Webstagram]

Oscars: The Theory of Everything

By: Gabriela Yareliz

It was quite the match: a church-going, angelic-voiced polyglot filled with hope and an intelligent, boyish and mysterious scientist filled with angst. She became his lifesaver in more ways than one.

I am so hoping that The Theory of Everything gets Best Picture tonight at the Oscars. There are some serious inaccuracies in the film as compared to Jane Hawking’s autobiography. However, I think the former Mrs. Hawking’s life deserves a standing ovation. While things were not as amicable and simple as the film presents, what is portrayed: the strength, love, passion– everything that makes our hearts warm and fuzzy, that is what should be; what often is, but not for long.

People’s mistakes, victories, difficulties, beliefs, struggles, weaknesses, strengths or tragedies can help us determine what we hope for, and more than that, they can help push us to achieve what we dream.

[Images from Tumblr]

Sunday Girl: February 22, 2015

By: Gabriela Yareliz Back-to-work Sunday. I’m Florida dreamin’ and listening to Jake Miller (fellow Floridian) while getting stuff done. Soundtrack: India won the match against South Africa yesterday. It was greatness. When I saw the photo of the team players together in their blue and orange uniforms, it brought back memories from my Gator Cricket Team.

Last week of February! Shall we?

“I now know that we never get over great losses; we absorb them, and they carve us into different, often kinder, creatures.” Gail Caldwell, Let’s Take the Long Way Home

Hair inspiration:

“When God puts you in a position you don’t understand, He wants you to see He is God.” Dr. Tony Evans

“What hath night to do with sleep?” John Milton, Paradise Lost

“Maturity starts with the willingness to give oneself.” Elisabeth Elliot

“For what you see and hear depends a good deal on where you are standing: it also depends on what sort of person you are.” C.S. Lewis, The Magician’s Nephew

“Hey now! Hey now! This is what dreams are made of!” Lizzie McGuire

Time to hustle.

[Images from Tumblr]

Dreams & Oceans

By: Gabriela Yareliz

Soundtrack to the post: Britt Nicole’s “Set the World on Fire”

I’m thinking oceans. I’m thinking sunshine. I’m thinking warmth.

We are growing up. But at this point in the game, some of us have to realize that we can’t keep thinking about the adults we want to be; we are adults, now. Of course, we want to keep in mind who we want to be, but adulthood is no longer in the distant future. Suddenly, what was once future tense becomes present tense. It’s time to live the life we’ve always dreamed of and to continue being a work in progress.

It’s time to cross oceans, by foot on dry land.

“You are strong enough to take my dreams,

come and give them wings,

Lord with you,

there’s nothing I cannot do.”

Britt Nicole // Set the World on Fire

“Grab on to God with all you’ve got. Have faith that He can lift you high above your circumstance and fears.
I’ve noticed that He usually doesn’t do it until the wave is just about to wash over us. That’s what makes it faith.”
Sun Stand Still – S. Furtick

“There’s courage in these veins of mine,
because I’m part of His bloodline.”
Kalley Heiligenthal

“The terrible thing, the almost impossible thing, is to hand over your whole self—all your wishes and precautions—to Christ. But it is far easier than what we are all trying to do instead.”
C. S. Lewis

“Stop waiting for someone else to say that you count, that you matter, that you have worth, that you have a voice, a place, that you are called. Didn’t you know, darling? The One who knit you together in your mother’s womb is the one singing these words over you, you are chosen.”
Sarah Bessey

“I want my children to grow up barefoot running through the woods. I want them to know the feeling of the trees growing around them, to recognize the gurgle of a stream before they see it, to know the taste of a blackberry from a bush long before they know the taste of a chip. I want my children to experience the earth…through touch, not pictures, and video games. And I want to be right there with them through it all.” Unknown

“Vivan los porsiacasos.” Blanca Suarez

“He makes, we are made; He is original, we derivative.” C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain, Divine Goodness

“Jesus knew everything Zacchaeus had done and still loved him. It didn’t change Jesus; it changed Zacchaeus.” J.S.

Dream. See the ocean He has led you to and have faith that He will open the way for you. He will go before you during the day as a cloud giving you shade from the scorching sun, and by night as a column of fire, lighting everything in your path.

[Images from Tumblr]

Sick-Day Sabbath #2

I have sneezed so much, I am afraid I am going to sprain my neck or something. Unfortunately, I am sick, and fortunately, trapped indoors. Today, I was sneezing at a symposium (the photo above is from today–the one moment I was not sneezing). The symposium talked a lot about John Milton’s Paradise Lost. I am in a classic kind of mood. I saw an old friend from France and drank hot tea. I later proceeded to class, where I was cold called, while feeling clammy and cold sweating. I was talking and stating my arguments while stripping off my blazer, scarf, etc. I could feel the streams of cold sweat in my cleavage. Not a good feeling.

I walked, in what felt like an arctic blast, to the bank, and because I didn’t want to go outside after I had finished in there, I literally sat on the bank couch for 30 minutes texting a friend and avoiding eye contact with bank tellers who were wondering what I was still doing there. Then, I when to the pharmacy where I had trouble checking out and got ID checked while trying to buy cold meds. Because apparently only 18+ get sick, and all the sick minors live with parents who can buy them cold meds; also, I look 15 to them, in a suit. Whatever. I need to get a job on Disney Channel.

I took a five-hour nap, and now I am here, wide awake; can’t breathe; and craving french fries. Tomorrow, I will sit here and read my Bible, in bed, keeping pace with my 90-day challenge. The book of Job. How appropriate? *Kidding* I am sure it will make me feel better. Better to sneeze than to have boils and ashes on my head or something…

I hope you are warm and healthy. And if you are sick, I hope you have a roommate. It sucks when you are sick, and you live alone. Thank God New York Fashion Week is over, and people can start wearing weather-appropriate clothes again. Wearing nylon tights as pants in -16 degrees, people! People! I am off to find tissues in my fashionable knee socks, Gator hoodie and fuzzy pants. This kind of cold should be illegal.

XOXO.

Your sick Floridian trapped in a polar vortex

Reflections Before Bedtime #10

By: Gabriela Yareliz

I am sick, sick as a… I’ll spare you the simile. It’s freezing cold. The wind bites; that is how cold it is. So, I stay indoors sipping on tea and kale juice, and sucking on vitamins (because they are too big to swallow *kidding* but they really are too big).

Downstairs, there is a little plate with pebbles. Someone puts the pebbles into the shape of a smiley face. Today, I walked past it, and it had a little sign that said “Do not touch!!!” Ha. I wonder what people were doing with the pebbles.

As I study case law, I am overwhelmed with how fast society changes, and how the world shapes itself. Sometimes, the system makes sense, but more often, there is a tinge of sadness. Something is just so wrong about the way some things are going and happening. There are a lot of subtle double standards, ones we even have for ourselves. Anyway, time is flying by like a New York taxi. Some of us are trying to not get run over.

Today, I was reminded of a quote:

“When the whole world is running towards a cliff, he who is running in the opposite direction appears to have lost his mind.”

C.S. Lewis

Let the man run in the opposite direction; let him run. What others perceive as his “madness” is actually his sanity.

Reflections Before Bedtime #9

By: Gabriela Yareliz

So today, God exceeded all of my expectations. #speechless

Moral of the story? While I am over here having some weird mini heart attack, He is working in my favor. I realized today, that truly, some of the best things require the most patience.

I am so grateful. My heart spilleth over, you know what I mean? I start my journey through the book of Nehemiah, tomorrow. Every step of this walk has been and continues to be a blessing. I continue to receive words in due season and warmth for my soul. Every day, He proves He is with me, and His love endures forever.

Who You Are Dealing With

By: Gabriela Yareliz

Do you think that God is limited by your name? What school you went to? Where you are? What you’ve done? Where you come from? What others think? Your financial resources? What you look like? If you do, you don’t know who you are dealing with. God’s greatness and the amazing things He can do for you are without measure. Never doubt His power, His name and His goodness. He has plans for you, and He is taking you exactly where He wants you to go. A place where you will be fulfilled; where you will be blessed, and be a blessing.

[Image from princesskapoor.tumblr.com]

Bunny

By: Gabriela Yareliz

This is one of my favorite creatures ever created. Her name is Bunny. When I see her, she reminds me of what it’s like to persevere in faith and loyalty, trusting in the goodness of the hand that provides all things for you. When I see her, I remember her strength, and how God blessed this little creature when everything looked dim for her; even her vet was surprised and moved by the miracle she became. When I see her, I see answered prayers. When I see her, I see a creature who loves, protects and understands, despite her stubbornness. When I see her, I am reminded how important it is to have and accept guidance by those who love you most. When I see her, I am reminded that we were meant to live free, like her spirit.

In her, I see a sum of too many blessings. In her, I see a piece of my heart.