thelightersideblog

[thelightersideblog]

#OOTD

Boutique-ing is the best... it is easy to follow the trends in a personally owned boutique, they are reasonably priced, and what you find will one of a kind.

Dress: A peasant, tribal, “anthropology”-esk tea dress.  I love a dress that I can dress up or dress down; but most of all, I love the classic, A Line cut.

Shoes: Nude, vintage booties.  These little Mark & Maddux heels give you enough height to boost your confidence, but enough comfort to keep you from getting sassy.  Go for a nude 

Necklace: A gold, modern, turquoise statement piece. Turquoise makes its presence known this season.

I went to "Blues and Shoes�� which is a local boutique in San Diego, North County.  Check them out on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/bluesandshoes.

What are your favorite boutiques?

[thelightersideblog]

The Depths of Despair: the college edition.

I recall a moment, at the beginning of my Freshman Year in college, when I was certain that my world was going to collapse in around me: I got a C- on an exam.

Never in my life had I identified so deeply with the whimsical, passion-filled red headed Anne Shirley (that’s with an “e”).

"I'm in the depths of despair... Did you ever try to imagine that you were in the depths of despair, Marilla?"

“No.  Because that would be to turn your back on God.

This familiar dialogue came to mind as I laid in my dorm room bed after the exam finished.  My hair was in an unkempt messy bun on top of my head, I had covered my face with a blanket, and nothing sounded better than just giving up and dwelling in my depths of despair.  I closed my room off from the light and just sat there... in the darkness of my dorm, with a blanket over my head.

Yes - enjoy that mental picture.

...but then it occurred to me what I was doing, and one single word came to mind: perspective.

So - I sat up (granted - a few hours later) pulled the blanket from on top of my head and opened the window.  It was then... that the still small voice of God came from the stillness and said...

“You are rediculous.  There is much taking place in this world, so much tragedy, and yet, so much joy and victory.  Now get out of bed, and allow my eyes to become yours."

Have you ever heard God laugh at you? ...because I did in that moment, and it was a humbling experience. 

So perhaps the take away is simple, rather general and maybe even a little silly: but don’t pull the blankets over your head.  There are so many tragedies taking place around the world, poverty, sickness, and death, that your hiccup doesn’t need to be one of the them... I am trying to remember this.  Perspective - the end of the world doesn’t need to come from an exam grade, a hurting relationship, or being late to work.

Those things matter, granted, but just remember... take His eyes at yours, and perspective will follow.

[thelightersideblog]

There are too many lonely people to be lonely alone.

To be vulnerable.

To be uncertain.

To be scared.

All of these emotions are uniquely and genuinely human.  They come and settle on our souls like a shroud of stillness. These emotions.... isolate.

Isolate... to feel alone in a busy room, to feel unnatural, to feel broken, to feel unreachable, ashamed, and unlike everyone else.  

It kills you.  From the inside out, it dissolves all the parts that make you feel worth anything, that make you feel unique and like you.  It corrodes the soul.  It will kill you, but you still look alive to everyone around you.  Dangerous.

Here is the truth: there are too many lonely people to be lonely alone.

According to statistics, one in three adults felt lonely. (978-0-478-40826-3, last access April 2013).

That’s a lot of lonely people together.

This isn’t a “run-to-Jesus” speech, assuming that it will make everything magically better.  Because that is what I have been told in the past: and it didn’t work.  Jesus isn’t a magical fix all - Jesus is work.  He will challenge you, push you, call you and let you struggle a little in love... before things get better. It’s worth it... but I think that Jesus is calling you to get to a certain mindset first.  But I digress...

Here is my point... Know that you are not alone. Know that it is okay that you feel alone.  I feel this way.  It is one of my deepest struggles every day.  Do not pretend.  Do not paint a facade of happy, put-together-ness.  Be genuine. ��And it will be okay... don’t let this deceitful emotion kill you from the inside out.

That is truth.  Often times your emotions will feel more real than the truth.  I don’t know why... I will take that up with Jesus one day... but in the mean time.  Do not be lonely alone.

[thelightersideblog]

Enough:

Enough.

It is forceful, causes you to pause and listen. It is whispered by His still small voice. It is a word filled with grace. It is accepts you as you are. It is strong. It satisfies. It fulfills.  It is soft.

Say the word out loud.  It holds a certain authority, yes?  I love how this word can be used as pronoun, adverb and exclamation.  Let this word sink in.

It demands your attention. ”Enough!” Jesus exclaims to your soul.  Stop.  It is a pleading, demanding, and strong word.  It causes you to pause... and listen.

It evokes rest. Now breathe.  Stop trying to do better, to do more, to be more accomplished, to be smarter, prettier, wiser, richer... stop.  Be enough.

It defines you.  "I am not enough.” You are enough.  That is who you are, enough.  It has been the love of Christ that made your imperfections enough. That is the gospel.  That is Christianity. The world declares that you need to do to be. Jesus says... stop, rest, and know that I am God (Psalm 46:9).  That is all that you have to do.  Now stop fighting what has already been won.

You are enough.

[thelightersideblog]

Definition of Love - as Told by Children.

What does love mean?

Well - here is what a group of 4 to 8 year olds had to say.  I stumbled upon this post on another blog and it was precious. Nothing is quite as beautiful or comforting as truth spoken from the hearts of children....

“When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn’t bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That’s love.” Rebecca- age 8

“When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth.” Billy – age 4

“Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other.” Karl – age 5

“Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs.” Chrissy – age 6

“Love is what makes you smile when you’re tired.” Terri – age 4

“Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK.” Danny – age 7

“Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My Mommy and Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss” Emily – age 8

“Love is what’s in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen.” Bobby – age 7 (Wow!)

“If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate,” Nikka – age 6 (we need a few million more Nikka’s on this planet)

“Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday.” Noelle – age 7

“Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well.” Tommy – age 6

“During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling. He was the only one doing that. I wasn’t scared anymore.” Cindy – age 8

“My mommy loves me more than anybody . You don’t see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.” Clare – age 6

“Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken.” Elaine-age 5

“Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford.” Chris – age 7

“Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day.” Mary Ann – age 4

“I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones.” Lauren – age 4

“When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you.” (what an image) Karen – age 7

“Love is when Mommy sees Daddy on the toilet and she doesn’t think it’s gross.” Mark – age 6

“You really shouldn’t say ‘I love you’ unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.” Jessica – age 8

May we learn to see the world through the eyes of a child. 

[thelightersideblog]

[thelightersideblog]

Social Media: Breakaway.

Note: I had taken a short hiatus from social media.  Only about a week's time... but enough to shake up my day to day experience with social media and here were my reflections.

I am back - 

It was only a short little break, but it was quite valuable to me. I wasn't off completely to be honest, but it was substantially less than normal. I realized a lot about how social media has shaped how my brain works.... for the good, and well, not so good. For the "not so good".... my mind works in ways of photo captions and possible impressions. While watching a sunset, I found myself automatically taking at least a handful of pictures, editing them, and about to post them... but by the time that I was finished with that process, the sun had set, and the sky was turning from brilliant orange to a deep, purple darkness. I had missed the moment that I was saying that I experienced. But I had a lovely filter, and a nice quote to post.

Think about that. For the "good"... I love people. I love people's stories. I am majoring in Public Relations and Communications which breaks down to one thing: people and their stories. I want to look to social media more for the little ways that I can be inspired by people, to learn from them, and invest in them.  There you go. My two take aways from a week without social media.

[thelightersideblog]

[thelightersideblog]

[thelightersideblog]

This was my first attempt to produce a short film, for my Freshman Year psychology class.  

[thelightersideblog]

Starbucks Story: "a love like Julie's coffee order"

I work in a coffee shop.  Every shift I make about 500 lattes, I sweep the floors, clean up spills, and I am privileged to turn strangers into friends.

One such "stranger" was worth sharing about...

Tom is an older gentleman who comes into the café nearly every day; with his silver grey hair, his cleanly pressed clothes, and his kindhearted smile and personal greetings, Tom does something unique every visit.

He will ask... "Julie's order, please".

We baristas all know Julie's half caf, 2 splenda, nonfat, lightly iced Venti latte by heart.  We have never met her, but we feel as though we have by the stories that Tom tells.  

While he waits for her drink at the hand-off bar, he will talk about how kind she is, how he doesn't like her little dog, but she treats it like a baby (he laughs and says that dog is loved more than him sometimes).  He refers to her as "his bride".

Well - I got to meet Julie yesterday.  She was as radiantly beautiful as he described her to be.  The way that he looked at her, with such a passionate love, melted my heart.

So, here is a love like that... a love that lasts.  Here is a man who still refers to his wife of 50 years as "his bride".  I want a love like Julie's coffee order.

Here is to the lighter side of things.

**note** Names have been altered for privacy. Photography by Riley McKenna.

[thelightersideblog]

[thelightersideblog]

There is something delightful about living on the coast during the Winter, namely: fog.  

So - I am steeping myself a warm cup of rooibos tea, cuddling into my favorite sweatshirt that smells like someone special, and watching the fog embrace my surroundings in a thick, comforting blanket of stillness.

Tea is always a good idea // enjoy the stillness.

[thelightersideblog]

"A good mug is like a hug to your hand..."

A satisfyingly foam-y latte sits in front of me.  It is poured into my favorite mug, where the curvature of the handle seems as though it were made to fit me perfectly.  A good mug is like a hug to your hand.

I have my bold ink-y pen to my right.

I am sitting in my favorite coffee shop, where the whir of the espresso machines and the soft sound of chatter is the soundtrack to my life.  My favorite coffee shop also happens to be my place of employment. 

This is where I find myself starting my new blog: The Lighter Side.

So... I welcome you.  Pull up a chair, I will steam you your own foam-y latte and we can chat for a while.

Life is quite dull.  So why not talk about the lighter side of our souls?  A place for musings, wonderings and yummy lattes - all from the eyes of a college freshman.  I am Riley McKenna.