Say You'll Stay

Moments pass too quickly, we can’t stop time

I’m not ready to quit, don’t let go

This lifetime is only the first step to our eternity

Remember if you let go, there is no return

(All you have is a memory- all I have is a memory)

For now, stay with me until I fall asleep

Stay with me until I wake, then keep dreaming with me

Hold my hand, I’ll hold yours, keep me close

Stay with me until I fall asleep, say you’ll stay

If you leave before I wake I’ll know it wasn’t meant to be

It’s our faith that will hold us together…believe with me

There’s a world out there, tough to handle

But if you offer, I’ll follow

Fast forward to a lifetime of love

Stay with me until I fall asleep, forgive me for asking…

There’s a world out there tough to handle

We never have to leave.

~Kyla Marie Edmondson

onto a new experience...

Have you done something for so long that it just gets tiring and boring eventually making you want to quit? I have had that frustration with multiple things in my life...

If you noticed, I haven't posted anything new in quite a few months...that is because life took me by the hand and decided to fill my plate with so much I could hardly carry it all...

However, I don't want anyone to think I got bored or tired of writing. Blogging is something that, believe it or not, takes time and thought to piece together a good story. Over the past few months, believe me I've been through enough to write a book, however... I decided to try something new.

Rather than blogging about day to day feelings, events, etc. I want to blog to escape my day to day life. It may be interesting to see the things that end up coming out on paper, but I am curious to see what will happen.

I hope this will bring out something new in me, kind of like a self discovery exercise, and kind of like a way to figure out some questions running through my head.

If you don't always understand what I mean in some of my writing, just ask...I've had a few people email me and ask what certain things meant and it definitely cleared up some things.

Well...here goes nothing... onto a new experience :)

Dr Pepper Experience :)

Ciao everyone! So I recently got back on campus from the most exciting weekend of my life! Dr Pepper invited me and four other students to attend the SEC Championship weekend on them. It was so intense and emotional from day one. Below you will see a video that highlights every event from the weekend. Hope you enjoy! Don't forget to submit your video at www.drpepper.com/promotions!!!

sad song, happy memories

Im sitting in my dorm room right now thinking of many different things, from cheerleading to home life, etc. I am listening to every kind of music anybody could ever think of and each song has brought back a different memory...specifically the sad songs. Each sad song I hear reminds me of my past, which makes me happy in a weird way. Every time I hear a song that was affiliated with a certain friend, relationship, situation, whatever it may be I smile. I've grown to learn that memories are memories, whether they are good or bad. A memory is a wonderful gift from God. Every memory is special in it's own way and finds a unique way to your heart.

Songs have a certain connection with everyones life. Each song associated with a memory has lyrics that touch us all in ways that may differ from others. Lyrics often reflect a situation that many people can relate with therefore we all seem to find a connection with the people involved in the memory even if we can't really see them in life anymore. I love that. I love that God has given us the gift of memories to help us feel close to those we lost even if we don't see them anymore.

"Memories are worth a million words, the pictures only bring them to surface"- Kyla Edmondson

rearview mirror

So as many of you know I am a college freshman and most people know how scary it can be to start a new life separate from family and old friends. I am currently in my dorm room it's about 12:10 a.m. and I just got in from a meeting for the cheerleaders, its safe to say my day was very long! So far things have been crazy, moving in, getting settled, figuring out different things to do on campus, finding a good church, etc. The feeling I get on campus, however, is very home-like. I know where things are, everyone here is so nice, and the vibe I get just walking around is very comfortable.

Well as lame as this blog may seem to some of you, I need to actually hit the sheets for some shut eye. There is so much more I could talk about but I guess you could say, a picture is worth a thousand words...

Take a look...

On my own

I just today finished a wonderful bible study with an amazing group of girls... Wow, what a life changing impact it has had on me. Life seems to always have the constant question pushed on each one of us... who am I, and what is MY purpose? This study created by Beth Moore (a very inspirational woman) has shown me the direction that I am supposed to go with my life. Everything we learned within this one study has made a difference in who I am, and how I want to live out my life.

One thing I learned is that EVERYBODY struggles, each of us in a different way. I cannot even begin to tell you the countless amount of times I've messed up or struggled with something so difficult that it almost took over my whole life. I learned that, even though there are always going to be struggles, that everything is going to be okay while I am in the hands of Christ. He is the answer to every problem..He is the one that can change anything and everything... all I have to do is ask. I wish more people could have experienced this insane turn of character and change of mind that I and the other girls in the study did. We all have a bond beyond words and I hope that EVERYONE has the chance to do something so magnificent.

Over the course of the next two weeks I will be experiencing a lot of change. I leave for college NEXT FRIDAY!!! How insane! I can't wait for the new friendships, lifestyle, challenges, experiences, and all that comes with being in college, but I know that I am going to have trials before I go. Taking a leave from work, leaving old friends behind, saying goodbyes to people I may never even see again after this week, it is all going to be hard to do, but I know that in our own ways, we will all be alright. Jesus has control no matter what, He will always lead me where I need to go, sometimes following will be harder than others, but I trust His plan for me.

Today was an excellent day...everything seemed to go RIGHT. I had a wonderful day spending time with old friends from high school, I got a job I've been dying to get, I spent time with many wonderful people, and I found out my roommate is the one I requested! YAY! I just hope that tomorrow will be just as good as today.

Life is good. Trials are hard. The reward, is priceless. :)

"If you hear a voice within you say "you cannot paint," then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced."  ~Vincent Van Gogh

heart giver

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falling up...

Life is a wheel that no one can escape... you are either up on the top for two minutes or slowly falling to the bottom only to go back on top in 4....why? It seems like this rollercoaster is getting way too scary for me lately...but I can only sit back and try to make it fun while I scream into nothing for a little while longer....

Two weeks...the amount of time I have until I move away and start my life as a college freshman...intense! Who knew that leaving this little town would have such a huge impact on me, I mean, it's little ole' walton-verona... I feel like I have this tattoo, a tattoo permanently engraved into my heart of a big Dub-V symbol to represent everything I was taught throughout high school ... something to always look back on... hold onto...and cherish forever...

Im ready to go, but I feel like there's so much unfinished business for me to do before I go... I guess sometimes though, you just have to walk away and move on ... eyes focused toward the distance and run with it. I just have to learn to trust myself enough to do that first...

If you have ever felt this way, you know exactly how it is to be super confused about whats gonna happen and why, or how even.... it's rough... but everyone can do it with a little boost.

I hope I can. Lord give me the strength! <3

slacker alert...

So I realize I totally didn't post anything yesterday :/ But that is because I was celebrating my birthday, and I had a busy day at work and everything was going all kinds of crazy after, needless to say I am EXHAUSTED! I have been so busy in fact that daily I find myself sitting for just a ten second time period and feeling partially revived after! That is crazy.

In my Bible study, we talked about resting; physically, emotionally, mentally, and mostly spiritually. I never really realized how much it takes to get out into the world daily and do the work God has called us to do. Even in my boring or busy day at work, I am expected to work harder to act as the Christian God has called me to be... working for Him is a lot harder than pushing carts, just throwing that out there. The challenges I face with the many strangers I come into contact daily are getting progressively harder... When you work in a place that MANY to HUNDREDS of people visit weekly, you know there is a reason behind why you were put there. I try so hard to be kind and helpful as a reflection of Gods unending love for people, but sometimes, my human instincts take over and I become tired and angry and I forget that I am there to serve a far greater purpose than just bagging or ringing peoples groceries.

Sometimes I think it takes just one simple event to help people see the love God has for them. Sometimes it can be as simple as saying Hello with a smile, or helping someone with something they've found themself struggling with, just anything. I have learned a lot through work and study that I can't even fully explain.

"God understands our prayers even when we can't find the words to say them".

It's my birthday...

i'll smile if I want to.......

:) yay! I am finally 18 and the world seems...well... NO different!! Figures! However, the things I got to do were verrry fun. I spent the whole day with my totally awesome grandmother and we went shopping in Florence for hours! Then I went out and sang some karaoke at El Toro with my sister. Fun stuff! I can't believe that I am sooo old! This is crazy! But honestly, this was the BEST BIRTHDAY EVER! My family is amazing, my friends are awesome, and I love them all!

Birthdays have a funny way of making you super excited even if you act like you arent...even though were technically just getting one year closer to dying... I like to celebrate because that was one more year I enjoyed here on earth.

"A birthday is just the first day of another 365-day journey around the sun.  Enjoy the trip."  ~Author Unknown

"Because time itself is like a spiral, something special happens on your birthday each year:  The same energy that God invested in you at birth is present once again.  ~Menachem Mendel Schneerson
"

Getaway...Runaway...O.U.T.

I have officially decided I need a weekend away....from everything, everyone. No offense to anyone, just a weekend to figure myself out, to get closer to God again because I feel like everything is falling apart again... yikes :/

I need a couple of my closest girls to join me for a weekend of non stop focus on God, just to get that refreshing feeling of being close to Him again. Hopefully regaining that closeness to my friends, maybe my Bible study group is an excellent place to start... hmm...oh brain, you fascinate me sometimes.

Remember When.

Remember when everything was new and exciting? Remember all of those times where you had to get out and meet new people, do new things, and enjoy new experiences? I miss those times. The same old cliche world we live in as grow older gets less and less new it seems like... everything new has come and gone and now I feel I am sitting on a flat rock until something new comes along.... waiting patiently. Day by day I go through a basic routine that I have trained myself into so well that if one little thing gets messed up, my whole day seems out of whack.

I miss the days when I was six, when my only major concern was who I was going to be "best friends" with that day, or who was going to share their M&Ms at lunch, or who was going to be my coloring partner. Those days were certainly taken for granted, but how was I supposed to know that it would only get harder, that little Suzy didn't like me using the purple marker first was not going to be my biggest problem? Life seems to just fly on by, I've learned to strap in tight and enjoy the ride as long as I live, but lately it's becoming a bit of a struggle. I am about to leave home and everything built around my life in a small town will no longer exist when I go. Sure, it'll be there when I get back or visit, but will I feel the same? Will I even care about those little things that mean so much to me now later?

I am definitely a person who likes change and I cannot stand being in one spot in my life for too long, but now I feel like because I have had that attitude through life for so long that I might miss something huge, or that I won't be there when something great happens because I'll be off doing something else. I will miss a lot of people, and even though I know they will be okay here without me, I feel like I may have failed to do what I was called to do in their lives while I was there.... however, now I have learned the lesson to never take a moment for granted to do what it takes to do what I need to do.

The events that teach us lessons everyday are mind boggling sometimes...everything I go through daily has meaning behind it, and the weird thing about me is that each night before I go to bed, I learn something new. I never go to bed unsure of the events that happened throughout my busy day, everything has a reason...and I am always determined to find out that reason.

Remember at the beginning of this post how I said remember the past? Remember how I said later that you shouldn't take for granted the little moments/things in life? Well, now I want all of you to remember this, everyday has purpose....every morning you wake up, there is a reason, everytime you go to bed for rest, rest well because the next day could be even harder. However, your purpose in life is important, so strap in tight, put on your helmet, maybe even grab a first aid kit because this world gets bumpy, the events become challenging, and the struggles you face will at times seem unbareable, but you can do it... so can I.

"Life is all about risks and it requires you to jump. Don't be a person who has to look back and wonder what they would have or could have had. No one lives forever." -unknown.

Worry Worm... rarely avoids the bird.

So..... I have been known as one who worries.... a whole LOT. I am considered a perfectionist to most who know me best and they all know that I tend to get anxious about silly things. Example: If I can't think of what I am going to do in the next few hours, I get anxious. YIKES! I KNOW! Recently though, I have come to realize that worrying gets me NOWHERE! Worrying gets NO ONE ANYWHERE. I found a few quotes today that inspired me to focus on the better things in life "in the moment" so that I find myself not so anxious as often.

"If things go wrong, don't go with them.....Do not anticipate trouble or worry about what may never happen. Keep in the sunlight.......If you can't sleep, then get up and do something instead of lying there worrying. It's the worry that gets you, not the lack of sleep."

As I read this quote, I thought of every single thing I have ever worried about in my lifetime... WOW! Extremely pointless things to worry about... and everytime the only place the worry took me to was nowhere because I couldn't do anything about it because all I did was mope and think of what could happen and not what was happening. I am seeing for the first time a pattern in my life that I hoped would have worked itself out by now.... as soon as I let my guard down, though, it happens all over again...

My advice to anyone with anxiety issues like me..... STOP WORRYING. Become faithful in God that He will deliver you no matter where or what you go through to get there. Life is flying by it seems and the only way I can slow it down is by enjoying every single moment that I get and cherish it forever. I hope you all will do the same. Life lessons are interesting in their approach...sometimes, the approach is what makes all the difference. 

L.O.V.E.

I love finding new graphics about love :) call me a nerd but here are a few of the cute little graphics i just came across :)

        


       

Tattoo on the heart :)

So in about 2 or so weeks I will be turning 18 :) Everyone I know that has turned 18 recently has been obsessing over getting tattoos... I always said.... I will never get one because I thought they were trashy...
Recently however I found a design that represents my faith in Jesus Christ and I fell in love with it. I decided that I would lighten up and get it...


This tattoo is very special to me... I will post a picture below this blog...


I just want anyone to who is considering getting a tattoo of any kind anywhere to really think about it... does it have meaning? I know mine does and I'll never regret getting it...


If it doesn't have meaning other than it is "cute" it's a BAD idea! remember that!




Here's the one I want and the meaning behind it....

Meaning: 
I stands for Iesous which means Jesus,
X stands for Xristos which means Christ,
O stands for Theos which means God,
Y stands for Uios which means Son,
E stands for Soter which means Savior...
****its to remind me everyday of the sacrifice God made for me.


This tattoo not only symbolizes my faith... but it is also a reminder to me of the permanent love that God has for me and how His love is permanently tattood on my heart :)


Tell me what you think :)

The bold life of an American Teenager...

I just had my college orientation this past weekend.... everything about it was COMPLETELY different from anything I've grown used to. I didn't really understand what I was getting myself into, until I had to step out of my comfort zone to meet a ton of new people. The surroundings were busy, fun, energetic and occasionally stressful... all the things that a new school brings upon each and every student at one time or another...


As I went about my weekend, I met soooo many different people and a prospective roommate. I never realized how many awesome people there were outside of my little town in Kentucky. All I can think is how many awesome people there are outside of this country itself... and within each little city around the world...


I cannot wait to start school and make a positive impact into the lives of some strangers and some friends... I feel ready to leave my safe haven and step out into the new world of college I will soon call HOME (temperary of course)

A girl moving beyond her wildest dreams...

One thing that I'll always remember as I grow older is what every single adult has told me, it only gets harder. Well I've definitely seen the truth behind that statement but I also wonder why everyone approaches life with that attitude. If we see it as something easy to move through....would that make life seem a lot easier? Sometimes I wonder who made life so hard anyways... I mean, we all look for a challenge, or we at least stumble across quite a few within our lifetime, so is that why everything seems to be so difficult? If we looked at it as something to make us that much stronger, would things be different?


As I move on from my little girl dreams into my adult life, I've noticed all adults have the same outlook on life... It always seems to get harder...


I refuse to live my life in that way... I want to be able to break through walls that everyone is so scared to face, fear is just a lie... there is nothing that is strong enough to keep us from achieving our biggest goals except the fear of failing... or not making enough money, whatever.


I guess today is just a day for me to give some positive advice, don't let fear keep you from achieving your dreams, because that is the ONE things that CAN stop you.


:)

One highschool graduate to another....

There comes a time after you have heard "congrats grad!" so many times that it finally starts to sink in that, hey you graduated! For me, that just hit me, that I am no longer in highschool. Life now, has no limits. I can run as far as I want or I can stay close... I can become whoever I want to be and no one can stop me! Right? Well that is what I was taught throughout highschool... that I can do whatever I want with my life! The only thing they failed to mention was that, there would be so much work behind that, or that life outside of those safe classroom walls is completely different! No, I am not a lazy person, but when I am told I can be whatever my heart desires for so many years but then I get shot down every time I mention that I want to become a vocal instructor, that makes it really difficult to hold onto that dream...

I've finally noticed that those people who tell me over and over that I can't make it out there and that I am only one person and can't make the positive impact that I want to make in the world, well, they are mistaken!

I just want everyone out there reading this post to know, "you can do all things through Christ!"... I have a strong enough belief in myself and in Him to know that I will make it out there and that I am going to chase my dreams without fear. Everyone reading this, please just know that if you have a dream, you can chase it. All it takes a faith.... you can do it, but not alone.