Pearls.

Okay, okay, okay...two blogs in one day, or should I say one hour. I guess that's what happens when you forget your username and password for 2 months and all of a sudden the "blogger bug" bites. So here it goes...

I'm human. I get irritated. Who doesn't? Anyways, sometimes I think to myself, "why is this happening?!" And thanks to oysters, now I know why.  A pearl is produced when the oyster is irritated. Some foreign irritant enters the shell and to protect itself, the oyster will keep covering the irritant with its own substances which eventually produces a pearl!

Sometimes, we experience irritants in our life. Things that make life just a little harder, might make us a shed a tear, and get us on our knees praying. But gracefully, once we get over it, we've miraculously covered the irritant and produced a pearl. 

So just like the oyster, life wouldn't be as wonderful without a beautiful struggle.

Learning.

I haven’t blogged in about 2 months or so. I guess you could say that my lack of blogging can be attributed to my busy school schedule, late nights studying, or the mere fact that I couldn’t remember my username or password (which is true). But my lack of blogging is definitely NOT due to the lack of inspiration.

I’m currently finishing the last part of this chapter in my life called “college”. Better yet, nursing school. I can’t help but feel a bit reflective when I feel like I’m reaching the end of something, and as cliché as it may sound; it really is just the beginning. I said the same thing in high school, and if I was cool enough, I probably said the same thing in elementary. But nonetheless, it has proved itself to be true. The end of one part of a journey is the humble beginnings of a new one.

So…as I reflect back on the last 4 years of college, I’m here to report to you what I have learned thus far. I learned that the brain, as great as it is, couldn’t survive on its own. It needs the support of the other organ system to sustain life. I learned that smallest, simplest structures serve a bigger purpose, such as the eyelashes, nose hairs and toenails. I learned that if one part of our body fails, we are designed in a way that the rest of our body will try to compensate for it, and try to strengthen that part once again.

In other words, I learned that as great as we think we are, we couldn’t survive on our own. We need the support of friends, family and God to sustain life. I learned that we can’t overlook the more discreet blessings in life, such as a dad who will make sure there is food when I get home and a mom who will fill up the car with gas. I learned that if we feel like we have failed, God has designed us to get back up and try again. Success isn’t measured by the ability of not failing, but in the ability to stand back up again.

“Though he stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with His hand”. Psalms 37: 24.

Roots.

Everytime I go to the Starbucks in Benicia, I stumble across one of my favorite posters. In so little words, it explains so much.

"The deeper the roots, the higher the reach."

Indeed. In the span of 10 wonderful days on the east coast, I found that my familial roots were unexpectedly deepened, nourished and watered by the company of my relatives. I felt like I had opened up a book which has previously been neglected, but yet contained the stories and history to what I claim to hold dearest. Family.

My "roots" are entangled in the members of my family and a faith in an amazing Creator. So wherever you find you're roots to be, don't neglect the moments we are able to water and nourish them. The deeper the roots are, we are less likely to be uprooted and lost. And if ever we do become uprooted, at least we'll be better prepared to plant again.

How high will you reach?

Inspired Beginnings...

Inspiration comes when least expected. Thank you.

Ironically, I'm not much of a blogger. Neither do I write much of my thoughts down on paper. But lately, I find myself spending more time reflecting on past thoughts, memories, conversations and quality time well spent with loves ones, that I ask myself: why wouldn't I let these moments inspire me to write? So putting aside all preconcieved notions about being a bad blogger who would only write sweet nothings to myself, here I am...blogging.

So, as I blog about whatever life leads me to, I thank each of you ahead of time for the blessing you are in my life, and inspiring me to remember the good times and cherish the memories that have been made and that have yet to be made. God really knows what's He's doing when He allows lives to cross paths and friendships to be made.

So, here's to joining the bandwagon!

Love,
Elline.

P.S. Thank you, Ate Lan for sharing your new love of blogging. You're a blessing, inspiration and bright smile. =)