Travels

Nothing like an open road or going off on an adventure!

In travels past, I have gone from the Canada side of Niagra Falls in the north all the way down to Orlando Florida in the south in days of old.

Traveling has become such a joy for me its a going out seeing new places, new people, and experiancing all things new.

Just going a few counties away to go meet up with a friend is such a joy to the soul. Destinations far away call me to visit and I await the time that I can go visit some places.

My furthest travel as of late took me to Canada. Now that was a 5 day adventure that was definitly a memory maker for me. My first time flying and going outside the country and needing a passport.

The sights were something to take in. I went to visit the worlds largest ax and then took a drive across the worlds longest covered bridge.

Tried new food called Poutine which I found was french fries covered in gravy and had cheese curd with it. It was interestly good being from the south. I did however learn that when you ask for tea up in Canada its so not tea from the south. It is tea with lemon and they dont care to much for ice. That was a shock to the system a southern country girl in a whole new territory. Basically Dorothy was not in Kansas no more. LOL!

But the trip was fun and I enjoyed my time there. I don’t know if my travels will take me back there but I have memories to cherish and new adventures to come. Maybe another country to visit in the future. God knows 😉

~Cynthia

~ Love Life ~ Live Life~ 😉

Tattoos…

Quite a controversial topic for the Christian community.

I happen to be a follower of Christ and I also happen to have two tattoos. I have found so many different reactions to this that it was a must share.

Before I got even one tattoo, those people came off as bad, rugged, rebellious, dark, etc. Over the years the stigma behind tattoos has mellowed some and become a common place thing where most anyone you meet now has atleast one.

In the Christian world they can be viewed still as rebellious and/or even gateways for evil. For in the Book of Leviticus it was stated that we should have no markings on our bodies. Come on, how many times has that been textually preached in regards to tattoos. Every time I hear a message of the subject its in there atleast once if not several times.

I had it shared with me once that Jesus told the people to go and sin no more. Which is true He did say that. But, look at it a little more closely, had the full measure of grace come yet? Had he gone to the cross for our sins yet when he was walking and healing and delivering people…No not yet!

He came cause He knows we fail and continue to fail. He can still say go and sin no more, but last I checked we will not ever be perfect. Thats why He was to give His sinless life for ours full of sin. We can say God I know I failed and help me and grace is there. No, im not saying to continually sin and do wrong things, by far that is not the point of this. I want to shed some light on tattooed christian community.

What if God has been working on the heart of someone fully covered in tattoos and they come into church to surrender their life to God. Will they be told to leave that they should have done that before they was all marked up in their bodies! Jesus knows the heart the body will perish and return to dust when life is all said and done.

God accepts us for who we are in all aspects no matter our age, height, weight, personality, or if we have marks on our bodies. If we are to love one another as we do our own self then we need to find some acceptance for people, if we find ourself looking to be accepted.

~ Love Life ~ Live Life ~

~Cynthia 😍

#tattoo #shipswheel #tattooedchristian

New Things

The beauty of an adventure is when its something new!

I have not been adventurous most of my life, but in the last few years I have enjoyed once in a while trying or doing something new.

My most recent was a few weeks back now I went out on a Saturday in search of a place to have two things. One was a pretty cup of coffee and by pretty I mean it was in a nice cup with a design in the frothy goodness and to try out the new beginnings of a life style change of finding a vegetarian eatery. As I searched google for places to go and try, one just stuck out for me.

I ventured out that Saturday with goal in mind find this place I found on google, see if it really does exsist and is it what it was reviewed to be.

I have to say after maybe 10 minutes wandering to find a parking spot and walking to my destination it was a good find. It was in the college district of the town I went to and very ecclectic vibe and all abuzz with the energy of the young people that go to the college near by.

I was able to enjoy a nice and pretty cup of coffee called the “Carmello” and that picture was put on my very first blog post “Conversation” if you want to go see it. But the grilled veggie burger was massivley delicious. I loved that I was able to sit on the high bar style seats by the windows to look out and the fact the table was a chalk board top was all the more fun. I drew on the table while sipping my coffee and waiting for my grilled veggie burger to arrive. Taking in all the sites, sounds, smells the energy of those in that restaurant was just a charge for the day.

I have to say it is definitly fun to get out and try new things and be adventurous. I cannot wait to try something else new soon!

~Cynthia 😉 ❤

Grilled Veggie Burger

The Scullery

Greenville, NC

#adventure #vegetarian

Passions Collide

What could be better in life than when passions collide!

I have to say I have several things (not many) I enjoy in life. You know just things I love. My top fave things of course I would have to say is having coffee and being at the beach. My ultimate favorite thing would be spending time with someone close and having fun.

In life its great to enjoy one of our favorite things on occasion. But the joy there is when passions collide. In March of this year that happened for me. I was able to be at the beach, have a cup of coffee and have time with someone close to talk and have fun.

The sights and sounds of the beach to the smells and warmth of the coffee and conversation that was had was such an enjoyable time.

Enjoy the favorites individually like I have or look forward to having times when they all come together in one event to mark a change in life.

~Love Life ~ Live Life~

~Cynthia 🙂

Salty air

I love the smell of salt water in the air.

I am just drawn to the sounds, sights, and smells of being on the water. I often wondered if that had anything to do with having 2 grandfathers that worked the waters or just the fact I live near the Pamlico Sound.

I find myself often escaping to the water at one of the little outlets here in my home town. I can go to an old bridge and look out and see the boats docked out in the waters. Or I can go to the location where our former hospital use to be see all those fishing and look at the sunset while sitting at the pier pic nic table. Other times I go down to the little center where there is beach and sit with sand in my toes and the waves crashing on my feet and I find it to be a pure delight to my soul. To have a place to enter a place of such beauty and begin to enter a state of peace inwardly.

The water calls me often to come and visit and I enjoy visiting the beach. Looking forward to returning soon.

Children

There is just something about being around children!

I have four lil joys in my life, they are my Sunday school children I teach. They are typical children as most anyone with or having being around kids would know.

They will be fine and all giggles one minute and not five minutes later with arms crossed, face all mad declaring they won’t speak to the others again. But, what happens another few minutes later they are right back in one accord laughing, singing and carrying on all was forgiven.

I have seen times when taking them out on adventures and it begins to rain on the way, so I happen to tell the kids, “Hey you guys its raining!” They start to be lil upset, and be like “noooo” so I tell them to pray the rain away, voices all lifted in one accord I begin to hear chants of praying “Rain go away” this repeats for a few minutes and then the rain stops and I tell them and they burst into explosive cheers of “Yay!!!!” Other times I have taken them on totally new adventures and they are a little worried or fearful about it. I ensure them I love them too much to see hurt come to them while out to have fun.

Its in these moments I cherish the most of how this is how we should be in life to an extent, not fully. Life as an adult has smacked us around a few times. The kids are unhindered to a degree of things that has happened to them in their short time here like say someone of my age or older.

Spending time with children in my case is a reminder to have childlike faith, being of like minded faith gets results, trust in the leadership that is before you that they would do nothing outright to hurt you. If you have ought in your heart toward another, forgive quick so bitterness won’t grow, anf have faith prayers were heard and answers are cining. Kids are good teachers also they remind me of things long forgotten.

Fellowship

What greater joy is there when like minded gather in one accord?

Time passes by without a concept of its purpose when in a moment of fellowship with others.

Have you ever been in a setting like that where your there with others and your talking and time stands still for that moment and we just enjoy the company and conversation of each other. Where you can be open, vulnerable and true about who you are with them? Honestly, last night was my first time of having open, honest, true and real fellowship with a group of others of like mind.

Being in a room that the environment is saturated not only in the presence of the spirit of the living God, but also saturated with love, compassion, and grace.

Girls nights can be amazing! Simple and pure to bring each to a place of wholeness on a level that may not been there prior to the gathering. Environments that are condusive to baring ones soul of the good, bad and the ugly are rare finds in this world.

Some environments that I have been in the moments that I have begun to bare my soul to another they begin to tell me things that shut off my humanity and caused me to wall out emotions around them ever again. They couldn’t handle my issue or even touch my issue with any words as their words became more daggers than balm to the soul. To be of compassion is to guard your words and think on them before they come out and examine how would they be received.

If you are told that your too emotional, you let things bother you too much, or the fact that its life to not to let it get to you, then how is that a genuine person to bare your soul to? Take notice for if they go through they want your undivided ear to hear all their woes in life and give no wisdom in return, for if you are able to share wisdom they are like who are you to speak on my problems. Yet they seem to know all the answers to your problems.

Be careful of who you fellowship with is what I am learning in this life. Some will use for their own benefit. BUT there are some genuine loving, caring, compassionate people as I can attest to in this season of my life that are God given. They listen unjudgingly and offer compassion then begin to expound on ways to help through problems and issues. Now these are the people worth fighting to keep around.

Cherish special times of intamacy with people that are God given. I know I sure will.

Comparison

Why do we compare ourselves to one another?

I have often find myself measuring my life in accordance to another. I have and will always fall short of that measure. For the other person has gained wisdom, gotten stronger in areas that I am not, or what I see portrayed isn’t the actuality of the situation.

So, why do I do this? I think its to keep chasing a goal, maybe to become like the person I compare myself to in some way. Or to beat myself up inwardly for falling short of what is expected of us as a people.

I mean have you ever found yourself like I have when someone same age is around and they got the house, the kids, the car, the career or whatever it may be and you don’t have some of that like they do, you feel like you have missed the mark. Well atleast I have.

How can I stop comparing myself to others. It’s hard, but I have to choose to be ok with where I am in life. This is my path to take. Everyone has a different path and others, as well as, myself are in different places on our road. God has a plan for my individual life just like he has them. It was said once that my life someone was jealous over. And of course me, not seeing the value in the plan of God for my life was immediatly like why are the jealous over me.

We and especially I continue to rob ourself of what we are doing in our present life by comparison. I had read a book last year by Lysa Tyrkhurst called Uninvited she touched on the subject of comparison as well as Lisa Bevere book called Without Rival. They were good reads, but did they fully help me stop comparison. No!

Its only in my home church that specialized in inner man teaching of the spirit, soul and body that root issues of my comparison issues are being touched. My Pastors book of Developing a winning attitude in 7 days has given me the drive, passion and pursuit to want to press to stop comparing myself and live my life to the fullest in the knowledge that God is working to develop my character, to be able to walk in my full purpose on the earth.

I am in my purpose now, and setting out to master the small things for greater yet ahead as he see’s fit to add. However, for now, I am going to remain focused on my present as that is where I reside.

My writings and growing my character is far more precious to me now than anything else and growing in the connections God has given me in other people and knowing we both are on different roads of life in full acceptance of the reality over imagination.

Love >Hate

Why do we hate each other so much?

I am sadened by the recent events of this country. A free country at that and we still face such animonsity and bigotry that in the 21st century still exsists after so much progress has been made. It is so unreal that as it appears in the news I am astounded and shocked.

We hate other religions, we hate opposite skin color, we hate other political views/parties, we hate to see others advance in life, we just hate all over the place.

I am the type of person I will accept you for who you are no matter if you practice a different faith, no matter if your skin tone is different than mine, no matter your political view, even if you have a life worth emmulating. We are able to choose our faith and politics, and how we have life. But, we cannot choose our skin color.

So many small children dont accept themself if they are too dark or too light or anything that is not the norm. But what is the norm? The norm is that we are all made unique individuals by God! Let the Love of God shine through to end the hate. All it takes is one to change the entire genertation to come from what they had known of a life of hate.

Lets make love bigger than hate. I am gonna keep doing my best to help spread the love of God to all no matter who they are, where they come from. We all need love!

~Cynthia~

Don’t Take It Personal!

Life of an ambivert!

Was listening to an old song from the 90s by Brandy (I think) she sang “Don’t take it personal when I wanna be all alone.” I can so so so relate to her statement but not fully in how she referenced it in her song.

Life as an ambivert can be a struggle. An ambivert is basically a person that is an introvert with extrovert tendancies. I have been very much an ambivert a good portion of life. The struggle can be 2 fold I have found for my life.

When I am in my extrovert modes I can be the energizer bunny and go, go, go. But when I hit times of introvert some people think there is something wrong with me. Heck they think something is wrong with me when I am on the go alot also.

Its being both introvert and extrovert that most dont understand my outgoing tendancies or inward tendancies. This is why I say being an Ambivert has its struggles.

When I hit my extrovert times I like for people to roll with me, to go experiance the fun of life and just being. But often times I am turn down as they have a life to live of their own or its just inconvenient. I used to work my extrovert times around others to be able to do some adventurous things. This eventually came to a stop as the more complex my life became, orchestrating adventures wasn’t so simple anymore.

So this began to filter over into my introvert modes. Since others werent available I would roll on and do things on my own and have time to just be and recharge and take my time to just live. So many have asked me why do I go do things alone. I have no real answer for them other than people have a life of their own and cannot roll with me.

I dont say any of this for pity, please dont think this is why I am saying this. This is just my view of being an ambivert so that if you have someone in your life like this maybe help you understand them better.

Ambiverts love to have times around people and having fun, but then they need times alone to recharge, gather themselves, recapture who they are. This may only be my case so this is just my view of it.

In my current state I do my best to make the best of times with others and when I am alone I make the most of it. Life is to be enjoyed. Live it to the fullest either in a crowd or alone. It has become most enjoyable by doing so.

Light and Dark collide within the life of an ambivert.