I'm sorry for the unexpected month-long hiatus from VH posts. I'm not proud of slacking off from it, at all. Life has been very busy event-wise, academically, and spiritually, not to mention preparation for and the act of taking midterm exams as of the last couple of weeks.
I'll be back soon with more posts for sure!
For now, here's a beautiful song that our church sang on Sunday, that I've been really enjoying lately in my worship time:
God's been speaking to me through it, and I hope you enjoy it as well.
Sometimes when you're going through tough times, or you're just having a hard time feeling motivated for certain things, you just need to turn on some really good tunes when Christmas music doesn't cut it. Today, I'm going to show you my list of top 30 inspiring songs! :)
1. Defying Gravity by the Original Cast of Wicked 2. Dare You To Move by Switchfoot 3. Do Everything by Steven Curtis Chapman 4. Beautiful Day by U2 5. True Colorsby Michelle Chamuel (Studio Version) 6. It's Your Life by Francesca Battistelli 7. Brave by Sara Bareilles 8. Don't Worry, Be Happy by Bobby McFerrin 9. Every Good Thing by The Afters 10. Beautiful Things by Gungor 11. In Christ Aloneby Newsboys 12. Oceans by Hillsong UNITED 13. Overcome by Jeremy Camp 14. No One by Alicia Keys 15. Mean by Taylor Swift 16. This Is Your Life by Switchfoot 17. Waiting For Tomorrow by Mandisa 18. We Are by Kari Jobe 19. Walking on Sunshine by Katrina & The Waves 20. Ours by Taylor Swift 21. The Stand by Hillsong 22. The Voice of Truth by Casting Crowns 23. Great I Am by New Life Worship 24. Mineby Taylor Swift 25. When I Speak Your Name by Klaus & Kari Jobe 26. Good Morning by Mandisa 27. Life is a Highway by Rascal Flatts 28. Unwritten by Natasha Bedingfield 29. Revelation Song by Kari Jobe 30. The Scientistby Holly Henry (Studio Version)
I hope you like this list! Let me know in the comments what songs you think I missed or if you think it was absolutely perfect. :)
Have a wonderful Christmas Break everyone!
"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." --2 Corinthians 4:16-18
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Sorry it's been so long since I posted, everybody! To sum up what's been going on lately, I had a great Thanksgiving with family and friends, and have been catching up on A LOT of homework (by a lot, I mean waking up at 7am on a Saturday). I think it's about time I gave a report card for November Resolutions, wouldn't you think so? To be honest, I'm not excited about sharing the results. Last month did not go very well goal-wise.
1. Drink at least 6 glasses of water everyday: F Poor planning on my part. I shouldn't have expected to set such a high goal for myself and immediately develop the habit within the month. Studies show that it takes about 21 repetitions of the goal to form a habit. This would take up the entire month in and of itself. 2. Practice 120 minutes a week: F Same story here for the most part, with an addition of laziness. 3. Blog at least twice a week: A+ I did pretty well on this one. To post twice a week means 8 posts in a month, and I made 11, so I'm letting myself pass this one, even though there were times where I posted three times a week, and sometimes didn't post at all in a week, or only once. 4. Monastic Project: D- I've been focusing on other subjects, and I need to have this all done by Wednesday. I think it's doable. 5. Catch up on Omnibus Reading before Thanksgiving: C I'm not all caught up, but now I have a workable plan to be all caught up by the Semester reading due date. 6. Finish the 30 Day Blog Challenge: B I AM SO CLOSE!!!! Only 4 more posts and then you guys will never have to see the inconsistent "The 30 Day Blog Challenge" titles on Victorious Heroine ever again!!! Unless of course I do another 30 day blog challenge in the future... Could you guys tell me if you enjoy those? 7. Teach Youth Group: A+ All went well. I made a power point slide (at a youth group meeting, I know, but it worked!) and talked about what it means to have a true friendship with God. 8. Schedule/Plan/Organize More Often: C Ahem. No, not exactly. My dad just said the other day when my mom was pretty much making fun of me for not knowing where a certain location was, "You don't plan ahead very much, do you?" I shook my head so that he'd leave me alone, but I have tried very hard in the past to plan ahead, but when it comes down to the most important things like making sure I set my alarm before I go to bed, or charging my phone, or remembering where the car was parked in huge parking lots, or keeping my school binders up to date: I fail. A lot. On the other hand, I'm good at keeping things like my school notes organized (and I even came up with a better system for note-taking), and I even utilized Google Calendar a lot more than I ever have. So overall, I'm beating myself up a lot, but I need to. Because I know that if I don't beat myself up now, then I'll be even more beat up by my life years from now from not developing the habits I should have been developing now. 9. Cut YouTube time on Tuesdays and Sundays: F There was maybe one Sunday where I was able to refrain from YouTube for the most part, but this was a goal that didn't take off. 10. Health: D- I've been taking walks at school, but to be honest, I could be doing more exercises and walks more often. I've learned that "I don't have time to exercise" is a horrible excuse. It only takes 10 minutes to jog a mile, and it only takes 5 minutes to do a few strength training exercises with dumbbell weights. Overall Grade Average: C-
Frankly, I'm surprised I didn't get a lower average! The numbers seem to have granted me mercy somehow. Important Life Lessons Learned in November:
Lots of perseverance, lots of hard work, lots of repetition and help from the Lord create good habits.
If you want something done, don't be lazy. Laziness is no excuse for an incomplete task.
If you learn to love something about a task, it makes the task so much easier and fun to do.
Timing is important. Always make a plan and stick to it, but don't procrastinate or take more time than you truly have to get a job done.
Building a friendship (especially with God) takes a lot of constant practice. Any kind of relationships never take a holiday.
Sometimes when it looks like you're about to drown in quicksand, you're only going to drown faster if you try to get yourself out on your own. Ask for help, and the problem will likely be resolved much faster and more efficiently.
It's good to take breaks, as long as they're reasonable and aren't breaks from taking breaks. Breaks are for those who have actually broken a sweat and accomplished something truly worthwhile.
Plans are so much better than spontaneity. Even if they're not as fun on the front end, they will always have better results in the end.
Doing something small is better than not doing anything at all.
I hope this post is more encouraging and inspiring than it is disappointing. :) Question for the Reader: How do you like the new blog layout for Christmas?
"For the righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity." --Proverbs 24:16
Today, I'd like to try something a bit different. I'm going to write a review! But not just any review...a YouTube Review!
I'm going to start small with something general like my favorite YouTube channel: Blimey Cow.
Some of you are probably wondering, "What is Blimey Cow?" Well, I'm glad you asked! Blimey Cow is an organization made by the Taylor family in Nashville, Tennessee. Their names are: Josh, Jordan, and Kelli.
The really neat thing about Blimey Cow is that they don't just make YouTube videos, but podcasts, blogs, and so many other types of media surrounding around the goal to get people thinking by entertaining them.
Their most popular endeavor is a YouTube show called "Messy Mondays" in which Josh, Jordan, and Kelli, along with their family and friends come together to share their opinions on controversial topics, current events, and special issues that people of all ages can relate to in their everyday lives. For years, they have discussed relationships, politics, religion, education, marriage, etiquette, the Internet, and even topics and issues related to Christianity and the church.
Recently, three of their "Messy Mondays" videos have gone viral, and overall, their channel has over two hundred and twenty thousand subscribers and over thirty-one million views.
Josh, Jordan, and Kelli always make their videos with the highest respect to everyone around them, despite what some comments may say. They realize that they're not always going to be 100% successful, happy, and perfect, but that's the idea of their channel: they do all of what they do to glorify God and change the world, one laugh and profound thought at a time. They do their best to avoid biased opinions, but at the same time, they're not afraid to share their thoughts, which is exactly what they encourage their viewers to do as well. This is a wonderful Christian family that sees problems around them and tries to point them out by bringing a smile to their viewers' faces and helping them think through what is occurring in the world around them. Granted, some of Blimey Cow's videos have heavy sarcasm, and some of their earliest videos were a bit snarky, but the sarcasm can be accepted as a modern way to laugh at our mistakes instead of feeling awful about them.
Overall, I highly recommend Blimey Cow to all audiences on YouTube. They glorify God in what they do, they boldly and considerately share their opinions to their viewers, and they strongly welcome laughter and critical thinking when people any viewers watch their videos.
As for me, I'll be excitedly awaiting another episode on Monday!
Questions for the Reader: Do you watch Blimey Cow? What do you think of it? What are your favorite episodes? If you've never watched Blimey Cow, are you interested in trying it? Which of these episodes do you like the most? Also, what do you think of me writing reviews? Should I write more? Feel free to give suggestions and feedback!
"For the earth will be filled With the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, As the waters cover the sea." --Habakkuk 2:14
Don't forget to comment and share with your friends!
Also, remember to link-up on my last post, "I'm Thankful For..." (The more, the merrier!)
It's that time of the year again. Thanksgiving is a little over a week from now. Schools are studying Plymouth Plantation, the cooks of the families are making the longest grocery lists known to man, and Macy's, once again, is planning the ultimate parade.
But what is Thanksgiving really about? Surely it's not only about eating twice as much as you really should one day per year, and watching football or parades.
No, it's about taking time to think about all of God's graces and blessings in our lives that we have to thank Him for.
Here are a few of my favorite things to be thankful for:
1. Interests and Talents Imagine a world where humans were talent-less, had no inspiration or creativity, and no capability to do something great for God. I'm so thankful for that opportunity: to wake up every day and decide to glorify God with the talents He gave me and the interests that He has set in my heart. 2. Family This is one of the obvious Sunday school answers, but at the same time, it's actually profound. I remember reading an article several months ago about a cause supporting orphans in Romania who were psychologically harmed. It was so sad to see some of the videos that were posted and how none of those children had any family that was willing to give them support to lead exceptional and extraordinary lives. That's why I'm especially thankful this year to be with my family every day. Thanks to them, I'll be able to truly celebrate Thanksgiving, and I think that's something that a lot of Americans often take for granted. 3. Education Education is a bit more than being past the point of unintelligence, or just being able to say that we're smart, or have a bigger brain than an alligator. Education is the gift from God in which we learn how to think, not what to think. I'm grateful that I have so many wonderful educational opportunities that teach me how to think critically, follow Christ, and pursue the interests and talents that (again), God has given me to glorify Him. 4. Friends I've had some bumpy roads this year with a couple of friendships of mine. But through those rough times, I've learned to be patient and loving, and even trusting the people who care about me, even when there's a risk of getting hurt in the end (but there's also a chance of wonderful things to happen as well). On top of that, I've learned that I have to love the Lord above all else, because He is the only one who gives me self-worth. 5. Communication Where would anyone be without the ability to communicate? For crying out loud, this blog would be non-existent. We'd all probably be swaying to and fro in the fetal position trying to figure out how to live life on our own since we would have no capability to get help from others. I think that loving our neighbors strongly connects to communication. It's so fascinating how a 6 word tweet can bring thousands of people to a concert, or 500 words can change minds when they are spoken on a podium. I've even seen people's hearts turned around over one Bible verse. I'm thankful for our ability to communicate. Without it, we'd likely be able to truly love one another.
Now it's your turn! I have created a link-up for all of you readers to share what you are thankful for. If you're having trouble thinking of some, don't worry! The link-up ends on Monday, December 2nd, so you have plenty of time.
Don't forget to comment on this post, invite your friends to follow this blog, and have fun linking-up!
Happy Thanksgiving!
"Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods." --Psalm 95:2-3
It's about time I made a how-to post that doesn't remind you of school.
How-To Plan a Picnic
by Hayley Robinson
There are not too many beautiful autumn days left in the year, so what is one way that you can be outside and make the most of it? Plan a picnic!
Just in case you're not comfortable with planning an outdoor lunch, here's how to look like a pro when you take a friend, family member, or anyone else you care about on a special autumn day picnic.
You will need:
A blanket or a location picked out with picnic tables (several parks have these)
A basket or cooler that can carry the food safely to the location without it being spoiled (You might need a couple of these: one cooler/basket for the food, another for the blanket and silverware, cups, napkins, and plates)
Recipes for your favorite packed lunch
Silverware, Napkins, Cups, Plates, etc. (Paper and Plastic work well, unless it's a slightly windy day. If so, the picnic might end in an empty cup chase!)
Step 1: Location, Location, Location
You always want to pick the location which is the most convenient. If you're going out on a Sunday picnic with your family after church, it might be best to pick a location closer to the church, your house, or if it's not too much trouble, a scenic location that you don't always go to! Wherever you go, make sure that it's convenient, but also special.
Step 2: Picking the Day
When you plan the location, you want to keep the day in which you will be arriving in mind. It might be a bad idea to plan a picnic right after your dad's ultra-busy day at the office planning an event he's been working on for weeks, or the day right before your friend has two papers and a project due. You also want to keep a close watch on what the weather will be for that day. If it's rainy, cold, or foggy, or if you just had a snowfall, it will likely be a bad day to have a picnic. Of course, the weather can be beyond your control. Simply be on the lookout! Step 3: Menu The key to making a lovely picnic is to keep it simple. Don't make a 4-hour recipe that has to cook overnight and bake in the morning that you can't refrigerate in a cooler. Make sandwiches or salads or even soups that you can keep in a thermos (if you can manage to bring the right serving-ware). Sometimes you don't even have to go that far into preparing. What our family has done in the past is go to Subway at 10 in the morning, buy sandwiches that don't have very much wet ingredients (so that they aren't soggy by lunchtime or afternoon) and keeping them in a cooler. For sides, we buy boxes of cookies and bags of chips from the grocery store with cans of soda, lemonade packs, or Gatorade. Overall, it's a delicious and memorable lunch that I'll remember for several years to come! I repeat: keep it simple. You'll feel so much better knowing that you did your best without the stress. Step 4: Decorations If it's a bit of a special occasion for a picnic, I suggest sweet and simple decorations. Maybe find a classic wooden basket to keep the food in (if a cooler is not needed), or a decorative blanket that you don't mind having on the ground. Perhaps find paper plates with flowers on them, or break out the nice glasses and silverware (if you can manage to keep them safe). Be creative, keep it simple, and have fun! Step 5: Enjoy! By this point, everything should be ready to go. Hopefully these tips were helpful for you and that you will have a beautiful autumn picnic while the season and nice weather lasts!
Question for the Reader: Do you enjoy picnics?
"Jesus said to them, 'Bring some of the fish you have just caught.'So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, 'Come and have breakfast.' None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord.Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish." --John 21:9-13
I found this quote today, and I thought it completely explained how to learn:
I just thought I'd share this with you all! :)
Question for the Reader: What is your learning style?
"Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance, to understand a proverb and a saying, the words of the wise and their riddles." --Proverbs 1:5-6
