Small flowers, Big gesture

My mom and I found these sweet, pretty flowers in the car the other day after taking it in for an oil change. I go to this place frequently, and this is the second time that the men there have left me a flower, tucked into the air vent.

I thanked them before climbing into the car, and they acted like it wasn't a big deal.

But it is a big deal. Because it brightened my day. There is a special feeling in having someone do sweet gestures like this. It's like a recognition that you are worth a flower. And these are strangers to me, people who don't know me. This was solely someone taking a moment to send the message that they care. Not about me, because they don't know me. But about me as a person. Everyone deserves to be treated like this.

Amazing what one small flower can tell a girl, eh?

I want to find ways to do this myself. What can I do to let complete strangers know that I care? What can I do to brighten someone's day?

What small thing can you do to make a big difference to someone else?

If you have a similar story where the small actions of someone else made your day, please share it!

What?!!!!! But you're pretty much perfect!

Every once in a while I will log into facebook and find that a friend has posted a very personal status discussing how they feel about him or herself. These friends have talked about their self image, their weight, their confidence, their happiness, their ability, etc. Lots of these types of posts start out with them saying that they've been struggling for so long with...

Like,

I've been struggling with... 

...my self esteem 

...my confidence

...my self image

I've lost count of how many times I've seen these posts and said, "What!? THAT person has been struggling?!" If only they could see themselves how I see them.

The prettiest girls have issues with their self image.

The nicest girls worry about what others think of them.

The succesful go-getters have issues with their confidence.

There are those that notice their weight when nobody else does. 

Sometimes I want to call the friend up and say to them, "What's your problem? What are you whining about?! You're pretty much perfect!"

Ok, maybe not Perfect. But these people are WAY to hard on themselves. We really are our own worst enemies. And while it is very very true that we all have things to work on, it kills me that these friends of mine can't see themselves through everyone elses eyes. 

It just goes to show you that EVERYONE is dealing with stuff. And usually they are too hard on themselves. 

Jenelle's Picks - Home Free

I wish I had the resources to put something together like this show, Home Free. It's amazing! Bring you close to tears every single episode AMAZING!!!!!! 9 couples compete on a reality show, fixing up 1 house per week for families in need. Every week, depending on how they all did, one family is eliminated from the competition and they are sent home. Whoever is left standing at the end gets a dream home of their own!!! 

What the couples don't realize is when they  are eliminated, they win the home that was fixed up that week! And they don't know that they have won until they are eliminated, everyone else drives away and they think they've lost. 

How cool is that!!!  Everyone wins a home!!!!!

The Lowdown:

No swearing that I recall, no nudity. There are different types of couples on the show. Some married, some have kids, some are dating, there are siblings, a homosexual couple. They all learn to do home repair. Mike Holmes is the host and supervisor. 

The season finale just ended, so the whole thing is on Amazon. Click on the link above to check it out. 

Web Cam Covers?

The fact that this even has to be a thing astounds me. Have you ever seen the movie Abducted? Where they hack into the computer and spy on them through the camera? Or Batman? Or practically half of the movies made in the last 5 years?

I read a story on the Blaze a while back (and have read several similar stories since) about a family who heard yelling comming from their baby nursery. When they went in, the baby camera turned toward the parents and the person who had hacked it started yelling at them!

SICK.

Just Sick.

Do you get concerned about this kind of thing? I think in general people just assume it won't happen to them until they have proof that it does. And in many ways, buying actual covers for your devices seems a little paranoid. On the other hand, there are sick people who hack into baby cameras and yell at families! And sick people who would love to get into your camera.

So, you tell me. Are you worried about this? Better safe than sorry?

What is Pornography?

How would you describe pornography to someone? To a child?

If someone were to ask you, "What is pornography?" How would you answer?

I think that most people would describe pornography as "inappropriate pictures of people without clothes on." But is this really a complete description of pornography? As any addict, spouse of an addict, parent of an addict, etc. would tell you: no. There is a whole lot more to pornography than just pictures. 

In fact, some of the worst types of pornography are not in photo-form. 

My favorite description of pornography came from one of my uncles, who was speaking to a young teen. He described pornography along these lines:

-Anything that makes you feel feelings [or think thoughts] that are inappropriate or that should be reserved for marriage.

I loved that!!!! What a great description of what pornography is. It is a force (yes, force) that teaches you to feel and then become desensitized to feelings that should be reserved for a happy, respectful relationship. Then the addict searches for "next step" for their addiction. And it just gets more and more inappropriate from there. It is an extremely slippery slope.

Yes, pictures are part of it. But just a part.

Their Thoughts Don't Affect Your Worth

Don't ever think that someone elses thoughts or actions can effect your worth.

Someone who truly understands your worth would never put it down. And maybe they just don't understand. Maybe they can't right now. But, frankly, even friends or family who believe your worth is infinite don't fully get how amazing your worth is. How can they? Being human means that we aren't perfect. That we don't understand it all. 

No matter the case. Whatever other people feel about you. Whatever you feel about yourself. Your potential is barely tapped.

Some people say things that they shouldn't. This isn't a reflection on you. It's a reflection on their state of mind.

Don't ever devalue yourself.

Some things are too disturbing for words...

Some things are too disturbing for words.

I found this at the store and had to take a picture.

I mean, seriously! This is traumatic!

Let's just put a krank in the back of Olaf and eat his innards.

"Do you want to eat a snowmaaaaaaan? It doesn't have to be a snowmaaaaaaaan..."

Although I have to admit that the longer I look at this, the less traumatizing it seems and the more I want a snow cone...

:)