in which: i need a break

I'm not sure why it's so hard for me to stick to daily goals. Habits have always been the hardest thing for me to try to build. Bad habits? Super easy to form, like without even trying. Good habits or habits that help me accomplish things? Hellooooo procrastination! It's so easy to get distracted and want to waste time on things that won't get me anywhere. Then later, I come down on myself or worry about all the things I want to do with my life and stare in fear as the time passes and I don't get any closer.

I'm sick of it.

I think I need a sabbatical of some sort. I think I need to lose Wall-E for a while (my laptop). More than that though, I think I need God and that I need to just make a decision. ANY DECISION. If it's in my heart - do it. No more fear of the time it will take to accomplish it or the money it will take to get there. Just pick something and trust God to meet me in the midst of it and trust that He will provide. 

"Don't give up on your dreams because of the time it will take to accomplish them. 

The time will pass anyway."  

Earl Nightingale

Not that I've been very good at keeping up with blog anyway, but I think I may disappear for a while. I'm not sure for how long and I'm not sure entirely what all I'll be cutting out of my life that has been such a distraction, but much of it has been my addiction to aimlessly surfing the web. Facebook and Pinterest mainly, but also blog surfing too. I need a break. My future depends on it. I want to rekindle the passions that are in me for a reason and actually begin to DO things. SEE things, BECOME things, EXPERIENCE things. 

It's about time.

I am

Olivia

in which: it's true

"There are two spiritual dangers in not owning a farm.

One is supposing that breakfast comes from the 

grocery, and the other that heat comes from the furnace."

Aldo Leopold

in which: dreams do come true

Changed the header in light of Spring around the corner. I love the peaches on there since I've picked it as my new "flavor of the season". It's something I started doing last year, and kind of own little way of getting myself to try new flavors of things I wouldn't normally pick. Last year was grapefruit and now it is peach, thanks to the inspiring and deliciously smelling new lotion I got from work! Seriously you guys, the smell of this lotion is like biting into a ripe, juicy, freshly picked peach.

Speaking of work; I got that promotion last week!! Yeeeeaaahhh!!! I also got accepted into a leadership series called Talent Bench for work aaaaannndddd *drum roll please*.....

I got accepted into the Texas Master Naturalist Certification Program!!!!

OMG!!!

It has been a life long dream to become a Naturalist: a person who studies or is an expert in the natural sciences, such as botany, mineralogy, ornithology, etc. Anyone, really, can be a self taught naturalist, as I have been. But now I will be on my way to becoming certified, meeting fellow naturalists in my area and learning about others categories of nature I am less familiar with. For the majority of my studying, I have been more or less an expert on Wildlife. Now through a series of classes over the next few weeks my knowledge will be expanded toward facts on minerals, fish, reptiles and more. 

SO. EXCITED.

This is literally one of my dreams becoming a reality.

Don't let anyone tell you you're dreams won't come true!!

From reading My Side Of The Mountain in 6th grade... to my first time getting to hold a Falcon, to learning their sport, to now... learning how to help them survive in their natural habitat & educating people on how they can help.

LIFE IS AMAZING.

I am

Olli

in which: we go to a lot of weddings

Well, as for my 2012 goals, the only ones that really held up were me learning to cook and growing something. I have a fig tree sapling that continues to get bigger & has a new leaf sprouting! Dori taught me to cook, although I still don't do it very often. 

This year, I want to be a better friend, learn more Spanish (the A's let me download Rosetta Stone for FREE!), begin volunteering at Last Chance Forever again & GET MARRIED. I think it will really happen this year, I can feel it. 

~

Speaking of weddings, our friends Jaime & Emily got married this past weekend!!

The reception was simple & fun. The cutest part was when we saw them off ~ everyone blew bubbles around them & they rode of on bikes! So. Cute.

And Jaime's grandmother made these beautiful hand painted wooden crosses as favors, along with bags of whole bean coffee.

something blue..

We had so much fun! The whole thing was sweet, well put together & totally stress free. Obviously, only good things come out of Fernandez weddings ;) {my love & I met at Jaime's sister's wedding}

Lisa, babe & me

This year is going to be the best one yet.

And to help keep track of my goals, I'm going to be using a site called MySubplot.com, which is an idea based on Don Miller's new book Storyline. It's awesome and lays it out so that you can write your goals out as a story. There's the goal itself, your ambitions behind it, anticipated conflicts and climactic points in the journey, etc. You fill in all the details! Very helpful and makes it so you can actually visualize what it will require to make them happen. 

I highly recommend! 

I am

Olli

in which: i dare

New blog for a new year! Check 'er out!

Eucharisteo - The Joy Dare

This will continue to be my main blog; I just wanted to make you aware of my new project.
Perhaps you'd like to join me?

I am

Olli

in which: the darkness trembles

I've struggled this week.

~

In the words of dear Lois,

"It sounds like you need courage."

And I do.

It's been hard to pin point that fact... for years, really. I need courage for so many things. The courage to go to school; find a job that I'm not just settling for. The courage, dare I say it, to get married? 

The courage to take responsibility for myself.

That's what it's time for.

That, and allowing for God to really show me what He is truly capable of.

~

"I am above nothing." "Things could be so much worse." 

&

"Because there is a God, things will always get better."

~

These are mottoes I've lived by my entire life. And to an extent, they've gotten me through. I have worked just about anywhere that would hire me. I've done everything from getting paid to pick up dog crap to running my own department on a film set. I've also served hundreds of cups of coffee and washed probably thousands of dishes. 

So what's the sudden issue?

I started doing these things (minus the film set gig) when I was 18. Now, I'm 23 and I was just washing dishes yesterday, at a cafe, paying me part time minimum wage.

*vomit*

Maybe this shouldn't bother me as much as it does. I was still humble enough to accept it a month ago when I was interviewed on the spot. I'm not sure how to make this sound like I'm not ungrateful. Because God knows- I AM! Work is hard to find right now. But you know what, it isn't for my Father. And I just feel like these last near 6 years have flown by and I'm in the same(ish) spot I was when I started. 

Granted, my heart has changed. My preferences, views & experiences have all changed. 

But I'm ready to move on now. 

I'm not 18 anymore and I have a say in where my life is headed.

EIGHTEEN

-living with other people

-not in school

-earning minimum wage

-no licence

-no car

-no boyfriend

-not in church

TWENTY THREE

-living with other people

-not in school

-earning minimum wage

-licence and insurance

-awesome car

-dating the man I'm going to marry

-attending the best church I've ever been a part of

So some things are definitely going right. Important things, thankfully. 

And I believe God is looking to bless me even further this year. 

I feel a shift in my spirit ~ like it's time for school. At the very least, like it's time to up the annie. Time for a job that will help me in the direction of my dreams.

It's a good feeling :)

I am

Olli

{ps}

This has made my life a lot easier today. I usually use any ole scrap laying around but that usually gets lost or thrown away. Not to say that this one won't too, but download it for free anyway! To-Do List created by A Pair of Pears.com

in which: i will...

2012

learn to cook.

learn piano basics.

learn spanish.

get through most of my book list.

grow something.

take my love to enchanted rock.

pray that God deepens & strengthens the relationships in my life.

get married.

I am

Olli