pursuing your dreams.

Dreaming is easy. It takes no effort whatsoever to think of things you are passionate about and daydream of one day doing those things.

But actually pursuing your dreams? Now, that's a different story.

Right now I am in the beginning stages of starting my own photography business. I've been doing market research, perfecting my portfolio, brainstorming about branding, etc. While I am super excited that this dream of mine is finally starting to become a reality...at the same time, I am scared out of my mind! Why? Because starting your own business is risky. Following your dreams {whatever that may be} is risky.

It would be easy for me to give into my fears of failure, take the easy route and go apply and accept yet another administrative assistant position. But I know I would be miserable, because I wouldn't be following my heart.

{photo by me}

I recently heard a couple photographers who are highly esteemed in the industry say:

"I'd rather fail at something I love, than succeed at something I hate."

When I heard that statement, it struck a chord in me. Because it is so true. What's the point in living life half heartedly and never knowing what could have been if only I had tried? Some of the things I regret most in my life are when I didn't do something out of fear of failure, or fear of looking or sounding silly.

I don't want to live my life in fear (2 Timothy 1:7)

My favorite quote growing up was one by Les Brown that says, "Shoot for the moon, if you miss you'll land among the stars." (nevermind that the moon is actually closer to us than the stars...)

Here's to aiming high and pursuing your dreams. :)

in every job that must be done, there is an element of fun.

We all struggle with this: there's so much to do, but oh-so-little time. On Twitter and Facebook I am constantly reading about how busy, or stressed, or crazy people's lives are.

Sure, life will always be crazy and stressful if we look at it that way {yes, sometimes more so than other times.} But I think a lot of it has to do with our perspective...whether we choose to complain about the things we have to do or decide to do it with a smile.

I know I am guilty of my fair share of complaining...but wouldn't life be so much better if we make a conscious decision to not complain about things? I know it's hard. I struggle with it just as much as anyone else.

The thing that gets me is when we complain about things that are blessings in our lives. We whine about school, work, grocery shopping, cleaning the house, etc. When in reality it is such a blessing that we have the opportunity to go to school, that we have a job when so many people are unemployed, that we have money to go buy groceries, that we have a home to clean and make our own, etc.

One of my mom's favorite verses to quote to me when I was a little girl was Philippians 2:14 "Do everything without complaining or arguing." the scripture continues in verse 15, "so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe."

I want to be like a shining star, don't you? :)

I am writing this post as a challenge...to myself and to you, our few and faithful readers out there. Let's make a conscious effort to not complain. Instead, let's be thankful for our blessings...and enjoy life a whole lot more.

With that said, here is some musical inspiration from one of my role models in life, Mary Poppins:

things on my mind right now {a random list}

• why do good people have to go through not-so-good things?
• i want to make all bad things go away for all those good people i love.
• words are never enough.
• i want to always be there for those who need it.
  
• i want to pray more than i do...really pray, and not just for my chicken salad. i'm trying.
  
• there are so many things that i want to do, but don't have enough time to do it all. need to set priorities, i suppose.
• i have lots of photos to edit and sort through...lots and lots. still have family photos from easter i need to get to.
  
• if i had to pick a least favorite part about photography {which is hard, because i love it all} it would have to be sorting through photos. it's hard to narrow them down...it's hard.
• i miss my sister who lives in indiana.
• i'm going to miss my brother who will be living in maine for the summer.
• i get to see my grandparents from maine soon {three more days!}
• i want to have all the people i love in one place. let's all move to an island together. i'd be okay with that.
• husby will be finished with this semester in six days...then all he has is his senior {guitar} recital this summer...and then he graduates. there will be a lot of partying going on in the zajas household. most definitely.
• i'm thirsty.

off to get some water...

there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven.

{photo by SP Veres}

There seem to be changes taking place in everyone's lives around me. Many of my friends and family are facing big decisions, and these decisions mean change. Within several months I know that Jonathan and I will have decisions of our own to make.

Change isn't always easy to go through, in fact it's normally rather difficult. We seem to like familiar surroundings and familiar circumstances, and stepping out into the unknown is kinda scary. But I do know that change helps us learn and grow and become the people that we are today. I once heard someone compare change to rain...we don't always like the rain, in fact when rain comes it gets kind of stormy at times and washes away some things and it can get icky and muddy...but in the end it brings growth.

I've always like the song "Turn Turn Turn" by the Byrds based on Ecclesiastes 3:

Isaiah 41:9-10 has always helped me during times of uncertainty:

"I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I call you. I said, 'You are my servant'; I have chosen you and have nor rejected you. So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

I don't always know what to tell people who are going through major changes in their lives, or what to even tell myself when I'm going through the same thing. I just know that if we let Him, God is there to help us through it all {if we let Him}...and His plan for our lives always turns out better than anything we can think up on our own.

How about you? Are you going through any major changes in your life? What helps you during these times and brings encouragement?

compelled by love.

This month our church has been doing a sermon series titled "Compelled by Love." It has been amazing. Yesterday morning the executive pastor Jerry Justice spoke on identifying love. What is love? Is it just thinking happy thoughts about another person? No, it is much more.

Jesus put it quite simply in John 13:34-35: "Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples--when they see the love you have for each other."

Wow, we are to love each other in the same way that Jesus loved us. That is a very high standard of love.

I also love how this scripture says that people will recognize that we are followers of Christ by our love. Not our perfect church attendance, not our pushing our beliefs on others, not our efforts to appear perfect. Our love.

I could go on and on about this, but it would really be easier if you just listen to it for yourself.

It's such a simple message, but oh-so-good to be reminded of these things. I want to live a life on unconditional love for other people and for my God.

little goals.

Sometimes making little changes in our life can make such a big difference.

Here's what I want to do:

1. write more thank-you notes.
   
2. write more hand written notes in general.
3. get up when the alarm first goes off {snoozing makes me feel so icky.}
4. read my bible more.
5. write in my journal as i'm winding down for the night {it always helps me clear my head before going to sleep.}
6. listen to fun music while doing menial tasks around the house {i did this last night, and it made doing the dishes go by so fast!}
7. read more books {i love to read, i don't know why i don't do it more often.}
8. bake more {it's so therapeutic to me. plus, it makes my husband happy...i made him his favorite pie last night.}
9. pray more {i want to include God in even the small things in my life...he cares about it all.}
10. not spend as much time on the computer {which is hard, because my work and most of my hobbies include the computer...but sometimes it can be a black hole of time waste.}

So, there you go. Just a few things I would like to start changing/doing in my life.

What about you? What are some small things in your life that if you did them would make your life better?

today is a good day to have a good day.

I think that oftentimes joy and happiness are decisions we make. A decision to not let any bad circumstances that may come our way to get us down and prevent us from enjoying the life we have been blessed with.

There are many things and circumstances in my life that make me happy: my husband, my family, friends, my dog, morning coffee, the home we have made for ourselves, yogurt and berries for breakfast, a good book, photographs, sunny weather, etc. All of these things...big and small are blessings from God.

But sometimes something not-so-good happens, or something takes place in a way that is unlike how I would like it to occur. And then I come down with a case of tunnel vision, and all I can see is the negative. I really don't like that. At all.

So I have decided that today is a good day to have a good day. Every day is a good day to have a good day, don't you think? And what is keeping me from having a good day every day? Myself. My own reactions to the situations and circumstances around me.

So, today I decide to change. To not let negative things affect me {sure, I won't ignore them...but I won't magnify them either.} I'm not going to let anything get in the way of celebrating and being thankful for the blessings in my life.

How about you? Are you going to have a good day...even though it's Monday?