If You Can Dream It, Do It.

Changing Lenses

2013-04-13T05:03:00.003-07:00

I've thought about blogging for a while, but my thoughts have seemed to run like a hamster wheel and my hands just stay silent on the keyboard. There's something life altering when you lose someone, and everyone deals with it differently. So much to process, grasping reality when it feels like a nightmare, and somehow settling back into life, when you want to shout at the world to just stop and be still.

Sam impacted lives, because he lived a purposeful one. I wish I could have told him more how much his friendship meant to me. Since I can't, I'll tell you how much I appreciated the way he lived his life.

So, I have these hot pink frames I wear as my glasses. I was so proud when I bought them, and couldn't wait to start wearing them all around campus. I soon realized, there wasn't a 100% satisfaction rate amongst some of my guy friends. They mocked and made fun of the goofy glasses, so I put them away for a bit. In a midst of a late night study session, I peeled off my contacts and threw on my hot pink frames. A few hours later, Sam came in, and we met. The first thing he said to me after introducing himself was how much he loved my frames, and how unique they were. I laughed out loud and told him my experience with the latest peanut gallery commentary. He quickly dispelled my fears of not wearing my frames, and told me I had to wear them, then began garnering strangers in Theta to agree with him.

I tell you this small memory, because Sam has changed the lens of how I view my life. From the day I met Sam, he reminded, and encouraged me to be unabashedly myself.

Senior year has been filled with working, filling out job apps, contacting employers, interviewing, running around finishing test, worrying, and simply being busy. My short term "busy-ness" clouded my long term lens of life. I would cancel lunches at the Campus Center with friends, in order to cram for tests, to answer emails, attend guest lecturers, or to set up informational interviews. I let the fear of the future cloud and taint the way I lived my day to day. My mind was future oriented to a fault of not accepting or living in the present.

Sam, taught me to wear my frames proudly, and the legacy of his life has reminded me to throw back on those frames and clean off the lenses. I refuse to go back to the short-term clouded lenses.

Sam made time for everyone, he didn't let what he didn't know about his future distract him from genuinely inquiring how others were. He lived with a clarity of life.

We had a long conversation recently about social media and how people have let it become their life, or the perception they want you to have about their life. Our generation seems to live and make memories based upon the likes quantified of the artifact garnered along the way and uploaded to Instagram. I joked that I sometimes was apart of the crowd, and I was annoyed at how little my Instagram had been active, Sam chuckled to himself. Then, grabbed his phone, pulled up his Instagram, and said, "Okay which ones are hurting?" Then proceeded to like my last 13 photos. It's a funny memory, but I think it embodies who Sam was for me. He lived life, authentically. Most people in our generation, want to live life that way or make their life appear that way. He wasn't caught up in the "appearance" to live a great and meaningful life, he just did.

I wish 100 times over that this could have never happened, but for some reason it did. I don't know that reason, but I know somehow it fit into God's plan. For now I cling to the hope that in Paradise we'll all be reunited with that 100 Watt Sam Smile. Like many have said before, God must have needed more angels, so he called up the best. How blessed we are to have known you.

Sam, thanks for reminding me to take out my pink frames and clean off my lenses on life.

Papa Mel and I "accidentally" matched when we celebrated your legacy, and what a legacy you have left.

Toodles,
Lindsey

Dots And Life

2013-02-13T01:48:00.001-08:00

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Dots are like life.

You see we are faced with decisions we must make daily, weekly, and yearly. Some are as small as when you'll go grocery shopping, what you'll purchase at the grocery shopping, and others are larger decisions regarding career, houses, and kids. No matter what the size though, these thoughts consume us for a bit, until we make a decision which leads to a step being taken.

This step can feel isolating, yet a decision must be reached. Your decisions can sometimes feel disjointed, like dots spread out on a page. These decisions and steps (your dots) begin to shape your life. Each day, you are adding more dots to your page. What might seem like an insignificant day or a day filled with small decisions is actually adding to the picture of your life.

Steve Jobs once said you can't connect the dots looking forward, you can only connect them when looking backwards. I could not agree more.

Life requires us to step out and make decisions, to add dots to our page. They can be frightening, confusing, and scary, yet important to our picture. Because, one day you might come to realize why that dot existed. Why those series of decisions or events happened in your life. I know certain adversities I faced, decisions I made among them, helped shape the way I face future decisions, which has shaped my path. I only can see that now though, I would not have know that back then.

I'm thankful for those dots on my page, but in the middle of those times, those dots felt like they didn't fit in.

This led me to remember an art class I had in 5th grade, where we studied and made interpretations of Monet's paintings made of dots. Tedious, confusing, and cross eyed became the theme of my dot painting project. After three weeks of dotting, I finally saw the picture. The brown dots fit right in with the bright yellow dots, and the picture wouldn't be complete without their contrast.

You see, our life is filled with dots. Like Jobs said, sometimes we will reach places in our life where we will look back, and think to ourselves, "Ah- ha! Now I know why I did that or why that happened!" I know it happens to me quite a bit. But the beauty of life is that we have a purpose and a picture, and for now we just need to keep making our dots, even though we can't see the picture in it's entirety. So, whether you feel like you're in a season of brown dots, or bright yellow ones they all add color that's necessary for the picture of your life.

Toodles,

Lindsey

We Are All Farmers

2013-02-11T02:18:00.000-08:00

The 20's are such a pivotal time, where I feel the world is at your fingertips, yet you feel as unstable as a 2 year old taking their first steps. It's an exhilarating and challenging time. A stage of life infiltrated with questions.

The questions come from within or are vocalized through friends, strangers, and family members. Where will you live? Where will you work? If you're unhappy with your job, when will you move? Where will you raise a family, etc?

The truth is you'll never be able to be 100% sure about a decision, in fact science proves it.

Questions require answers, and answers require action. Action requires faith.

All these questions, internally or externally based, ignite your thought process.

If I'm being 100% honest, lately the overwhelming amount of questions have produced small seeds of doubt or worry. The danger of this is, these small seeds of doubt, fear, and worry become nourished when I don't trust. So, those "seeds of worry, doubt, fear, etc" only grow. By spending time worrying or fearing we are feeding those seeds and helping them become fertile to root in our brain and take ahold of our thoughts.

Seeds take time to become a mature plant or tree, but small decisions day after day lead to it's growth and sustainability. Don't let those seeds of doubt grow and overtake your ability to trust and step out in faith. Those seeds of doubt grow like weeds, and if you allow your self to meditate on them too long, they'll soon take over your mind and your "harvest."

By stepping out in faith, answering God's call, and simply trusting we are slowly giving seeds of hope a place to firmly plant in our brains. It is with daily obedience and daily reliance on his faithfulness that we can see those seeds grow into harvesting what God has called you to do with your life.

I was reminded of this Saturday, when I witnessed some of my friends at USC win a grand prize of $101,000 for their documentary the Dropbox. The vision for the film all started with a seed of trust, hope, and faith. It took countless days and hours of watering that seed with faith, fertilizing the ground with obedience, and weed eating their (plus other's) doubts away. It has been a journey that has been so beautifully telling of the raw sacrifice and sheer faith required to follow Jesus and the sweet intangible reward of knowing so many moments are "God Ordained" intersections. (Read More about their journey here, here, and here)

I then came across a quote recently by Bob Goff which further solidified my recent and reoccurring thought process on farming, faith, and the 20's.
"Plant hope, harvest joy; plant fear, harvest doubt. We're all farmers”

I'm writing this because it's just as much of a reminder to me what those seeds of fear and doubt do, they kill our dreams and the purpose God has for our lives.

Don't let your thoughts and fear drive you to not act upon your dreams. This will surely kill your harvest.

"The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully." 2 Corinthians 9:6

Have Faith, Harvest Hope, Dream Big.

Toodles,
Lindsey

Joy in Simplicity

2013-01-21T23:07:00.001-08:00

This isn't a typical "If You Can Dream It" post, but it's all based on experiences from my life, so I thought I'd share this one. As cheesy and old as it makes me sounds, there's nothing I love more than a clean kitchen, a good candle, and some fresh flowers. It's the best to come home to after a long day.

However, my roomates and I are candle addicts, and seem to go through them quickly. After cleaning up one day, I realized we had a ton of burnt out candles in glass jars. I felt guilty throwing out all the candles, just because the wick had burned out. So, I popped one of my old Anthropologie candles in the microwave for a minute in 30 second increments. The microwave melted the wax to liquid, and I poured the remaining candle and wick into a plastic cup, and threw it away once it had hardened.

Then, I washed the glass the candle was in, and realized it'd make a great vase. So, today I ran to a little flower shop, spent a few bucks on hydrangeas, and popped them in.

I love adding little touches to our apartment to make it feel more homey. The flowers brightened up the place, and I burned my favorite candle alongside it. If you haven't smelt Capri Blue's Volcano scent you don't know what your missing, it's heavenly!! Anthropologie sells the Capri Blue candles, and the Volcano scent is Anthro's trademark scent, so you know it's legit.

Anyways, if you're looking for a little pick me up, then look no further than your own home. I love when I can transform and reuse things I already have!

Toodles,
Lindsey

Roots and Wings

2012-12-08T05:31:00.002-08:00

When I was little I had grand ideas, lofty dreams.

(Very blurry photo of me on my "Star Stage" when I was 4)

As I got older, I set out for them, letting God lead the way.

When you're little you don't really realize the weight of the sacrifices that occur on your journey towards achieving your dreams.

The sacrifices are worth it, I believe, but sometimes they are hard to swallow.

Sometimes, you just feel a little ragged, a little worn down. That's when it's so nice to go home. Whether it's the embrace of your Mom, the discernment of your Dad, or the teasing of your sister, the familiarity comforts.

Not only does the familiarity comfort but it rejuvenates your dreams.

I rarely sleep, so last time I was home, I was thumbing through my old drawers late at night and I stumbled upon my old prayer journals. They were deep in the drawer, and the content of them reminded me why I left, and God's sovereignty was so evident in how he answered previous prayers.

In fact, my entire room was a sweet whisper and a nudge to keep on following my dreams. As I finished reading through pages of prayer requests and goals I had wanted to accomplish, I looked up.

There on my wall was a marquee I've had for 13 years. I've never replaced the words that I placed there as an 8 year old.

I remember when I got the sign. I hid away in my room, with envelopes of letters, contemplating what I wanted to say. Once I decided what to display, I carefully placed each letter on the marquee and eagerly awaited to show my parents the final product.

I was so proud of my little creation. I explained that I wanted to put a cross next to the words "Hollywood Here I Come," because I told my parents I wasn't going to lose myself and I wanted to stay grounded.

They congratulated me on my sign, smiled at my childish dreams, and told me I could do it (I definitely don't think they knew they'd be dropping their baby off in Los Angeles, California at 18. A place where we knew no one.)

13 years later, the words became so authentically refreshing. The perfect "sign" to simply keep going, because my desires simply haven't changed.

As the journey continues to wind, there's curveballs, and of course as any human would have it, fear. It doesn't always look like I had planned or intended, but that is the beauty of dreams and the beauty of how God works. It works out how it is supposed to happen, and though you may not realize why, looking back you'll begin to see the sovereignty.

Home is wonderful, because I'm surrounded by people who were there from the beginning and I'm brought back to the roots of where it all began.

As my friend Sarah says, "then she remembered you must have roots, before you can grow wings." Thankful for Cypress, Texas, and the people within it.

Why Not Go Out On A Limb, That's Where The Fruit Is?

When I came back to LA I kept remembering the notes in my old prayer journal and how time depicted God's sovereignty and how uniquely he had answered past prayers.

So, I began to really pray relentlessly over something I've desired for years, an authentic, scripture driven bible study within the industry. It's a prayer that sometimes has felt improbable and impossible.

Three weeks passed, and not only was I praying for it, but I asked my friends to as well.

In a way only God could orchestrate 3 weeks later he answered my prayer, above and beyond. It's simply crazy how God works.

Psalm 61:2 "When my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to a rock that is higher than I."

Sometimes, it takes a little trip home to return to your roots, remember, and rejuvenate.

"A journey of a thousand miles must begin with one step."

“In my experience, God rarely makes our fear disappear. Instead, He asks us to be strong and take courage. What is courage? ...... Courage is not the absence of fear; rather, it's choosing to act in spite of the fear. You could say that without fear, you can't have genuine courage.”
― Bruce Wilkinson

Cheers to your dreams, may you walk boldly in the direction toward them, as God leads you, but don't forget to return to your roots every once in a while.

Toodles,
Lindsey

We Are Trojans

2012-09-26T01:45:00.002-07:00

Fight On Trojans.

I see it on tshirts, I hear it yelled at football games, but it's more than cheers and t-shirts. It's a way of life.

To be a Trojan means you will relentlessly fight on through your circumstances, overcome the challenges set before you, and not grow weary. Inevitably, life will give you ups and downs, but it is up to you to never give up the fight.

You'll grow tired, you'll grow weak, but you must find the strength to push, to stretch, and to grow from each battling season.

Trojans fight to overcome.

Like, "Cinderella", the foreign exchange student in my Comm class who came to USC to learn how to break through the barriers in the journalism industry in China. She wants to fight on to be able to express her voice. It takes the tenacity of a fighter to overcome the improbabilities we face. The chineese are very strict on their journalism laws, but I believe in Cinderealla and her passion to overcome. In fact, since moving back she's now an editor of a news show. She fought on like Trojans do.

Look, I understand if you follow football our season didn't start like people had planned, but Trojans do not lose heart.

I be7ieve in the Trojans because I have never met so many diverse dreamers who never cease to give up. Being a Trojan represents more than cardinal and gold, it's a mentality. We will fight on because that is how we are trained. That is how character is shown. Character is divinely displayed when opposition strikes. When you are faced with an obstacle, or when people tell you it's impossible, I urge you FIGHT ON.

To Fight On is something we all must do in life. Life will give you curveballs. There will be times when the conflict in the script of your story feels improbable, draining, and somewhat impossible. BUT, that is when our stories become attractive to others to watch. These conflicts shape the Hollywood ending we want. You have to experience the challenge before you can appreciate a triumph. You have to fight to realize you've won a battle. Life will give you battles, but it's up to you to fight on.

I am a Trojan because I am inspired by the community around me who continually fight on through life no matter what it hands them.

To the football team of USC, it's in your blood to fight on, and I see it in your eyes. Conflict, adversity, and competition is the root of how we were coined "Trojans" in 1912. Let history repeat itself and show the world why we are the Trojans. It takes opposition to truly display character and the will to fight. Do not grow weary.

I am proud to be a Trojan.

May we all fight on.

"You can't grow strong without resistance."- Rick Warren

Toodles,
Lindsey

Why I Love Trees

2012-09-06T01:16:00.002-07:00

Have you ever had one of those lessons where you are constantly learning? Recently it's been through the image of a tree. I know it sounds weird, but seriously for the past 4 months I feel like I've had these consistent "ah-ha" moments with the image of a tree and how it compares to life. Let me explain...

Trees and Life
This summer I was running on the track at school and I was praying about career decisions and choices. In the midst of my thoughts I looked up and realized the 2 schools that held journalism and theatre classes were in front of me with huge, strong, and beautiful trees. It felt like God was saying it was going to be all a-okay. Those trees have been here for a long time, and they've grown, stretched, and have ultimately thrived.

When I moved to Los Angeles I knew no one, "I went out on a limb" of faith. I felt like just a little seed in the ground trying to grow my roots out here. I had my family that I knew I could always count on that really supported me, like the posts that help guide young trees. I truly LOVED USC, but began to become fearful, because the life that USC provided was phenomenal but not the life I had always planned. My fear turned into a season of doubt and made me question if I should be here. But, after really praying through that season I realized I needed to be here. It was during that season of doubt that I really feel like my roots grew. It's when we doubt and turn to God for answers that he truly provides strength. That doubt has turned into complete peace. Peace that only God can truly provide.

As I thought about the tree and how it became strong and fruitful it was ultimately because of mulch, sun, and water. It's the same with life. In order for our roots to grow for us to become strong and be fruitful we must experience all of those things. If a tree was only given sunshine and water it would simply die. We need those "crappy" (mulch) seasons in order to survive. We need to be quenched with living water so we can grow deep roots. It's when we have those seasons we can greater appreciate and experience the sunshine. It's survival.

So when I began to doubt about my future, I remember how I doubted for a season of time if I should be at USC, and how completely ecstatic I am that I am here and that I experienced that season, because I now have peace that is unexplainable. As I rounded the track realizing God would provide the same peace about my career as he did for USC I realized I was running over the word Trojans. We are called to fight on through life like Trojans. Being a christian isn't easy by any means, but there is a peace I've come to know that surpasses any earthly trial.

So, even though I feel fearful and doubtful about my future sometimes. I know it's necessary in order to have roots. So, if you are going through a season of doubt or trial, and are seeking him, it just means your roots are growing bigger. Having deep roots takes time, patience, and ultimately courage. A tree can not sprout in a day and neither can we. Having deeper roots, means a tree can support more branches, ultimately reach out more, grow a larger quantity of fruit, and stretch taller to feel the warmth of the sunshine more. Embrace the fear, trials, and uncertainty of life, let it nourish you, because that is how we grow.

It takes the ups and downs of life, the sunshine, the mulch, and the sustainability of "living" water to survive, thrive, and grow.

Trees and Morals

One of my favorite quotes (I have a lot) is:

"The greatest oak was once a nut who held it's ground."

It is simply so true. In a world that is trying desperately to make you into someone else. Just be yourself, embrace it, stay true to who you are, who God created you to be and hold your ground. Be rooted.

Trees and Death

One of my favorite places at our farm is under this insanely large tree that's over 100 years old. Not only do I love how big and vast that tree is, but I love the image right next to it. A year ago, some of my parent's friends took a broken, dead branch from the tree and made a cross. It's such a beautiful picture that even if you feel like your faith is dead, God can bring you life. The dead tree now is one of the coolest crosses I've ever seen. No matter where you stand, where you've been, or what you've done. When we feel worn down and dead, God grants us life.

Great Quotes To Sum It All Up

"We want to reap the second after we sow, but this isn't the way it works with dreaming big and praying hard. We need the patience of the planter. We need the foresight of the farmer. We need the mindset of the sower."- Mark Batterson, The Circle Maker

"I know different people have different callings. I know different people have different personalities. But I also know that embracing uncertainty is one dimension of faith. And regardless of your vocational calling or relational status, you have to do something counterintuitive if you want to reach your God-given potential and fulfill your God-given destiny. Sometimes you have to run away from security and chase uncertainty." - Mark Batterson, In A Pit With A Lion On A Snowy Day

Toodles,
Lindsey

Banner Of Love

2012-07-13T10:26:00.004-07:00

My friend, Bethany, recently showed me a new song, "Banner of Love" which is a really sweet song. The lyrics are pretty awesome, and they stuck with me the next few days after I had listened to it.

On Tuesday, I sat in the most insane amount of traffic I've ever encountered. Put it this way after 45 minutes I had moved 2.2 miles. I looked around at the drivers near me their faces displaying obvious disgust, anger, and frustration with the situation. I glanced down at the clock, and quickly realized all my plans for the evening would not be happening. I looked ahead to all the red brake lights, back again to the drivers, and realized what a miserable situation this was shaping up to be. Everyone was simply stuck. We each had our own plans for how our nights were going to end up, yet we remained at a stand still. Living life with out a purpose feels like that, stuck not quite sure of where you are headed, frustrating, and joy less. I sat there for a few minutes more letting myself process what I was thinking, and I realized I needed to reframe how I looked at the situation. I'm a pretty joyful person, yet this situation was shaping me into being extremely frustrated and joy less. I was becoming bitter about my circumstances, and it reminded me of the lyric "So I say goodbye to pain and bitterness, I'm going to live out my purpose 'Cause your life has shown me how. "

I noticed how stunning the sun was and realized I was parallel to an awesome running path. I'm in the middle of moving, so my car is filled with my things, including running necessities. So, after 15 minutes I had found a way to cut out of the traffic. Once I got to the parking lot off of PCH I realized it was going to cost quite a bit of money, and I didn't have any cash. After fumbling around my purse for 10 minutes, the parking man gave me a free pass. I parked, threw on my tennis shoes, put on my Ipod and set off.

It was FREEING. In a weird way, it was like I had discovered my purpose for that night. There was a reason I was stuck in that traffic, and there was a reason all of my plans for the evening weren't going to work out. It felt freeing to eliminate the bitterness I felt and simply run in the light.

In big cities there seems to be more people bitter with life and the world, and I seriously NEVER want to become that way. However, when you are surrounded by that outlook on life and attitude day in and day out it can be wearing. I moved to Los Angeles for a reason, I felt called here. I'm still on my way to discovering why, but for right now I feel called here. I don't know what plans he has for me, but I do not want my life to look like a stand still in traffic. Living a purpose-less life is so similar to that. You go through the motions, you get stuck, yet you remain the same, you remain stuck in pride and bitterness.

Yet, God calls us a different way. I felt he called me to LA. It was terrifying and scary when I made that big U-Turn going against all of that traffic, but I knew I needed to. I couldn't waste my time stuck there following everyone else. That's what God calls us to do with our lives, he calls us out of our ways into something great. It was such a big reminder to me how God calls us to far bigger and better things then stand still traffic filled with bitterness. He invites us to run with him in the light. As I ran, I remembered the lyrics from the song, and I couldn't help but feel God's presence while looking at the waves crashing on the shore, the mountains ahead of me, the palm trees slowly swaying, and feeling the strength to persevere through the hilly terrain.

"And we are
Living in a world without a cause
And there's a need that seems impossible
But I can hear, I hear You calling me

To raise a banner of Love
Up high in these city streets
One Hope for all the world to see
Be my Banner of Love
This Love is a burning flame
One voice, crying out Your name
You're my banner of Love
You're my banner of Love

And only You can see my destiny
Only You can be the strength I need
'Cause my life is Yours now
So goodbye to pride and bitterness
I'm going to live out my purpose
'Cause Your life has showed me how

To raise a banner of Love
Up high for in these city streets
One hope for all the world to seek
By my banner of Love
This Love is a burning flame
One voice, crying out Your name
You're my banner of Love
Oh You're my banner of Love "

Then, you know what I saw in the sky???? A banner.

I couldn't quite make out the words, but one thing was very clear a red heart was on it. It was such a sweet reminder and conclusion to my sunset run. It was a banner of love. God called me out of that stand still traffic and into a sunset run that reminded me why I was even in that traffic, in this city. I want to be a banner of love, because he has shown me what it means. Following my run, I pulled out of the parking and looked into my rear view mirror, the view was far sweeter than the stand still traffic I had originally seen. I would have surely of missed this view if I was stuck following everyone else. I would have missed the burning flame of the setting sun and the peace that came over me as I ran. I would have missed the sweet reminders of what it means to be a banner of love in this city and the hope that I received from the one who loves us so.

A little more about Banner of Love By Luminate:

The song will be released on Itunes July 24!

The band is holding a photo contest!

Take a picture and either post it to their Facebook page or tweet it using the hashtag #BannerOfLove. Here are some examples: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151031804403430.446873.46099873429&type=1

Starting next week they'll select their favorite photo of the week, and the fan whose chosen will receive a prize! Start sharing your pictures! The contest will go on for a few weeks, so have fun spreading your banners of love.

http://www.facebook.com/luminate

http://twitter.com/luminateband

Toodles,

Lindsey

Why we NEED dreams.

2012-06-22T01:55:00.002-07:00

Dreams. They move us, they inspire us, they leave us praying on our knees, and praising on our toes. We need dreams. They are essential to growth if you ask me.

I've been reading a book, The Circle Maker, and it's one of those books that's been piecing together so many thoughts and parts of my life. I've always been extremely passionate about dreams, because I find God's strength from them. My mind is like an empty space cluttered with a multitude of neon sticky notes of ideas. Each stand out at some point, but they all begin to blend together in chaos sometimes haha. However, this book is making sentences out of my sticky note thoughts and ideas. It's piecing some of the notes together. As I mentioned earlier, I've felt a specific call to reflect in this season. This season of stillness, and this book is bringing my recent journey of life and dreams full circle. It's in the way Batterson eloquently remarks the power of prayer and dreams. (Shoutout out Candace K. for the rec!)

Essentially, we need dreams. We are created for dreams. We are created for a purpose. We are created for more than the mundane. We are created to use our talents and gifts beyond what our current resources provide. We are created for more.

Define Your Dreams.

This is something I'm still learning to do, but I have begun! Write out your dreams, your passions, and goals. Not only will it be a time of reflection, but let that list keep you accountable, and keep you on your knees praying.

Allow Yourself to Dream BIG

Look, just do away with the anchors of worry and doubt, and allow yourself to dream BIG. Cast away your anchors, and set sail on a lofty dream. It's going to be bumpy, it's going to be rocky, but that's how the best things turn out right? It's when you experience the rain that you praise the sunshine. It's in the fear that you discover the courage. "A smooth sea never made a skillful sailor." Yes, it will be hard, but it's necessary. It's necessary if you want to grow. The larger we dream? The more we pray, the more we must rely on God to provide. The more we must lose control and see the beauty of his hand.

I still remember when I finally decided to go to USC. It wasn't without multiple crying nights, many confusing and trying conversations with people I look up to and respect questioning my decision, and a bit of queasiness. But, I felt it. I felt it in my bones. God was calling me out. He was calling me out of my routine, out of the life I had planned for myself. He was answering my "dream big" call, and I held on. During the time I accepted my admittance, I began filling out an application to be a part of Seventeen Magazine's Freshman 15, where they follow 15 girls around the nation through their freshman year of college. At first, I didn't think too much about it other than I wanted to do it. As the rounds of interviewing and applications began to increase in number. I began to increase my prayers about it. It was bigger than me, bigger than my resources, it was unknown, and it was a new found dream. I will never forget the phone call, mainly because God was answering my prayers, he was speaking to me. There was a moment when they specifically said, "We love that you decided to go to USC, instead of where your whole family went."

They loved it???? I couldn't believe the words that were being spoken so specifically and were an answer to prayer. In a place of doubt about my decision to go to USC, being picked and having those words so specifically said became the final confirmation I needed when taking that crazy flying leap of faith 1800 miles away. It was an answer to prayer.

It was confirmation. By taking that initial leap of faith, it leads you to bigger dreams, and one heck of a journey of faith. I used to tell my parents I wanted to live in New York. I imagined myself eating Ramen in a small city apartment. My parents obviously frightened, said no way!!! Well, 7 years later my Mom graciously and faithfully unpacked me in a teeny, tiny apartment in New York. Oh and I ate my fair share of noodles on that bed. God IS faithful, when we dream BIG. But, we must dream BIG. We must define what our dreams are.

By living a mundane life we are essentially being faith LESS. If we fully trust in God being our provider, protector, and shield. If he is who we put our hope in, then why are we living lives that are so self-serving. Why are we living ordinary lives where we barely step out of our box, where we go through the motions, where we become stuck?

Live Your Dream

We only get one life, you and I.

So, dive in. That's right DIVE. Don't tippy toe into the water of great dreams, because you're scared of the current. Let the current and waves over take you, let it overwhelm you. Because, you'll soon realize you survived and it was invigorating. Absolutely invigorating to dive in.

I went to the beach recently with my friend Morgan. We were reading, chatting, and letting the sun hit our pasty skin, when I realized I really wanted to get into the ocean. I talked about it at least for 30 minutes. Finally, I had the courage to get in. I tip toed at first, embarrassed that I was alone trying to get into the massive ocean alongside the PDA couples and bogey boarding families. So, I tip toed a bit, finally I walked in. ANNNDDD THEN BOOOOOOOOMMMM. A wave just took me, and it took me fast, hard, overwhelming me, tumbling me beneath the ocean floor, until I washed up on shore like a beached whale. A surfer on the shore remarked, "now that's one way to get in."

It's so true of dreams, and of faith actually. We're scared at first, we tip toe. We "kind of" trust God. When we began relying on him more, we walk in faith, we experience him. Then, we are overwhelmed. I was absolutely overwhelmed by that wave, but my goodness it was INVIGORATING. The cool water on my toasty skin, and I was immersed in it. Obviously, the wave didn't behave how I wanted it to. But I went for one heck of a ride, and that's what dreams do. That is what faith does. Faith can sometimes make you feel silly, like how I felt on the shore by myself amongst everyone else. But, having faith allows you to take the first step, and dreams allow you to be immersed, overwhelmed, and taken for a ride.

If we never allow ourselves to look silly, by remaining hopeful and faithful in a dream that we cannot provide ourselves for, then we will never feel the Invigorating moment of being completely overwhelmed by God's provision and love. We simply will remain on the shore, "playing it safe" when God offers us an ocean.

It's true that dreams take you on journeys you never expected and take you to other dreams you never thought you'd have. So, pray fervently, define your dreams, allow yourself to dream big, and live them out. Let yourself feel silly and under qualified, that means you're on the right track.

Each day is a new day. A day not yet lived. A day that is one step closer to the end. A day that might in fact be your earthly end, so if you are stuck living in the mundane, change it and dream BIG.

God might not answer your dream specifically, but I assure you he will take you on a journey, and open your eyes to dreams you never imagined. I don't know what my future holds, and I'm sure you don't either, but rest in the comfort that we know who holds our future. So dive, DIVE in, and Dream BIG.

Toodles,
Lindsey

Photo Taken on the flight where I made the big move to LA. Circa 2009

"If faith is being sure of what we hope for, then being unsure of what we hope for is the antithesis of faith, isn't it? Well-developed faith results in well-defined prayers, and well-defined prayers result in a well-lived life."- The Circle Maker, Mark Batterson

”Success comes in a lot of ways, but it doesn’t come with money and it doesn’t come with fame. It comes from having a meaning in your life, doing what you love and being passionate about what you do. That’s having a life of success. When you have the ability to do what you love, love what you do and have the ability to impact people. … That’s having a life of success. That’s what having a life of meaning is.” – Tim Tebow

"I may not go where I intended to go, but I think I've ended up where I need to be."- Douglas Adams

To the Man that continues to Inspire my dreams, My Dad (Happy Father's Day)

2012-06-17T01:38:00.003-07:00

Dad,

Thank you.

I kind of don't really know where to start.

Should I start with the time when I really wanted a zipline, and you built one in the back yard and pushed me for hours? Or maybe I should start with how whenever we finished softball practice you'd stop at A&W and order me a root beer float, and we'd sip them on the drive home before my bedtime (sorry Mom ;). Or maybe I should start with how I always knew I'd be safe in your arms when you'd give me your famous "daddy wraps" before Mom and you tucked me in for bed. Or maybe I should start with how you took me out on Daddy Daughter dates to any place I wanted, and I'd dress up and go to the finest places around (Dave and Buster's, yall my absolute favorite). Or maybe I should thank you for taking me out to dinner the week before I left for college and had a huge heart to heart about the new world I would face, and gave me two impactful books, and how you told me your mistakes, what you would change, and were so lovingly honest about the new season I was about to enter 1800 miles away from home. Or maybe I should begin with thanking you for that time when you woke me up in 1st grade telling me "WE'RE GOING TO I- HOPE!!! (aka I- Hop, I always thought it was called I-Hope haha) and you let me order a chocolate chip funny face pancake, and be a little late to my 1st grade class. I still look at Ihop and remember that special morning. Or maybe, I should thank you for constantly providing and leading our family, as I am just starting to realize what a burden and hardship the act of providing truly is as I grow up.

The point is I don't really know where to start.

My Dad has taught me an incredible amount of lessons through his words and his actions. No he's not perfect, but he's my Dad, and he's pretty great!! He and my amazing Mom have instilled the seeds of faith, courage, work ethic, and lessons that have shaped the woman who I am today.

Dad Thank you. The point of the blabbering rant is to say thank you for taking the time to pursue life with me, encourage me, love me, build me up, and give me tough love when necessary (and needed haha.)

You have shown me what it means to be a dreamer.

A dreamer that keenly listens to the Lord's plans for your dreams.

The last time I was home, I helped my parents work an event at Towne Lake. To grasp what Towne Lake is, watch this: http://vimeo.com/42165693 .- love this!

You see, on my 16th birthday Caldwell Companies officially acquired the land to begin construction on creating Towne Lake. It used to just be dirt, and now there is a 300 acre lake being created for dinner crusing, water skiiing, etc. My family used to go out to that piece of dirt for years, and I'd bring my volleyball or big bouncy ball, because we'd be there for awhile, ha. Dad would just talk about his vision for the place, and my Mom and him would fine tune certain details. I'd stand on that dirt looking out at the tall grass, rocks, and empty space a bit befuddled but not lacking trust in his vision. In God's timing, and through the gifts of so many team members at Caldwell Companies, and so many others, Towne Lake is now a community. It's no longer a piece of dirt. It's a piece of life.

I was given that snapshot, when I was home, and they finally unveiled the custom home section, which homeowners had been on waiting lists for two years to buy. We talked about what life at Towne Lake was like for current homeowners, maps were given out, and we set sail. We set sail in boats with Towne Lake logos wrapped around them, and we cruised off into the sunset. Did I mention just 5 years ago it was just dirt? I saw the passion and love in my Dad's eyes as he described each piece of the lake that's currently built, while we cruised from section to section. This wasn't a selfish dream it was a vision, a dream, that was provided by God, and I'm sure it's been tough to trust God with a project as large as this one, but he has provided, and my Dad has pursued this dream with faith, courage, diligence, and obedience.

I'm always reminded of that when I look at the map of Towne Lake and see the outline of the lake that forms a cross, which will be visible from the air.

So, Dad whether it's when I'm turning on the street named Lindsey Hill at Rock Creek, or water skiing at Towne Lake I am amazed at your ability to faithfully pursue your dreams, trusting in God's plan ultimately and watching your dreams come to life.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88I31plP9L0

So Dad, thank you. Thank you for pushing me to reach for my dreams, for teaching me to always bring them to God and through God, for teaching me discipline and diligence not just through your words but most of all your actions.

The reason I love dreams is because the beauty of dreams is that they are so lofty, so big, the only way they're possible is for God to intercede.

So, Thanks Dad. Thanks for loving me, encouraging me, and for teaching me what it looks like to be a dreamer.

Toodles,

Lindsey

"We need to dream big dreams not because we need to accomplish big things. What we accomplish is a byproduct. We need to dream big dreams because it keeps us on our knees in raw dependence upon God. Unless He intervenes we look foolish. Dreams have far more to do with who we become in the process than the what we accomplish. They stretch us. And that's why they are so good for us. You want to take your prayer life to the next level? Dream God-sized dreams!"- Mark Batterson

Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.- Harriet Tubman

"Dreams are the touchstones of our character." Henry Thoreau

Just Remember

2012-06-11T21:43:00.000-07:00

It's been a year since I started this little blog, If You Can Dream It, Do it. I just discovered it's been read over 59,000 times by amazing people like you! So, here's to dreams-- to chasing them, to allowing the journey of your dream & God's purpose for your life take you to places you never thought you could or would go.

Pursue Life. Pursue Jesus. Pursue People. Pursue Your Dreams.

If you can dream it, do it.

Toodles,

Lindsey

Ps. A fun announcement will be made :) Check back soon!

Silver, Oceans, and Mirrors

2012-06-07T10:54:00.000-07:00

I think we all have different seasons of our life. Different chapters in our story. Different lessons learned, and different characteristics strengthened throughout the process.

I felt specifically a call this summer, this season, to pause, to reflect.

Since I've moved to LA I've always held at least a few jobs while going to school, running to events, stumbled my sophomore year wondering if I was supposed to be out here, jetted to New York to work all summer, went back to Texas, packed for a day and headed back into school and working.

So, I'm not the type to pause, but I am. I'm pausing. In this season of pause I have realized the power of reflection.

Reflection is kind of a funny term, but one of my favorite examples of reflection is through how silver is made. Have you ever heard how silver is made? It's one of my favorites:

Silver comes full of dross, surrounding the outside. A silversmith must put the silver in the fire in order to remove the dross, junk, and dirt surrounding it. The dross must be removed in order to rid the silver of all impurities. Once the fire removes all the impurities, it will change form. The silversmith may never take his hand or eye of the piece of silver, otherwise it will get burned. For he knows how precious the silver is, and the perfect amount of time the silver should be in the fire. Finally, the only way the silversmith knows when the silver is done with this process of refinement is when he sees his reflection in it.

It's during this time of reflection, I've looked back at my life realizing I am just like that piece of silver being held by the silversmith. The seasons in the fire have shaped who I am today, and I wouldn't be the same person if I hadn't experienced them. I also am quick to remember God's faithfulness during those times, and am reminded of the fact that the silversmith never leaves his hand or eye from a precious piece of silver.

So, I'm feeling thankful. Consistently reminded of how short live is. Thankful for the rain, for the sunshine, and for the adventures, because that's life.

“And so my prayer is that your story will have involved some leaving and some coming home, some summer and some winter, some roses blooming out like children in a play. My hope is your story will be about changing, about getting something beautiful born inside of you about learning to love a woman or a man, about learning to love a child, about moving yourself around water, around mountains, around friends, about learning to love others more than we love ourselves, about learning oneness as a way of understanding God. We get one story, you and I, and one story alone. God has established the elements, the setting and the climax and the resolution. It would be a crime not to venture out, wouldn't it?

It might be time for you to go. It might be time to change, to shine out.I want to repeat one word for you: Leave.

Roll the word around on your tongue for a bit. It is a beautiful word, isn't it? So strong and forceful, the way you have always wanted to be. And you will not be alone. You have never been alone. Don't worry. Everything will still be here when you get back. It is you who will have changed.”- Donald Miller

So whether you are reminded of reflection through mirrors, the ocean, or silver, I encourage you to embrace those sweet reminders. Pause, reflect, and be reminded of this beautiful journey we call life.

Toodles,
Lindsey

A Photo I took in Rome

Take Out, Pity Parties, and Divine Appointments

2012-05-22T21:10:00.002-07:00

So, sometimes you just have an off day. You know those days?

       I'm currently bumming off friends, sleeping on their couches, because I'm in between rents and they have so graciously allowed me to crash at their places. I need to stay in Los Angeles, because I'm taking summer school, and I can't drive home, well because that's 1,400 miles away. So, thankfully I have amazing friends who have allowed me to bring over my suitcase and live with them for the 12 days in May that I'm "limboing" between rents.

   I woke up today with nowhere to go, I just simply needed to get some studying done. My studying quickly turned into uploading photos onto Facebook and catching up with old friends. Facebook is such a double edge sword. It can be perfect for catching up with old friends and sharing memories and it can be a breeding ground for comparison. Comparison is the thief of joy. So, I hate when I do that. I saw friends that majored in very practical things and have quickly found themselves in successful well paying jobs in safe areas, and I began to ponder about my path. When people ask me what I'm doing this summer, I tell them summer school and living in delicious ambiguity. Delicious Ambiguity, because I'm stuck. I'm not sure exactly what I want to do, but I'm choosing to embrace the unknown and discover, explore, and grow. But, today I feared the delicious ambiguity that plagued my path. So, I spent today just praying for clarity on if I should continue to be out in Los Angles. I prayed for direction on where I should be pursuing interviews and jobs and in what states and cities. I prayed for clarity, strength, and comfort in this journey towards following dreams. Because when I am weak, he is strong, and today I was weak. I don't have a clearly defined goal or dream that I want to achieve, I have ideas of what they might be, but they aren't clearly defined.

          Around 4 I was starving, so I texted friends to see if they wanted to grab a bite to eat. Everyone was busy, so I got takeout. I came home opened up my computer and watched Friday Night Lights as I munched away. I sat alone in my friend's apartment looking around at my suitcase lying on the floor, eating takeout, sitting by myself on a stunning California day, and questioning what the heck I was doing. I was fearing. Fearing leads to doubt. I hate fear and I hate doubt, but today I was doing both.

    Then, my friend Eric called me, telling me the ESPN College Gameday Crew was filming commercials where he was on campus. I quickly brushed my hair and headed out the door. I wasn't sure what I was getting myself into, but I knew if there was a chance to meet Erin Andrews or any other ESPN College Gameday member I wanted to be there. I parked my car, and called Eric to meet up with him. He showed me where they were filming and we began to make small talk with the production team barricaded around the rooms they were filming. After 30 minutes of small talk, Eric decided to finish his workout and I continued to quietly wait. I really had to go to the bathroom, but I waited.

         I recalled a story my Dad once told me about a football coach of his that really wanted a coaching position in football. He arrived to the coaches office, and told the secretary he'd like to talk with the coach whenever he had a minute. When she asked if he had an appointment he replied he didn't, but he would simply wait outside and if/whenever he had a free minute he'd love to see him. So, he sat outside the office the entire day. He didn't leave for lunch, and he didn't leave to go the restroom. After hours of waiting, the coach he was waiting to see, called him in to meet him, and he hired him.

So, I waited.

Slowly, but surely I began making friends with the production team. I told them how much I loved football, and how I would love to get a picture with Erin Andrews if at all possible. In my time of waiting, I became friends with the Production Staff, I found out how many kids they had, where they were from, and how long they had been in production. As time progressed they began passing me around to production team members higher in authority. Then, one of the men escorted me over to the window where they were filming, and told me I could watch. It was surreal. If you know me at all, you know that I simply adore football. Simply adore would actually be a light term, I LOVE football. (You can read more about that here, here, and here) It hit me this delicious ambiguity is necessary for me. I need to stumble upon greatness. Today my summer of delicious ambiguity led me to stumble upon greatness. I watched Erin Andrews joke around with all the football men in her hot pink blazer, and couldn't help but think back to all the Former Player events I attend with my Dad at Texas A&M in my sparkle shoes talking football, talking plays, talking life. I love that environment. As the scenes began to wrap, the crew took over breaking down the scene. Erin exited, and I got to talk with her for a bit. She even let me take a picture. I hate the word idol, because I think that's too extreme. But, I admire the work Erin Andrews does and it was incredible to be able to watch her in her element.

When I got home, I was on a high of pure bliss, not purely because of meeting Erin Andrews, but because of how this day unfolded. This entire day I've been praying for clarity, for direction, and for strength in my future. Recently, people have asked me more about my future and plans for my future than ever before and I've become at a loss at a doubting, fearing loss. But today, was such a sweet reminder of whose got my future. If God doesn't spend time worrying about our future why should we? I began to change my profile picture to me and Erin, and my Pandora station froze. In fact, all my Internet pages quit working. I had been listening to a Mumford & Sons, Luke Bryan, The Script Pandora station I created. As I saw nothing was working, I began to Force Quit all the windows. As I did this, a song came on that has never played on that station, "I Can Only Imagine." I still don't know how it played, since all my tabs were frozen, but it played. I sat there on the couch in awe of the God of whom I serve, the Father that loves me so dearly, and simply sat in peace knowing he has my future. Not only my earthly future, but he has me for eternity.

Toodles,

Lindsey

Lady, girl that's not so crazy.

2012-05-21T18:43:00.001-07:00

As our world changes, we begin to lose tradition and began to adopt change to better adapt to where our world is headed. I'm great with change, in fact I love change. If you called me and invited me on an adventure, I'd be there in a heartbeat. I love change, and I love tradition. I love living in fast paced cities like New York, Los Angeles, and sitting on my back porch in Brenham, Texas with icecream from the local gas station, Scoops. This distinct irony that exists in my makeup of adoring change and tradition led me to deep confusion when deciding where to attend college. I was in love with the change, adventures, and opportunities USC offered and the family memories, stability, and age old traditions Texas A&M provided (More on that here)

No matter how much I love change and adventures, there are some traditions that I hold steadfast on. These things include my faith, morals, and simple things like being a lady.

As our world runs faster than ever, certain traditions seem to be dying out. One that's particularly been on my mind a lot is this concept of being a lady. Our culture consistently battles with the image of a woman, and being a lady isn't really the first thing our culture endorses. Yet, there continues to be a fascination with Audrey Hepburn, and her face seems to grace posters, desktops, and many walls. She was a lady, a very classy lady. I live in a city of instant gratification, so the idea of being a lady isn't quite celebrated. In fact the culture I live in pretty much is at war with this concept of being a lady, just drive down Sunset Blvd for a block and look at the billboards.

So, you might live in a crazy culture, but don't lose sight of being a lady. You might get made fun of, yes I know I have had my fair share of bantering, but remain true to who you are. If you don't feel comfortable in that tight dress your friend threw to you to don on a night out, then don't. Go against the grain, rise above, throw on your little black dress, some sparkle shoes, a bold red lip, and rise to the challenge of being a lady. I know I hear girls say all the time that guys just aren't gentlemen anymore, but truth be told girls aren't ladies anymore either.

Toodles,
Lindsey

"The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries or the way she combs her hair."- Audrey Hepburn

I'm still learning what it means to Proverbs 31 lady, and I love how this link divides the attributes of a Proverbs 31 lady.
http://www.middletownbiblechurch.org/homefam/prov31.htm

Breakin Bread

2012-05-07T23:44:00.000-07:00

So, I don't know about you, but I don't sit and eat meals really. In fact rarely. It's a horrible habit that I'm trying to break. I'm consistently distracted by the little time I have to eat or I'm multitasking with the tasks of eating, studying, or working. Recently, I was reminded of how special meals can be.

Last night I went to a friend's birthday dinner. Our paths as college students continue to change, friends move, friends graduate, and life moves on. It meant so much to have so many of the people I love in one place, as we are on the brink of graduation. We were there for a meal, to linger, to chat, to enjoy each other, and to celebrate Mel's sweet life. That sounds super cheesy, but it was so sweet, special, and unique, just like Mel. Mel was the chord that brought us all together for the evening, and as we sat down an outline of what we would be eating was ran through by the Daily Dose Chef, Sarkus. You could see the passion for his work in his eyes, he was so comfortable and relaxed with us all overtaking the outside of his restaurant. He didn't seem stressed or frustrated, he was welcoming, calming, and it felt like we were in his home. After running through the list of foods we'd be eating for the night he disappeared back into the kitchen. Then, one of my friends prayed over the meal while another toasted the night in Mel's honor. Sarkus, the chef, returned from the kitchen with his arms full of fresh loafs of bread. He announced the dishes were meant to be shared and passed around just like family and proceeded to walk down the long table handing out the loafs of bread, encouraging us to break bread together.

I've always heard that term, "break bread together" and thought of it as just an ancient saying, or something I've learned through Sunday School. But, last night I think I finally understood what it means to truly break bread. Upon my revelation, I went home and googled the term to get a more finite description of the term,

"To break bread is to affirm trust, confidence, and comfort with an individual or group of people. Breaking bread has a notation of friendliness and informality, derived from the original meaning regarding sharing the loaf."

It couldn't have been more spot on. I didn't know everyone at the dinner, but it felt so right. I looked around at the people I have lived and cherished life with in LA, as we broke bread, and passed around the evening's courses, it was so well with my soul. I wasn't preoccupied by my phone, or the studying ahead of me for the evening. I was there with new and old friends just enjoying life.

It's not often we get moments like this. As I've grown older, I've realized how much I take for granted, most especially the loved ones in my life. Life is crazy, I don't think anyone could argue that, but it's short. So short. Sometimes I get so stuck in my schedule, the chaos, etc, I just grab food and run out the door spouting off a few sentences to the people I pass along the way. Last night was such a clear picture to me what life is supposed to look like. It's not supposed to be a catalog of fast food orders. We should acknowledge the short time we have here, cherish one another, trust one another, laugh together, and finally break bread together.

I don't know what heaven will be like, but I imagine it to be something like last night. There was such a peace in my heart, a satisfaction in my tummy from all the delicious food, and joy beaming within because of celebrating what a special girl Mel is and cherishing what wonderful friends we are surrounded by.

So, slow down. Sit down. Gather friends together, take a moment to breathe, share a meal together, and be reminded of this beautiful life we are living. Don't get caught in the unsatisfying fast food lines of life, when you can be sitting at the table of a feast.

Toodles,

Lindsey

Red Lipstick & Waiting

2012-05-01T16:04:00.001-07:00

The whole concept of waiting really fascinates me. I'm not really sure why. Maybe, because waiting is difficult, but those that wait seem to find much more pleasure in what they wait for. Waiting seems to be especially difficult for my generation, because to be honest we really haven't had to experience waiting that much. If you need to get a hold of someone, you can try multiple social networks and iphone apps as well as calling to get a hold of them. Waiting for us has been defined as waiting for a text message that is returned in just a few hours. If we want to share pictures with friends we simply upload them from our phone within the same night. We don't have to wait for pictures to be developed, we can see what they look like as quickly as seeing our reflection in a mirror. If we missed our favorite TV show, we don't have to wait for a rerun because we can simply find it on Netflix, Youtube, or Hulu. We have been raised in such a way with technology that if we want it, we'll most likely get it within the same day. Waiting is simply something we are not used to. So, that makes it that much harder and foreign to those around you if you are waiting. When you're waiting for something you seem to stick out as if you're standing still in the middle of rush hour in Times Square. Since I've moved to Los Angeles I've realized this more and more. I live in a city of instant gratification, where waiting seems like a foreign concept to most.

The thing about waiting is it takes patience and discipline.

This past Thursday I was so brilliantly reminded about how important and rewarding it is to wait.

If I order a package you better believe I'm tracking that puppy every few hours online, yet it still remains in Illinois or wherever it may be. So, when I ordered a new dress for an event I had on Friday I eagerly awaited for it to arrive. When it arrived on Wednesday it was way too big and not even alterable. So, I set out a day before the event searching for something else. My patience wore thin amongst the dismaying racks of Nordstrom. So I decided maybe just a piece of chocolate and new lipstick might boost my spirits, and remembered I had an old dress in my closet I could pep up. So with chocolate in my system I set out to the makeup counters looking for a great red lip color. The pinks, oranges, and reds began to blend together. The neighboring brand and makeup artists working for the brand counter next to the one I was looking at must have seen my frustration and offered to help. Upon a quick exchange, I was sitting in the chair and they were quickly working to turn my frazzled makeupless face into something that wouldn't scare the little kids running around the store, ha. Upon finishing they told me to come the next day and they'd do it for free for the event. So, the next day I greeted the familiar faces and plopped down in the makeup chair. With a few strokes of eyeshadow, our cordial conversation began getting deeper. I soon learned about my makeup artist's life. Her journey of life, her kids, and what she's learned along the way. She too began learning a bit about me and with that came my faith, morals, and standards. Shock graced her face as she swiped my cheeks with bronzer. Her shock, turned into honesty, which turned into wisdom. She cataloged huge events in her life in which she didn't wait and then contrasted them with one where she did. Her eyes became teary as she remembered the moment at which she finally got what she had been waiting for. As she finished dabbing on my red lipstick she encouraged me to continue waiting. It was such a sweet reminder and the encouragement and wise life lessons I received were quite an unexpected surprise since I had just set out to buy red lipstick.

You see our generation seems to view waiting as weakness, but I was quickly reminded by the makeup artist even though others may think it's a sign of weakness it's really a sign of strength. Waiting shouldn't be considered laziness but a sign of discipline and obedience.

"Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." Psalm 27:14

"Our willingness to wait reveals the value we place on the object we're waiting for." Charles Stanley

So whether it's waiting on where the Lord is calling you or waiting for the right one. Don't be discouraged, wait patiently, and wait with strength. It's crazy how buying a tube of red lipstick turned into a great reminder of the importance of waiting.

Toodles,

Lindsey

Why I So Desire to Chase My Dreams

2012-04-15T17:55:00.001-07:00

As I just finished celebrating the big 2-1 (post about that will be up shortly) I reminisced about my life with family and friends and we chuckled to ourselves. Who would have known I would move to Los Angeles and New York, two cities where I didn't know a soul and chase my crazy dreams.

I moved to Los Angeles when I only had a driver's license for a year and a half. I didn't have anyone in my cellphone who I knew in LA that I could call if something went wrong or if I got terribly sick. But, the beauty of faith is that God provided. I felt a call to Los Angeles, a tug at my heart, a butterfly feeling in my stomach, an open door to USC, and I went.

When I was a junior in high school, I had a life altering moment. A moment that helped change my thinking, and shaped my mentality to chase my dreams. I had just finished physical therapy for my back, because I had broke it the previous year, and I was fully recovered at Cheer camp. A freak accident happened, our simple stunt fell, and I re injured my back and received whiplash in my neck. My Mom and I headed to the doctor to figure out the best treatment and pain management for the new injuries. The Doctor told me my back would be fine, but he flashed my neck X-rays on the light box and said they had found something in my brain. An AVM. An AVM can be fatal, but if you find them in time, they can be removed with simple brain surgery. The news took my Mom and I by surprise as the doctor ordered more tests to be done STAT on my brian. We headed home with heavy hearts but faith in his plan. We prayed, and I mean we prayed. Friends, families, and other churches prayed that weekend. I was astounded at the outpouring of love and prayers for the test results. On the following Monday, my family headed down to the Houston Medical Center to a neuro surgeon specialist to find out what the new x-rays and tests showed and discuss treatment options. As my family squeezed into the tiny examining room he told us that the X-ray no longer showed the AVM, and he did an extremely thorough physical examination to finalize the clear X-ray. After the examination he announced the x-ray results were true and there were no signs of an AVM. Some say it was a fluke in the x-ray before, but I know it was a miracle.

\You see it was in those moments over the weekend, and the weekends following I realized simply how short life was. I always wanted to be an actress, but I let short term dreams and goals distract me. I was living a life that was great, but I was stuck going through the motions of plans I had for my life. A fire lit within me and an entire new perspective on life evolved. If our life that we live is literally like a speck of dust, why not dream big dreams and follow through on the things you feel God is calling you to do or a place where he is calling you to? Yes it takes a lot to follow your faith and dreams, you have to sacrifice comfort and pride to name a few, but it is so worth it.

I really want to go back to Texas one day, but not yet. There is just something in my heart that doesn't feel like I'm done. I'm not done living out these crazy dreams, and I'm just fine with that. Because, life is short and our bodies are expiring each breath we take. Sometimes people think I'm crazy for living by my faith in his plan and not having an answer for where I'll be in 10 years, but I'm just fine with that. You see if that huge health scare didn't happen to me I don't think I'd be in Los Angeles. I would be clinging to the comfort of my own plan. A plan that kept me in Texas 2 hours from my amazing family.

Sometimes, it takes events that flip your life upside down for you to realize how simply precious and fleeting it is. For me, that happened when I was 16, and I am forever grateful. It was in those moments I felt a tug at my heart, a butterfly feeling in my stomach, and a call to abide in him and his plans for my life that were far outside my comfort zone. So, I dream big dreams, and I chase them, because I know the dreamweaver has got me.

"I don't want to get to the end of my life and find that I lived just the length of it. I want to have lived the width of it as well." Diane Ackerman

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart; and lean not upon your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct your path." Proverbs 3:5-6

Toodles,
Lindsey

The 21 Joys Challenge

2012-04-10T19:41:00.002-07:00

Design by: Devon Feldmeth

So, I'm turning 21 tomorrow (April 11) and I am super pumped, but the realization that I'm growing up is just as prevalent as the excitement. 21 is a milestone year for our generation because it's the legal drinking age. Yes, I'll have a glass of champagne and a cupcake. But, I want 21 to represent more than a drinking age for me. It hit me a few days ago, I want 21 to be a celebration of joy. I and we as a generation seem to be constantly seeking the green grass on the other side, and the ability to remain joyful and present minded seems to be more and more difficult. In the workforce, statistics show that young people are becoming less and less satisfied with their circumstances and wishing they were somewhere else, working somewhere different, or wishing they were someone else.
So, for my 21st birthday I want everyone to embrace the life they are living with JOY. Even if they are in a trial right now there is and can be joy in suffering. But, the 21 joys challenge isn't about suffering. It's about realizing the things in your life that bring you joy.

How to be apart of the 21 Joys Challenge?

Join me in my 21 joys challenge and write down 21 people, places or things that bring you joy.
Post one as your FB status with this URL link and challenge others to make their own list as well. http://ifyoucandreamitdoit.blogspot.com/2012/04/21-joys-challenge.html
Tweet one of your 21 joys and use the hashtag #21joys!!! Wouldn't that be awesome for #21joys to be trending on Twitter, talk about a birthday wish come true!

Examples:

@lindseyjoy9: My family is one of my #21joys, what's yours?

FB:
Just finished my #21joys list, ready to take this day by storm.
http://ifyoucandreamitdoit.blogspot.com/2012/04/21-joys-challenge.html

I Dream Big Dreams

2012-03-28T22:23:00.001-07:00

Being a dreamer, means you have your peaks and valleys. Following your passions, desires, and dreams can be taxing. It's difficult, because most people won't understand where you are headed, and they will question you every step of the way. Oh how they will question you!

On Monday, I had one of those valley days. One of those days where it just seems like nothing you are doing is turning out right, and then something happened that just iced the cake on an incredibly rotten Monday. It's humbling, taxing, and necessary to have days like Monday. It's because of what I experienced in the valley on this past Monday that made me cherish and celebrate reasons for feeling like today was a peak. I compare these days to peaks and valleys, because of a great book I read, Peaks and Valleys, it's about how your valleys are connected to your peaks. Your time spent in your valley as well as your attitude and perception during that time affects your next "peak."

"Between Peaks There are Always Valleys. How You Manage Your Valley Determines How Soon You Reach Your Next Peak"- Spencer Johnson, Peaks and Valleys

Today I was encouraged, inspired, and reminded to keep the faith and keep following my dreams. I would never quit on them without seeing them fully realized. But, when you have those days in the "valley" it's difficult to know when you will have another "peak." But, there is beauty in the valley. There is something so humbling and honest about experiencing time in the valley. These lessons are far greater than ones you learn when you are ego-filled atop a high peak. These lessons define, shape, and sharpen our character. I've found in my coverage of red carpets, interviewing CEO's, and professional athletes, these lessons are what they carry with them daily in their lives and business. It takes that time in the valley to really seep in a desire to get out, to rise above, to dream, and finally to pursue your dreams. It's going to be hard. It's going to be difficult. It's going to be bumpy. But, it's a journey. There will be peaks and there will be valleys. But life is short. Dream Big. Dream very Big.

I LOVE this video of Howard Shultz from Starbucks, referencing his own journey with Peaks and Valleys and not being afraid to DREAM BIG DREAMS!

Toodles,
Lindsey

2012-03-21T10:20:00.000-07:00

Live Your Story

2012-03-17T21:37:00.002-07:00

I love the power of a story. It's incredible to watch the way stories penetrate people's hearts.
The notion of stories has been on my mind for a while. There has been a cascade of events, ideas, thoughts, and books that have made this idea of storytelling prevalent on my mind. One is the way the Invisible Children Kony video story spread. I'm not commenting on the controversy unraveling around it, but merely the power of that one story, and how quickly it spread. The way it penetrated and caught the attention of close to a billion people around the world within a week. Powerful stories have the ability to catch the world's attention. The other reason I think I've been thinking of stories is because whenever I think about my future I want to be involved in storytelling somehow. Whether that's telling it through acting, journalism, being a brand's social media voice, or selling real estate by painting a story of what that piece of property could be. I want to be a storyteller.

Then late one night (I never sleep) I had this "revelation", our life is our story.

We are all great storytellers.

I get caught up sometimes in worrying about what the future holds, what I should be doing now, if I should really add that fourth job, should I really be studying what I'm studying, can I provide for myself completely and fully in one year, etc and etc., that I forget I am living a story. My story.

"The most attractive characteristic in a person is the story they are telling the world. We stop and stare at stories."- Donald Miller

Don't Get Stuck Living A Story You Wouldn't Want To Tell Or Read

I then was convicted, because I get bored pretty easily with the mudane. Sometimes, I'll start a book, but never finish because it's repetitive or it's just plain boring. I realized that's how I live my life sometimes. If I am living my life in a way that I am worrying about the future then I am simply writing a blank page. I'm not furthering my story one bit, in fact I'm taking away from it. You will not and can not advance a story if your constantly stuck on the same page. Sometimes when you are in a new place or a new stage of life, it's easy to reminisce and look back on how things were, but this can be equally as dangerous. If you are constantly turning pages back, you'll never advance your story, your life. Your story will simply exist with 2-3 chapters when it has the ability to be over 30! Being stuck in the past reminiscing or worrying about the future is toxic to your story. It's poison to your life and the opportunities that the Lord presents you. You'll never realize the great depths your story and life can go if you are stuck repeating the motions. No one wants to read or tell a story that's predictable, short-lived, or un-original. That's another essential thing that's imperative to grasp about your life and living your story that's worth telling. You can't compare it to anyone else's. You see, comparison is the thief of joy. We all are given such unique talents, gifts, and finally STORIES so don't look down on your story when comparing it to someone else's.

Allow Your Story To Be Changed

“Not surprisingly, the place we're most likely to experience testing is exactly where we struggle most to trust God.”

The beauty of stories, is that they take the writer on a journey. A writer will never set out writing a story knowing every single detail that they will tell in their story. A story takes a writer on a journey and that journey impacts, changes and shapes their story. The same happens to our life. We are on a grand journey. Your story will change from what you originally thought it would be. I would have never expected to be where I am in my story, nor would I have ever dreamed it! It takes courage, faith in God's plan for your story, and letting the journey of your story shape and change you as it changes it's course. If I was truly honest with myself, I believe my 13 year old self would have forecasted my 20 year old life story as being a Texas A&M business student, working at camp in the summers, hosting friend's engagement parties, and carrying on my family's traditions at the university. But, God had different plans and the journey of my story has shaped me in ways my "planned out and scheduled" story never would have.

Chapters are Imperative

“It is always the simple things that change our lives. And these things never happen when you are looking for them to happen. Life will reveal answers at the pace life wishes to do so. You feel like running, but life is on a stroll. This is how God does things” -Donald Miller

Chapters in your life story are essential, you must experience certain things in order to advance into other chapters. If I had never had the chapter in my life story in high school where the doctor found an AVM in my brian, then I wouldn't have had a huge revelation about how short life was. That chapter ended in my life with the AVM disappearing from the x-ray film, and the next chapter and journey in my life story was discovering what a miraculous and powerful God we serve. It was in the next chapters that my faith and relationship with the Lord became my identity in my life. I had to experience those chapters in order to take the leap and move 1800 miles away, live in New York City at the age of 20 knowing 1 person, and those chapters have instilled in me lessons and characteristics that are building me for future chapters.
“Everybody has to leave, everybody has to leave their home and come back so they can love it again for all new reasons.” - Donald Miller
Chapters in your life story must all occur. The bad has to come to appreciate the good, and the chapters become, build, and better your story.

Delicious Ambiguity

“In my experience, God rarely makes our fear disappear. Instead, He asks us to be strong and take courage. What is courage? As Ordinary discovered, courage is not the absence of fear; rather, it's choosing to act in spite of the fear. You could say that without fear, you can't have genuine courage.”

― Bruce Wilkinson

Ambiguity is scary, especially when it's your life. Ambiguity means you don't know whats coming next, where you are headed, and where your future lies. BUT, ambiguity is what sells box office hits, makes books onto the NYT Best Sellers list, and finally it's what makes your life story. Allow yourself to live in delicious ambiguity, because that is what allows stories to achieve greatness. Embrace the ambiguity with courage, faith, and diligence to pursue the opportunities that come along your way. This quote sums it up perfectly....

“I wanted a perfect ending. Now I've learned, the hard way, that some poems don't rhyme, and some stories don't have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what's going to happen next.

Delicious Ambiguity.” -Gilda Radner

So, remember in those moments of worrying, stressing, and great distress... Life is too short. The words you are saying and the actions you are performing and the life you are living are writing your story. Is it one that you would want to tell, read, or share?

If a character in a movie doesn't know what he wants, the story drags. The same is true in life.- Donald Miller

“No, life cannot be understood flat on a page. It has to be lived; a person has to get out of his head, has to fall in love, has to memorize poems, has to jump off bridges into rivers, has to stand in an empty desert and whisper sonnets under his breath... We get one story, you and I, and one story alone.” -Donald Miller

Right before you die, you'll realize this whole life was about loving people. And you watched too much television.- Donald Miller

Toodles,
Lindsey

Be.

2012-02-21T00:39:00.000-08:00

"Life is here and it is now....either we meet it, we live it or we miss it. All life resides in the narrow margin and the broad expanse of the moment. It is in the doing, the dreaming, the feeling and the caring. It is always present in a glorious attempt, a lofty dream, a brilliant insight, an irreplaceable experience, a calming breath, an unbelievable feeling and an irrepressible passion. An unlived life is littered with "could haves," "should haves" and "if onlys." Each moment greets us full of possibility and leaves us hoping we are better for having met. While it is true that we only have right now, there will never be a time when it's not now. Life is what we make it, always has been and always will be."

This is the opening statement to one of my favorite books. It's not a book that's large in the number of words, but it's large in impact. The title is simply be. Each page displays a new inspirational, motivating quote. After hours of being cooped up in my room doing homework, I decided to crack open my favorite book and inspire the masses, aka my two endearing friends Kate and Kathryn. I read them a few quotes, and settled upon one that I repeated quite a few times, in a british accent just so it sounded that much more important. British accents seem to make everything sound more important.

Be Spontaneous.

After a few minutes of my motivations, we decided to do just that. We set off on a great adventure. There were a few rules on our adventure, no GPS were allowed, no Iphone maps could be used, and I needed to find a Diet Coke along the way. We also had to allow ourselves to be able to stumble upon greatness. You see when you decide to stop living a routine, mundane life, you break the chains of ordinary and you can allow yourself to stumble upon greatness.

Stumbling Upon Greatness:

1. We found a 1 hr photo place that could potentially develop our disposable camera photos. You see this is definitely greatness, because I have been to 7 places in Los Angeles, and none of them develop film in store anymore.

2. We drove up on a young talented artist finishing his latest piece, and he was capturing a quick Iphone shot of the wet paint. This masterpiece happened to be on the side of a parking lot wall, but it was pretty impressive. You know some people call it artwork some call it graffiti?

3. Shining in emerald green Kathryn saw the place from afar, and we decided after seeing the Coke refrigerator inside, this is where we would stop. "Schnitzly" it was called, and we all agreed the name itself was pretty exciting. So, we u-turned and headed in. We all split a sesame schnitzel, something we've never heard of nor eaten. It was pretty tasty, I got my diet coke, and as any great adventure would have it, we stumbled upon greatness, we got free sodas.

We cheers'ed our night of spontaneity, wrapped up our night and drove back blasting the greatest adventuring tunes you ever heard. Just to wet your appetite of these songs they ranged from We Owned the Night by Lady Antebellum and The Climb by Miley Cyrus.

It's sounds pretty silly, but it was one of the greatest nights in a while. Why you ask, because it was because of the meaning behind it.

Life is one daring adventure, or nothing at all. If we stick to the ordinary that's all we'll ever be. You'll never allow yourself to stumble upon greatness if you are to stuck to your own plan and routine. I abandoned that silly thing called a GPS, didn't check my phone to make sure I was on track, and just sailed off into the great unknown (doors locked of course, I mean it is LA after all, don't worry Mom and Dad ;)) We are so consumed, more than ever before with our own plans, schedules, and worry. We consistently let worry invade our routine lives. Abandon worry, routine, and set sail. Let yourself stumble upon greatness.

So,

Be Spontaneous.

Live Nutty. Just Occasionally. Just Once in a While. And See What Happens it Brightens up the Day.

Toodles,

Lindsey

When the lights go down

2012-02-02T15:11:00.000-08:00

When the Lights Go Down

As I sat down to write down my New Year’s Resolution Goals for the year, I began to pen a plethora of goals and desires. My Dad always recommended I divide my goals into spiritual, personal, and work related. So, that’s what I began doing, each year. Even though I acted like I wasn’t listening to your goal setting “lecture” growing up Mom and Dad, I really was ;) haha.

Anyways I’ll pretty much keep most of my goals private because I think it’s a good indicator and standard to hold myself to, but the whole world doesn’t need to know my goals for 2012, nor do I think they really desire to ha. But, one goal I will share with you actually crossed over into all 3 “categories” of life spiritually, personally, and in my career. The goal is to be more still. Still in a spiritual sense in that I hear God’s voice and eliminate my own selfish chatter. Still in a personal sense in that I turn off my social media outlets, readings, and homework and just really allow myself to rest. Being still in a work sense, in that I don’t stress about the small stuff, and I put in even kilter hours instead of rarely sleeping in order to accomplish, accomplish, accomplish.

So in my moments of stillness this week, I was relaxing listening to my Ipod and skimming back over The Reason For God by Tim Keller. The Reason For God I feel like is meant and destined to be read by non-believers and believers alike. I especially love the book because Keller lives in New York and preaches there. His knowledge of city and spiritual culture is one that I align so well with. He doesn’t bash the big city he has a tender heart for it, a calling for it. It’s refreshing to read his words which are deeply rooted in the Bible, philosophy, and science. I've experienced challenges in LA I never did in Texas, I was one of two people who raised their hands in a 200+ science lecture to say I agreed with Creationism. Instead of shying away from these worldly and conflicting problems, Keller provides deep insight. He navigates those questions that everyone’s afraid to ask and too shy to answer. The book I feel is just another tool to equip me in my journey with the Lord.

So, anyways that’s the background on the book. As I was reading a song came on my Ipod called “When the Lights Go Down,” by Faith Hill. I haven’t listened to the song in a while, and immediately the words gripped me.

“When lights go down, she’ll be calling her friends from her Mercedes Benz, but it’s too late now. They were there for the fame, the flash, and the thrill, the drop of the name, the party’s appearance, and another star falls from the Hollywood Hills without a sound. When the lights go down, there’s nothing left to be. When the lights go down and the truth is all you see. When you feel that hole inside your soul, and wonder what you’re made of… well we all find out, when the lights go down.

No matter how successful you become or how successful you are now, the lights will go down one day. When you are finally removed from the chaos, worry, and selfishness of your life, “the truth will be all you see.” I don’t know about you but, I don’t want when the lights go down to be the moment I see truth fully.

Just a few thoughts that struck me during my time of “stillness” today.

“Be Still and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that."

Toodles,

Lindsey

Burgers, Fries, and The Purpose Of Life

2012-01-30T23:00:00.000-08:00

Do you ever have one of those, "ah-ha" moments through a complete stranger? Well, I sure did this past Sunday at In-N-Out.

Per usual, the place was popping. With a cheeseburger and diet coke filling up my bright red tray, I looked to find a spot for Kate and I to sit. To no avail, I turned up empty. Looking like two lost puppies, a woman sheepishly motioned we could sit on the other side of the outdoor table with her.

Then ensued that awkward moment, where you are too close for comfort with a stranger, you don't know if you should converse or if they want you to leave them the heck alone. Then, an inner monologue ensued, but was broken with Kate's inquiry of my plans for the afternoon. So, Kate and I conversed about our impending and always consuming schoolwork. As we wrapped up those few thoughts, I decided to leap into the unknown and ask her a question.

Are you a big fan of In-N-Out? Her face brightened with a small smile, and she then replied in broken spanglish she didn't really speak english well. I definitely wouldn't have guessed it. I smiled and told her in broken spanglish I spoke a little. Then, like a heroine out of a movie, Kate began spouting off spanish sentences as if in a movie. The woman's face lit up and they began a back and forth conversation. Even though I couldn't fully understand what they were talking about she never left me out of the conversation. Her warm, chocolate brown eyes connected with mine after every few words. It's that human moment, when you connect with someone you don't know their story but you know they have one. I asked Kate to ask her what she was doing here. We found out she was a housekeeper for a few of the mansions near Sunset, and she was from Costa Rica originally. Kate asked about her family, and we learned she had 3 children, one of whom passed away at an early age because of a heart problem. My highschool years of spanish recalled certain words like death, and I aligned with what she was saying. She motioned to the sky, with a reassuring smile that she'd meet her again. She asked Kate what we were doing, Kate replied with what we were studying, and her smile cracked a little when she found out I wanted to be an actress.

"Ohh actreess."

Then began a tirade of advice in another language that was one of the clearest forms of advice I've ever received. Through slight hand motions, piercing eyes, and Kate as a translator I gripped her advice. She told motioned with her two fingers like a person climbing steps, then falling, and repeated the motions, with great enthusiasm. She told me, if I want to be an actress I have to be strong, there will be many staircases, and stairs to climb. I will fall, but I must have the strength to get up. She then stared at me with a patient, tender look and said a slow-paced sentence. Kate translated and told me that she was telling me her job as a housekeeper was more stable than mine would be. I must be physically and physiologically strong to endure the career, because it was going to be tough. She then assured me I must have a strong foundation. I completely understood, in broken spanglish I tried to communicate to her my foundation was in Jesus, pointing to the sky. She completely understood, and motioned to 3 fingers, God the Son, the Father, and the Holy Spirit.

Si, Si, Si! I completely understand. I believe!

Overwhelmed with joy of this crazy connection, I asked Kate to ask her what her dreams were.

She went on to say she wanted to own her own house, and she was about to be a grandmother which was her greatest dream.

Then she went back to me, offering quick tips on my career. Such as don't wear a lot of makeup, natural beauty is more beautiful and it will ruin my skin. She joked about Johnny Depp wearing a hood in a house she was cleaning and how he must wear a lot of makeup in the movies. She then went back to those 3 points she so clearly made even though it was in a different language.

If you fall, get up.

Build a strong foundation.

Be Strong, and Believe in Yourself.

The conversation began to fade, as we parted ways, Gracias, gracias I said, and like that she was off.

Isn't it insane how God places people in our life when we least expect it. Ana was her name and I don't think I'll ever forget her. Her simple message of wisdom from outside an In-n-Out restaurant in Hollywood, CA will stay with me for a long time.

I wanted to pass it on to y'all, because after meeting Ana I was on like a "camp-high." Wanting so desperately to tell someone the story of Ana, and how much she had just impacted my Sunday and my life, but I couldn't quite put it into cohesive, concrete sentences, and no one quite understood the great enthusiasm I know displayed after learning from Ana. So, I did the next best thing, I wrote a rambling blog.

Remember, you never know who you'll meet and it's the most beautiful and inspiring thing to learn of another person's story. Whether going into acting or another profession I think Ana's advice is sound.

If you fall, get up.

Build a strong foundation.

Be Strong, and Believe in Yourself.

Also, in other news this story just confirms Kate and I's theory that In-n-Out is never a bad decision.

Toodles,
Lindsey

True Leadership

2012-01-26T20:21:00.000-08:00

A leader is something special.

A leader is someone who picks others up, inspires, motivates, and cultivates growth.

Even when the odds are against them, they step up to the challenge, and LEAD.

Ray Lewis represents a true leader with this speech. It gives me chills, he puts the Raven's loss into perspective, all while reminding his team mates what a platform they have.

Leaders stand up, speak up and cultivate growth.

Don't take the lazy route, speak up, lead, and inspire.

Toodles,
Lindsey