Behind these Hazel Eyes...

Kelly Clarkson(the Harrell sisters idol... yahooo Allie) wrote a song about about life as she feels behind her eyes, and while I am not 100% sure if you would say my eyes are hazel... I thought that the title of the song was fitting... and also going with the music theme that I have sort of set up.

Eyes can mean different things. Now before you think I am absolutely nuts let me explain! What are eyes used for? Duh, to see. Right. I think a lot of times in my life though I have a very selected vision and only allow myself to see that things that I WANT to see. For example, do I wake up every morning to look at images of hurt, poverty, starvation that is going on around the world? No. Why? Well because who would want to cloud their vision with hurt and brokenness? Not this girl! But in reality... it's truth and it's real. Now for my second definition of eyes.... when people look at me what do they see? Do they see the person that I truly am? Or are they seeing somebody that I again WANT them to see. If people had eyes on me at all time, would they see Christ in me? That is a question that I find extremely convicting. Now my last definition, how can I have the Lord's eyes when I look out into the world? I feel as if I would look, and take a much different perspective to a lot of things. Again, convicting.
Tonight we sang a song with the lyrics "We will fix our eyes on you.." (and the You being Jesus) Are my eyes fixed on Jesus? As much as I want to answer a confident YES to this question.. it is tough to do. My eyes wonder, just like my heart is prone to wonder from Jesus so do my eyes. They wonder to: goals, future, friends, identities... the list could truly go on and on. If my eyes were fixed upon Him, the next line of the song went "my heart is set on you..." WOW. It is a daily prayer that the Lord would give me His eyes and then to go about my day. Oh, but how quickly I ask of that and how quickly I forget and put back on my blinders. With all of this to say, I NEED my eyes fixed on Jesus daily and so often they wonder to what I WANT them to see. I WANT success, I WANT a family (eventually...ha), I WANT a career... and I get lost in the trap of fixing my eyes on these things and want a 20/20 vision on them, and the path that the Lord desires for me to see gets just a little big foggier. I long for my need and want to be one in the same, I suppose that is where discipline in asking and truly longing for my eyes to be what the Lord wants, not what I want to see comes in.

Now that there are a few definitions of EYES what will yours be?
1) The eyes that only see what you WANT them to see...
2)The eyes of what people see in you...
3) The eyes that you desire for the Lord to give you and see through His vision...

So badly I want to say well #3... but when I sit here and think about it.. what am I using my eyes for?
My challenge to you and myself, see through the Lord's eyes, they will bring you the most truth and most JOY.                    
Enjoy this: "With Everything" By: Hillsong

 ChoosingJOY and thinking about eyes,
Cal

"Happy Independence Day"- Brittany Davis.

Happy Valentine's Day!
or as a friend of mine would say "Happy Independence Day".... thanks Britt...

So here is the thing.. As I start to write my second post I am a bit confused.... I don't want to be a cheesy blogger, yes I may be a little blog self-conscious, but seriously! How do I approach this? I surely don't want to be "that girl" who says: "Dear Blog" "Hey its' me again"..
1) this is not an online journal
2) and duh it's me... who else would be writing this thing.. sometimes these things can go a bit over the top.

Welcome Valentine's Day 2011, the day where well most girls have spent the past week trying to find the perfect outfit, to wear on the perfect Valentine's Day date, and so with at the time their perfect boy.. or we have the other extreme.... those who can find NO happiness in what is well, just another day. Bitter at the world because they find themselves going to class in the same tshirt they wore the night before, not caring that their hair is needing to be washed, grabbing take out, and coming home to their roommates so conclude the evening with an intense love battle on The Bachelor...(will Brad get rid of that CooCoo bird Michelle this week??) - Right, now if you didn't get that.. I just described my day.. yet minus the bitterness.
I actually LOVE Valentine's Day...why you ask? Well, I love... LOVE. And no I don't really know what love is... Hey I'm 22... I have LOTS of time to figure things out.. but like I said, a daily decision in ChoosingJOY. So I am. I am taking refuge in that the Lord has demonstrated the most BEAUTIFUL love of all, His son Jesus and that absolute perfect gift of his life. (Romans 5:8) and that is something that we can all get excited about LOVE for:)
ChoosingJOY that I got to laugh with my best friends today, spent an awesome night with them, and ChoosingJOY that... yep Michelle is gone. (in the nicest way possible!)
As the night closes, choose JOY right where you are in life, it's a beautiful thing..

And honestly as every Valentine's day should end... with a little Taylor Swift

ChoosingJOY...& LOVE LOVE LOVE,
Cal

Save Me, San Francisco...

Well here we go... After having this thing set up for almost a little over a month now, I think it is safe to say that I am an official blogger. Now, what does that mean? Great question. I have no clue. I always loved the movies where the girl will sit down a type on a computer and e-mail/write her thoughts out...(ok, it could also be because "You've Got Mail" is one of my favorite movies...how do you not love the Tom Hanks/Meg Ryan duo) Anyway, it has come to my attention that I thought I would like this whole blogging concept. Now before you read any further I promise you that:


1) you will not walk away any smarter than when you first started reading
2) chances are against me in that you will probably get bored pretty quick
3) if I some how embarrass myself on here, please continue to make fun of me in person.


So what is a blog? What am I supposed to even write on this thing? I suppose it should go off of what was the toughest thing for me to do so far... "create a title"! Talk about pressure. I went with the first thing that came to mine. "ChoosingJoy" So what does choosingJOY look like? ChoosingJOY can look absolutely different for everyone, because quite frankly we all live VERY different lives, and I am happy for that:) But in my life ChoosingJOY is a daily decision. Am I am going to wake up in the morning go to class, come home, eat and go to sleep or whatever my schedule may look like.. with or without the JOY that comes from the Lord in my life. When circumstances are tough, am I going to be seen ChoosingJOY in the midst of them? We have the choice each day in ChoosingJOY or not.. my challenge to you is, what will you choose?
 Ok, so if you can't tell I am a long winded person and can talk for hours, if you know me... don't let me.. it's exhausting to listen to...i know.


Now for the caption of the first blog, "Save me San Francisco"... This past weekend I had the chance to go see TRAIN in concert at the San Antonio rodeo with some of my dear friends! It was a blast... "Save Me San Francisco" is a title of one of their new songs (awesome...check it out)... and I also chose this because San Fran is a city i want to visit SO badly (pour one out for Kyle Matson)...


Here is one of my other favs by them : If It's Love

Well with ALL of that being said, first blog is COMPLETE... I hear the first is the hardest.. hope it's true 


ChoosingJOY, 
Cal