"If you want to identify me, ask me not where I live, or what I like to eat, or how I comb my hair, but ask me what I am living for, in detail, ask me what I think is keeping me from living fully for the thing I want to live for."   - Thomas Merton

From the inside out Lord, consume me. So deeply, so heavily and so passionately- that when those who are searching for You break me apart and tear me to pieces; they’ll surely find You. Saturate me Lord, so much so, that they would see me bare and laying there- and scan me down, from head to toe in wonder. They’ll pull at me, and flesh by flesh they’ll see- bone by bone, they’ll pick apart, knowing these bodily things inside of me are only masking what is hidden within me.. And as they are searching for the truth of my heart, for the way that I work, and pondering the way that I move and breathe- they will finally press through to the core of my being- my heart… There, they will see, find and know, that it was You all along. Your word, Your promise, Your sacrifice, Your presence, Your love, Your grace, Your truth and Your saturation that shone brighter than the sun. Envelope me, Lord, so they would see, that aside from flesh and bone- that there is nothing good in me, but You.

"Oh Lord, how precious You are to me; How thankful I am for Your blood which was shed for me; for every moment, every ache, every turn and every mistake, Your blood was preciously sacrificed for them all. And as You found me, in my brokenness and despair - surely You held me close and nurtured me, personally, intricately and delicately- You took me, and I found you working from the depths of my heart within; You took my humble life; undeserving as it was, and transformed it into royalty. You blessed me with the beauty of Your eternal presence, coursing through my veins, beating through my heart, inhaling and exhaling from within my lungs. You dwell from the very depths of my soul, You are my treasure and my one true love. How blessed I am to know You, my creator, my maker, my restorer and my King. I am a part of Your royal blood line, through my acceptance of You as my Father, and viewing myself as Your child. Oh Lord, despite my status of royalty in Your eyes, I will forever bow at the foot of Your throne; for You alone are worthy, of all glory, all honour and all praise. May my veins flow with your courage and confidence freely, and my heart beat for your burdens, always."

I got a new beautiful lovely kindle! Early birthday presant! So very happy! NOW I can blog more! And use so much exclamation marks!! Thank u Esther,David, and Adam!!! Y'all make this world a bit of a better place:)

Humans just love to over-complicate life. Over thinking. Imagining problems that don't exist. Staging drama's and scenes in our heads.
How do I know?
Because I've done all of the above. And than I got absolutely no where and I saw no progress in life.
It just happens to be that no one knows whats going on in your head.
Missing somebody? Call.
Wanna meet? Invite.
Wanna be understood? Explain.
Have questions? Ask.
Don't like something? Say it.
Like something? State it.
Want something? Ask for it.
Love someone? Tell them.
Leap. Take the risk of getting a yes!! Keep it simple darlings.

Wanna post random pictures just because? Post.

HELLO TWENTY-TWELVE!!!

It is time to make an After-Christmas post. Sometimes it feels like the week after Christmas is one of the most awkward ones of the year! And I'm guessing the week after New Year is pretty awkward too.  Everyone spends like a whole month preparing for the holidays, and than... all of a sudden everything is over... And everyones trying to trudge back to a normal life.
Not me though of course. I've hardly been home, and today felt like such a great day just because I could stay home and wash the floors!!!
Maybe it has something to do with someones birthday being right after Christmas. Like my dad's. I love my dad:)
Or maybe I've taken each day with happiness and an easy spirit.

For the past several years, my family has started an amazing new tradition for New Year. As soon as the clock ticks 12:00 and the New Year begins; we kneel down on our knees and spend the next hour or so in prayer.
 The most best part about it? God has answered everything I was praying about those first few minutes of the new year. It's almost like a special time... a favored time God has for listening..
It's been such an amazing year. The good, the bad and the unwritable.
This time last year I was packing and saying 'Good bye America' and January 1st was met in Kiev Ukraine.
You know how it sometimes feels like years have gone by, at the same time it feels like it's only been a week, but the truth is that only one regular year has happened? My thoughts exactly.

Where were you this time last year? Are you happy with how 2011 turned out to be?

P.s. totally doing this frame idea somewhere in the house!:)

That Saturday evening sbux mocha date? Forget it darlings for today I have received an amazing gift from my amazing friend Adam Amazing Zink. (alright Im joking bout the middle name but everything else is a fact!)
His gift shall never send me to starbucks ever again. Of course unless I'm buying a new tumbler or espresso powder. Espresso powder to make my VERY OWN CAPPUCCINOS AND ESPRESSOS!
Yes and it's all mine. The cappuccino/espresso machine is all mine to make my mornings even better and guests even happier and my family even more lovelier!
What a good gift idea?! Write it down in your little red or black books for next year's Christmas, if your friend's are coffee lovers, they will think you to be so clever.
 Did I mention what an amazing day today was? Everyday just keeps getting better and better, it's crazy:)
I can write no more. The best days are unwritable:)

Never get tired of doing good things for others. Sometimes those little things occupy the biggest part of their hearts.

And now, I am overtaken with the desire to make the world a nice cup of cappuccino:)

Guess why I'm happy right now?

I HAVE FINISHED ALL OF MY CHRISTMAS SHOOOPPPPIIINGG YEEEE HHAAAWWW!!!!!

Exhilarated but tired. Why oh WHY?! do I wear heals when I know I'll be running around for hours and miles?
I can only blame this morning when I woke up wanting to feel pretty:) This doesnt happen everyday. Most days I wake up wanting to find a nice, soft, XXXL hoodie and never leave the comfort of it's fleece. Awful I know!
So this morning was special. Except now I don't have anymore lotion and body butter to slather on.

I have discovered a beautiful but cliched mystery. You know how sometimes you wake up in the mornings and you wish you could sleep forever? (Or is it just negative, grumpy, so-not-morning-person me?)
Anyway, I have a testimony. Seriously dont laugh! Instead of singing 'I could sleep right here forever' to the tune of 'I could sing of Your love forever', I said 'no' to the never-ending ramblings of my mind and proclaimed out loud that - "TODAY WILL BE A GOOD DAY!" And it turned out to be a GOOD day! Now every morning I wake up with my proclamations and every night I stare amazed at Esther and say " Wow, today was such a great day"
I haven't had a bad day in such a long while.. Nothing seems to aggravate me, so much peace and joy. Just like this season should be:) Even the warm weather isn't a bother to me - I got to tan today in a tiny dress with a cup of ice tea outside!
What's the weather like where you're at?
I got to talk with my mom and dad for a whole hour today on the phone. Remember everyone to spend time with your parents, while you still have them.

God is good 24/7 and nationwide :)

Oh and Tonight, I drank my very first mocha. White chocolate mocha. Triple YUM!!!

Lets go out for mocha's together to this starbucks. Saturday at 5pm? Sounds good:)

Three days have passed since my parent's have left. This time it has been so hard for me, or actually all of us kids. Like never before. Tense, pressure, and stress. Lord help me.

These three days have been choked full of everything crazy. You know those times when it's absolutely hard but absolutely exciting? This is what it's been. Today was SUCH an amazing day! David and his girlfriend Anna (love her!) took Shula and I with them to a Messianic Synagogue.
So much goodness in one place, in one day, blogger.com cannot contain the amazingness in my head! and I even got to finish some of my Christmas shopping in their little Jewish shop full of the sweetest things right from Israel!!!

Also we went to see Happy Feet two, which is such a cute movie, go see it! I didnt even feel guilt after leaving the movie theater haha!

After that I washed floors, cooked, fed, eat and piled into the car to see the amazing nights of lights.
  

 St. Augustine is a beautiful place with it's own little unique character, but I couldn't help thinking how funny it was to come on a Saturday night, theres was too many people, reminded me of Kiev. I just can't run away from it can I? Little tid bits of Kiev just pop up in my everyday life here.. Frustrating.
I'm glad we went there tonight, everyone of us, which is David, Anna Shu and I and the guests who live with us. I must say, It hasn't been easy living with people who won a green card and have a 1 year old baby. Some alone time with only my family sounds like heaven now. Especially when my older sister Esther has been just so busy with her work. Yes I'm complaining; thats what blogs are for:)
But God gives so much grace to handle every living thing.
It has been a great day. 

Sometimes you just have to throw everything away and go enjoy life.

Pictures coming soon:)

Enjoy the holidays, there is always something to be thankful for and happy about!!!

For some reason I just looove everyone today.
Don't you just want to snuggle up in that room? 

Sometimes I feel like I have nothing left to say after two good church messages. So I stay till 2am deciphering the things that I heard.
 It's a sad thing when important things flow into our left ear and float right out of our right ear, never dwelling in our mind! I don't want important things to flow away; Lord help me remember your truth and forget the devil's lies! Amen!

P.s. I ♥ old people.

Excuse me world for being such a grump when it comes to Christmas presents this year!
I have no clue what happened, I used to love it so very much... I was addicted. I still am, giving presents is my favorite thing ever, but getting presents makes me sick.
Maybe I'm sick.
And actually yes I am. Runny nose, soar throat, thick wool socks, feeling awful and sitting right now in Panera. People like me should be laying in bed right now! And all for the love of my sister, I do everything for her... She was the first present I got and wrapped up too. I just love wrapping presents and piling them under the tree! Last year I had a color code, bright red, baby blue, and satan white, it looked retro, I loved it. This year there is no color code, because the guests who live with us don't care much about it I guess.
But those presents in the picture above really caught me by my soft side, the big floppy bows; awww, chocolate colored wrapping paper; love it!

OMG I'm writing a post on blogger finally! This is happy news for me; writing alway leaves me with a feeling of accomplishment.
I have been in the wonderful US of A for 2 months now (I think?). I totally lost track of time here.
 Losing track of time is what happens when you're enjoying the time, yes? Or when you're more busier than you thought you'd be?
 I don't know, for me it's both! The time here in this blessed land has been bittersweet! Don't I just say that about every place I get to live at? haha! That is life my darlings.
Bittersweet. Full of the good, the bad, the happy, the painful, the sweet, the sour, the salty, the spicy, and so on, and on and on.
 It'd be ridiculously illogical for someone to say that being somewhere is perfect, flawless, happy etc.
 As long as we aren't in heaven; it's always going to be bittersweet.
Even when it's, lets say, your perfect little wedding day, theres always the poor starving african children, persecuted christians, suicidal teenagers to be bitter and sad about.
 Alright, thats a bit of a  far stretched example.but u know what I mean.
I'm exuberant about everything here; the fun interesting people, the church, the family, the guests, the weather, the holidays, the food, the shopping, the ocean, But at the same time I traveled back to my Florida home for just a tiny piece of  peace and solitude. Which I have not found surprisingly. Loud, crazy, busy days. I love God, He has a sense of humor when it comes to my life. haha!

These pictures make me laugh every time (I love the determined cat! And those unaware tourists just Crack Me Up LOL!)