Quotes, funnies, and more to get you through finals...

Tummy constricting. Feeling like I'm being swallowed up. Finals, and I am barely hanging on in the evil throes of what can only be named: college algebra. No help that my teacher has only ever skimmed the surface of each topic. But I shall conquer and so shall you! 

*I collected and printed up some battle speeches to keep my pressing onward. I thought I'd share them in case you happen to be in the throes!

Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts. 
-Winston Churchill 

Good luck on the final exams you're complaining about on Facebook instead of studying for. 
-Author Unknown. :) 

"Good luck" happens when preparedness meets opportunity. -Bret Harte "Begin NOW by thinking about how you will rejoin civilized society, but at a much higher level than you were when you started up this road..." -Nan, CPA forum member  “The journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step.” -Chinese Proverb “There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work learning from failure.” -General Colin Powell “It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with problems longer.” -Albert Einstein “Recipe for success: Study while others are sleeping; work while others are loafing; prepare while others are playing; and dream while others are wishing.” -William A. Ward “The best way to finish an unpleasant task is to get started.” -Anonymous “Tough times never last, but tough people do.” -Robert H. Schuller

Thanks to Pass the CPA Exam blog for most of these. :) Oh, and here's a cute child to inspire you yet more: 

I would follow her into battle. 

*My brothers were watching pirates recently, and I laughed thinking how I needed someone like this to scream inspiration at me over bitter studying and grueling exams. Take a few minutes for your daily dosage of chills... and maybe think about the bigger battle we're fighting here? 

"They will know what WE CAN DO!"

*Finally, from the best source: ...They shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.

John 10:28

Nothing can snatch you from the center and source of Love, Joy, and Peace. Nothing. And particularly not numbers on paper. 

Whatever you're battling today, I've sent up a prayer for you. I could sure use some prayers too. Now fight as freedmen! 

{Photos via Pitnerest}

Giving it Up. Again.

I can never figure out this writing thing. It is my passion, it is my poison. I make a plan, I can't carry that plan out. 

And it's then that I need to return to all of my old jots and thoughts upon that magical word: surrender. 

God has given us gifts for a reason. But sometimes it's only when we give them to him that they become what they are meant to be. Lewis said it this way via his devil character Screwtape in the Screwtape Letters, my copy of which is worn to bits: 

"Of course I know that the Enemy also wants to detach men from themselves, but in a different way. Remember always, that He really likes the little vermin, and sets an absurd value on the distinctness of every one of them. When He talks of their losing their selves, He only means abandoning the clamor of self will: once they have done that, He really gives them back their personality... when they are wholly His they will be more themselves than ever. Hence, while He is delighted to see them sacrificing even their innocent will to His, He hates to see them drifting away from their nature for any other reason. And we should always encourage them to do so." 

Writing is a gift. But it is a gift that I cannot use for my broken whims and my selfish pointlessness. 

It sounds so simple, but it's so difficult: Seek first His kingdom, and the rest will be added. I need to go there again, and make my home.

It's terribly beautiful there. We just constantly need by reminded. 

{Photo via Pinterest}

April 2013 Living Vivid

Happy April! Lessons in impact and a frilly tutorial...

Happy April friends!

Living Vivid is on it's way...

But I'm over here today sharing a small 'Lesson in Impact.'

And I also found this lovely springy tutorial just for fun, maybe for parties? Over here. Enjoy!