This 2012...

I will love and show it more often.

I will travel and explore.

I will enjoy life's little and big moments.

I will create moments and masterpieces.

I will become more of who I was made to be.

 I will know and seek wisdom. 

I will look to others and be sensitive to their needs.

I will try and not give up.

"What new opportunities lie ahead? What new lessons are we to learn? What new challenges shall we soon face? What will the Lord, our Great Author, write on our beautiful blank pages? Whatever they are, whatever is to come, let us ready ourselves as we face a new year." 

by Jemimah from Beautiful Blank Pages

~

Happy New Year to all of you! I hope you all had a good one!


{Image (c) Hannah G. via Polyvore
Original here}

Enthusiasm: All Things Bright and Beautiful

I am a self-proclaimed lover to the max of anything fun and pretty. While a lot of the girls I know drool over make-up, cellphones, and Forever XXI (the huge store with all the fancy clothes that I probably can't afford, haha), I get enthusiastic over

books,

anything I can make with paper + scissors + tape,

art materials,

notebooks, 

crafts,

anything related to layout and printing,

and pretty patterns! 

Yup, I'm in love with all things bright and beautiful! (Hmm..am I promoting Owl City's album of the same title? Haha, not really!)

(...Okay, maybe I am. *wink wink*)

{Images (c) Hannah Gold}

Salut!

 

 How were everyone's holidays? 

I had a pretty good Christmas myself. :) I spent time with family and friends all throughout Christmas week, and I even ended up going to three church services instead of one. I especially loved the message of the second and third ones. The pastor talked about how the star played a big part in the nativity story. He made me remember that it was the star that led the wise men to Jesus. He made me think, "Who have I been a star to? Who have I led to Christ?" It was quite the wake up call. His message made me want to share the gospel even more.

Aside from that, I also spent Christmas day in Edmonton, home to the biggest mall in the world (I've heard that there was a competing mall in Dubai, but I'm not sure which is really the biggest as of now). The mall, called West Edmonton Mall, is spectacular! It even has a life-size ship!

It also boasts the largest indoor water park in the world (at least, that's what the brochure says), a mini golf course, an indoor theme park (also the world's largest, I hear), and a ropes quest (three levels of a combination of rope and wood for daring adventurers to cross). I had an awesome time.

Plus, the lovely architecture and decor provided pretty pictures! These particular photos are of the water around the ship, with different vintage-y effects applied to each. :D

~

All in all, this year's Christmas has been one full of love, good times, and amazing blessings (you wouldn't believe how!) from the Lord. Hope you all had an awesome and meaningful Christmas as well!

Maligayang Pasko at Manigong Bagong Taon!

(Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!)

{Images (c) Hannah G.}

Birth: The Savior Has Come

It's weird how time goes by so quickly. The warm summer sun shines on you, then next thing you know, you're suddenly ensconced in the busyness of Christmas. Which is really what Christmas shouldn't be like. It's not a time of gifts, Santa Claus, or being nice to everyone once a year. Christmas is supposed to be the celebration of the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. This birth marked the fulfillment of the prophecies foretold by countless prophets long ago. This birth was one of the many signs that God does keep His promises. We were all found guilty of doing terrible things, and the situation seemed hopeless, but God promised a way out. And it has come! Through Christ, we're reconciled with God. Through Christ, we can know God. I don't know about you, but getting to know a mighty, all-powerful God sounds pretty awesome to me!

This Christmas, let's not forget the true reason we celebrate Christmas.

If you'd want to know more about the Christmas story, or if you have any questions about this post, send me a message at han.goldd@yahoo.com. It would be awesome to hear from you. :D

{Image via We Heart It}

Motivation

Inspiration! Wherefore art thou?! I've been lacking inspiration these past few days. No, strike that. I've been lacking motivation. Inspiration is anywhere and everywhere around me yet I have no motivation to make something out of it. It's been a week since my last post, where I said that I had something to help me battle my lack of inspiration (which I now identify as motivation). I was so excited to start the challenge in that post but, alas, nothing. Birth (the first topic on the challenge list) came with so many ideas but none of them were solid and none of them seemed good enough to write about. I'm almost ready to tear my hair and put on sackcloth. Almost.

I don't want the pressures of blogging to overwhelm you as it sometimes (sometimes!) does to me, dear readers, which is why I'm making a small list of things to try when you are in need of inspiration and/or motivation.

1. Read others' blogs. Looking at other people's own blogs inspired me to get back to the world of blogging. What about you? Are there any blogs or websites that seem to encourage you to write or make something whenever you look at them? It sometimes helps to study the authors' writing styles and how their blogs work to find out what kind of blog you'd like to achieve. And don't forget to put what you've studied into practice!

2. Make a list. If you don't already, make a to-do list or a list of goals you'd want to finish, and put it somewhere you're likely to see it a lot. This will give you direction. Or if you're the type who likes throwing practicality and rules out the window, what the heck. Make a list of anything you want, and make it as random as possible. (How about "Colors That Are Pretty," or "Books I Have," or "Pencils"? Okay, I should probably stop now. I'm sorry for my corny-ness.)

3. Doodle. Just whip out some paper and a pen and draw whatever comes to mind, simple as that. It doesn't need to be pretty. (Again, if you're the creative type who makes his/her own rules, doodle on some wood. Or on the sidewalk. Or on a leaf. Or on a crayon. Or on your shirt.)

4. Read. This is like reading your favorite blogs but with good old-fashioned books (wow, I can't believe I said books are old-fashioned). Read and reread books by your favorite authors or books from a genre that you like. Study their writing styles and see how you can incorporate them into your own. Of course, remember that you shouldn't be too much like them. It's always better to write like yourself.

5. Get off the computer. Seriously. The computer, especially one with internet access, can lead to a lot of inspiration but no motivation. And when I say "get off the computer," I also mean "get off your phone/iPod/iPad/whatever-gadget."

I hope you'll find these small suggestions helpful. If you yourself have a few tips of your own, don't hesitate to share them. :D

Until next time! Au revoir!

{Images via We Heart It}

Frustrations...And Solutions

One of the biggest fears I had when I decided to start a blog was that I wouldn't be able to write in it, and it would end up being filled with sorry-for-the-lack-of-updates posts and then soon forgotten, gathering dust on some corner of the internet. Because I wanted so badly for this not to happen, I made a blogging schedule. I planned articles a month before I made the blog (OCD much, hey?). Sadly, time got ahead of me and I wasn't able to actually write the articles. My personal deadline for the blog has passed and I still had only one article, but I decided to just let it be and make the blog anyway. Unfortunately, I've found that I've been feeling very un-inspired when I actually sit down and try to write a good blog post. What come out as articles are just meager whims-of-the-moment junk sitting in my drafts list.

Thankfully, I came across a post by Jemimah from Beautiful Blank Pages (awesome blogger and a friend of mine--go check out her blog!) where she included a list of topics to write about, the 100 Theme Writing Challenge. I usually think of challenges as just guides to help me, but I saw this one as an opportunity, a challenge. I was going to do the original list but thought that the second one, the "emotions" list (naks!), might be a bit easier. I opted for the easier since this would be my first writing challenge.

The Emotions List
1. Birth
2. Enthusiasm
3. Love
4. Hate
5. Triumph
6. Feel
7. Wrecked
8. Soft
9. Cold
10. Without
11. Inspiration
12. You
13. Confused
14. Affection
15. Joy
16. Horror
17. Acceptance
18. Sympathy
19. Holding
20. Defeated
21. Pride
22. Knife
23. Overwhelmed
24. Depressed
25. Adoration
26. Worship
27. Zeal
28. Light
29. Exhaustion
30. Obsession
31. Rage
32. Empty
33. Anger
34. Fury
35. Delight
36. Submission
37. Infatuation
38. Anticipation
39. Pessimistic
40. Jolly
41. Grasping
42. Agitation
43. Calm
44. Astonished
45. Loneliness
46. Lust
47. Longing
48. Tender
49. Hard
50. Rebirth
51. Amused
52. Broken
53. Abused
54. Tranquil
55. Composed
56. Glad
57. Stress
58. Serenity
59. Colorful
60. Coping
61. Boisterous
62. Placid
63. Tired
64. Bliss
65. Neglect
66. Fine
67. Question
68. Energetic
69. Noble
70. Disgust
71. Lively
72. Power
73. Pity
74. Humiliation
75. Satisfied
76. Thankful
77. Hyper
78. Goosebumps
79. Worthless
80. Remorse
81. Degraded
82. Revenge
83. Fulfilled
84. Shame
85. Graceful
86. Shining
87. Content
88. Feelings
89. Pleased
90. Relief
91. I
92. Zest
93. Tears
94. Building
95. Optimistic
96. Thrilled
97. Dealing
98. Reflect
99. Embarrassment
100. Death

So there it is, that gigantic monster of a list I'm supposed to finish (haha, only kidding, I'm quite excited to do this). Here's to success!

Mellifluous and Inspirational

Why is it that when I listen to Adam Young's songs, I always end up swooning  (I know right? Actual swoon-age!) and marveling at how well and poetic he writes? He is honestly the best songwriter I've ever heard of. His songs always make me want to sing, paint, draw, write--basically do anything creative. He has such a playful way with words.

"The silver beams are twirling and swirling throughout your dreams." - Air Traffic

"The atmosphere is crawling with airlines that wind through the clouds and look down on the crowds." - Air Traffic

"With a starry brush, paint the dusk venetian blue 'cause in the evening hush, you'll never believe the view." - The Real World

"Can you feel the silk embrace in the satin air?" - The Real World

"I regarded the world as such a sad sight until I viewed it in black and white." - Dear Vienna

"The frozen days we set ablaze send me drifting away." - Brielle [Sky Sailing]

"The bouquet burst and blossoms filled the room." - Hospital Flowers

"Lost in a silent ballet, I'm dreaming you're out in the blue and I am right beside you." - On The Wing

"Breathe and I'll carry you away into the velvet sky, and we'll stir the stars around and watch them fall away into the Hudson Bay and plummet out of sight and sound." - On The Wing

"Splashdown in the silver screen, into a deep, dramatic scene. I swam through the theater or maybe I'm just a dreamer." - Dreams Don't Turn to Dust

"In the sound I'll gladly drown into the emerald underground. I rub my eyes 'cause it's hard to see, surrounded by all this beauty." - Dreams Don't Turn to Dust

"'Cause I couldn't live without sunsets that dazzle in the dusk." - Dreams Don't Turn to Dust

"I think dreamy things as I'm waving goodbye so I'll spread my wings and fly." - Umbrella Beach

"Fight back the flight deck. Bring on the breakneck. Cue the solar eclipse. Summit the sunset. Dovetail the dragnet." - Galaxies

"If the bombs go off, the sun will still be shining because I've heard it said that every mushroom cloud has a silver lining." - Cave In

"I sing about the tide and the ocean surf, rolling in the evening breeze." - Hello Seattle

"Weighed down by heavy lids and lunar lullabies." - The Real World

Footprints on the Moon

"If you can fly, don't stop at the sky 'cause there's footprints on the moon." - The Yacht Club by Owl City

The ship landed with a thud and all was quiet. A world of breathtaking darkness, beauty, and majesty enveloped the men in the space craft. Slowly, the men walked out into the unknown. They stepped out carefully, eyeing the ground they were on and the atmosphere they were in. They watched as their footprints disturbed the gray moon dust. Then joyful laughter. They did it! They had done the impossible. They had reached the moon, and now they were making their mark so that the world would know what they have achieved.

---

Okay, I’m not entirely sure that was what happened exactly when the first men landed on the moon. I can’t even remember if it was the Russians or the Americans who landed first, but anyway that little scene I described was just an illustration for the meaning behind my blog. Like the first astronauts, I have reached high ground and I am making my mark. The footprints that the astronauts have made will remain there for as long as there is a moon, and that’s how I want to make my mark. I don’t want to inspire the world for a short time and have them forget about me and the things I’ve done after some time. I want to leave a mark that is lasting.

I'll be blogging about a number of different things so expect the unexpected, and enjoy the ride!

{Image via We Heart It}