tid-bits

eight tid-bits with alexis //

 

1. friends are beautiful things - cherish & nurture them. 

2. caramel macchiatos will change your life - order them daily (i'm not being dramatic - they are fantastic) 

3. make moments - go out of your way to bring fun into your day even for but a minute (that's why they are called moments) they are guaranteed to change the tone of your day. 

4. be spontaneous - live a little people. 

5. pick a wild flower for a friend - they bring smiles & are free. 

6. be okay with feeling; after all life is hard sometimes, am i right? 

7. moccasins are darling (i don't own some, but one day I will) 

8. "There is no such thing as strangers, just friends we have yet to meet" // mei wu. 

a happy monday to you. 

Rifle Paper Co.

this little diddy of a company will brighten up anyone's day.

There is something so meaningful & special about handwritten cards, am I right?!  Thus why the Rifle Paper Co. should be remembered for those days you want to tell someone you are thinking of them, mourn with them, celebrate with them, and love them.

Any time is always a good time to send some loving.

for the lovers // 

for parents // 

for the teary-eyed //

& there are so many more // browse their online shop & blog! 

online shop  // Rifle Paper Co.

& they have a fantastic blog // Rifle Paper Co. blog


I love you, Rifle Paper Co.

xoxo,
alexis.

b o s t o n.

I am not happy. 

my heart is heavy & my stomach churns. 

bombs in boston? this can't be real life. 

so surreal and sorrowful for my friends who were one block away when the bombings happened; for those innocent onlookers and cheerers, for those who traveled near and far to come do what they love-run, for those families who lost their loved ones on a day that was suppose to be full of happiness and beautiful weather, for those bostonians whose annual tradition of Patriots Day and Boston Marathon day is forever scarred, for those who are shook up by the horrifying things witnessed before their eyes. Things are heavy here in Boston, New England, the East Coast. It isn't fair that innocent lives were taken so violently. You see, Bostonians are strong willed, people who do not take things lightly, no, in fact when they are knocked down, they wipe off the dirt and get right back up again. Yes. They are passionate people who want justice done, who love their families and will fight for them. 

stay strong boston & let us fight on our knees  &  P R A Y. 

 May we turn our faces to God - the only One who can turn things from wrong to right and fight our fight. 

love you my dear, dear bostonians. 

Rock of Ages by Page CXVI 

JOY > happiness

 ll

I have never truly understood this passage fully. Like, of course, our desire is to be happy people, smile, love others, but something always fell short. I could never “be joyful always” without me having to be inauthentic or in - genuine about it. Leaving me with a continual feeling of you’re not good enough thoughts or how can I follow Christ if I cant even be joyful all the time like this passage states? I fell short of the expectation of what the perception of what this passage portrays Christians to be. I think that as a Church we have failed in realizing what the word joyful means often causing inauthentic & façade communities – in which everyone hates, but rarely does anything about it because of the worried feeling of being the only one who feels this way. Well guess what, YOU AREN’T. We must WAKE UP from our spiritual slumber & do something about this. This just won’t do, brothers & sisters.

It has been the past few days that I have been completely content beyond words. I’m not sure content is even the right word. It’s not contentment, its joy; complete joyfulness beyond words. It is a joy that cannot be stolen away from me. It is not something easily understood until experienced. It is. And that is quite possibly the best part about it. The problem with my understanding of this passage was that I was confusing joyfulness and happiness. You see happiness is temporal. It is fleeting; something that responds to emotions; which, as I’m sure y’all know are extremely unreliable things at times.

However, when joy comes it settles into the inner most of our beings. And it continually stirs one’s heart to “be joyful always, to pray continually, to give thanks in all circumstances.”

What is this joy though & how can we get it? It’s simple. Tom Richter said this, “JESUS CHRIST. That is it. It sounds cheesy and cliché but that is all it is. You must anchor yourself to CHRIST.” Its so simple & I think we tend to overcomplicate, over theologize it, over analyze it, etc. Happiness will leave us feeling empty. It is okay if we are not always happy in life. Jesus tells us that we will go through trials and that following him is not for the faint of heart; the journey is a struggle & hard at times. But JOY is something much greater than happiness – it’s long-lasting when anchored in Christ. It is possible to be joyful and unhappy. This is okay. The difference is that joy brings hope and perspective. When happiness is gone, we can easily drown in our sorrows, pains, and grievings. Joy expresses happiness but happiness does not fully embody or define joy. It is only but an outlet in which joy is expressed.

ll

Does this make any sense? I hope so. Dwell on the differences of joyfulness & happiness. My hope is that we can all experience this TRUE JOY. Pray for it. What once was a misunderstood verse I now view it in high regard & understanding // Thank you Jesus.

days like these.

thick fog in the twilight of the morning & then the brilliancy of the sun permeating through and through until, ALAS, a ray of sunshine settles on thy face. 

this is what I have been waiting so long for {i never thought i would say that} 

why? cause I never needed to. warm sun rays would hit me daily. Actually, as a native californian, i would sing songs of praise when the sun wasn't out [ I know, what was I THINKING?]. When rain came for a visit, I rejoiced because that meant comfy clothes and snugglies {no, not snuggies...snugglies // like a warm embrace and cuddles}. 

But then, I found myself snuggled away in massachusetts{massachusetts!!!}, where the sun rays were deceptive and where bitter cold wind & rain were regulars.  It was those below zero winter days that made me question, multiple times, why the heck I was here. Rather, HOW THE HECK DID I GET HERE?! 

But then I experience days such as today. Where life is bliss & for no particular reason. 

Where I notice simple things that if I were to have stayed in california, I would have taken for granted or walked right by. 

Things such as flowers. I like looking at them. I love to water them, to watch them bloom, to nurture them, and most importantly to smell them. I didn't know that about myself.

Yes, it took me to live across the country, to realize that the cheesy phrase, "stop and smell the roses"really ain't so cheesy or cliche after all. It's an exquisitely beautiful phrase and piece of wisdom. 

Yes, it took moving across the country to the bitter cold to appreciate the warm touch of the sun hitting my skin. 

Yes, it took settling across the country to truly experience the wonderful snugglies and terrifying bites of the wind, each beautiful in their own unique way. 

It's days like this, that make me halt and see the wonderful workings of God in my life, in creation, in others & this world. 

it's pretty stinking fantasmical. 

so blessed, y'all. so blessed. 

(pic from pinterest.com)