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9a25533
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It's amazing the things you realize when you lose someone: you get mad at yourself for not saying the things you could've a million times, you take for granted the days spent doing nothing when you could have been with them. Anyone can be taken, at any time in our lives, but we always wait until they're gone to say the things we never had the courage to before.
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Melody Carlson |
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d7199bf
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I'll never be lonely Even if I am alone For I've a precious Savior Who'll come to take me home. But while I'm here His servant I will be With one foot on earth And one in eternity. And I'll gather His crops To populate His land
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Melody Carlson |
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29808ae
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I welcome each new day with a hopeful expectancy that I, too, will rise above the ordinary. For I am not content to live a merely "normal" life or settle for an average existence. No, I am destined for more--much, much more."
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Melody Carlson |
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e545c22
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Instead of God for my two strong legs that are able to run and jump and climb, I whined about my "thunder thighs" and "thick" ankles. Instead of rejoicing that I have two capable arms that can lift and carry and balance my body, I complained about the flab that hung beneath them. I have been totally and unbelievably ungrateful for everything. Like a completely spoiled brat, I took my healthy body for granted. I criticized it and despised ..
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melody-carlson
thankfulness
perspective
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Melody Carlson |
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4c80f56
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I have become convinced that God thoroughly enjoys fixing and saving things that are broken. That means that no matter how hurt and defeated you feel, no matter how badly you have been damaged, God can repair you. God can give anyone a second chance.
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fixing-things
god-can-repair-you
saving-things
defeated
damaged
hurt
second-chances
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Melody Carlson |
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c179ab8
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Girls can be so petty and jealous. I swear they're worse than guys sometimes. Except they're all quiet about it. They sugarcoat it or else they talk behind each other's backs. It's seriously twisted.
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rivalry
jerks
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Melody Carlson |
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d5c2a19
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And to the casual observer it looks like I have moved on since I go around wearing my little happy mask all day. I smile and laugh and carry on like my heart's still in one piece, but beneath it all, I am dying.
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Melody Carlson |
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de298a5
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But fear is confusing. It tears you in two. Half of you wants to run far, far away, but the other half is paralyzed, frozen, immovable. And the hard part is that you never know which half is going to win.
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Melody Carlson |
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1652e87
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It takes a good habit to replace a bad habit.
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teenagers
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Melody Carlson |
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adcbe3c
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While Owen and Miles talk sports, I people watch. And this is what I see: teenagers trying to act like adults. Or how they think adults act. But mostly they look ridiculous, and I wonder what they don't want to do something that's more fun than drinking, smoking, flirting, and making out. Why are those activities considered to be fun?
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truth
teenage
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Melody Carlson |
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e8360cb
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If it seems too good to be true... it probably is.
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Melody Carlson |
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57e978c
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What if?.. What if I am all to see? What if life is only this? And Ignorance is bliss? What if love is only pain? And nothing can be gained by living everyday And there is no better way? What then?
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questioning-mind
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Melody Carlson |
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883b80a
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It seems totally unfair that the way we look matters so much. I mean, why can't we just get over this gotta-be-thin-and-beautiful thing? Why can't we just accept ourselves and others for what we are?
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Melody Carlson |
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a0000f2
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Mostly I think I've learned to trust God more. I mean, if I start getting worried or freaked, I just try to put it in God's hands. Sometimes I imagine God cradling the globe in his hands, and I tell myself that as long as I'm with God, the Creator of the universe, I can be comfortable and at home anyplace on the planet.
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universe
trust
worried
globe
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Melody Carlson |
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ab168e6
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By his stripes you are healed.
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teenagers
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Melody Carlson |
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22a52d7
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Here was this really nice guy who happened to be uber-shy... and with just a little encouragement, he was suddenly smiling and joking and having fun. Really, what had taken them so long?
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Melody Carlson |
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6c55b53
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I do not understand what makes mothers think they are walking-talking thermometers.But I think somewhere during the process of giving birth and changing diapers, they actually begin to belive they have this supernatural sense.
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mothers
supernatural
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Melody Carlson |
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76a20ce
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Sometimes we have to let our dreams go in order to allow God to bring them back to us - in his way and his timing.
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god-s-timing
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Melody Carlson |
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4307740
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Anyway, Phillip isn't like that. From what I can see, Phillip has good judgement and he genuinely cares about me. And those might be rare qualities in seventeen-year-old boys these days. Not that I'm an expert. Although I am getting better at it.
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Melody Carlson |
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463a004
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How can this be? How could we have been just sitting there, happily eating our lunch, and then Jess announces that she's gay? Like who does that anyway? And how is it possible that I never even saw this coming? I mean if you best friend has no clue that you're gay, then who does?
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Melody Carlson |
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b9a1f91
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if you want to have a good friend, you first must be a good friend.
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Melody Carlson |
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1bc73b8
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You know the real reason we celebrate Christmas, don't you? I mean, beyond Santa Claus and jungle bells and Christmas trees? You mean because Jesus was born? she asked. Yes... but did you ever think how Jesus was born? I mean, have you considered how it was such a humble birth, in a small barn...how he was laid in a hay trough...how the Son if almighty God humbled himself to be born in such lowly conditions? Have you thought about it like ..
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jesus
god
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Melody Carlson |
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5cc48e4
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You will know the truth and the truth will set you free.
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Melody Carlson |
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50ca6fd
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Sometimes you have to just go for what you want. Take the risk in order to get the reward.
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Melody Carlson |
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df61f59
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Nothing wrong with taking time to figure out your life and make sure you really like where your life is going. I mean, it's better to do it now than when it's too late.
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Melody Carlson |
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7003e5d
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Don't worry about how bad things look right now. It's all going to fall into place. You'll see.
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Melody Carlson |
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89c8a42
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Most guys don't like to be pursued like that. I mean, I suppose it's kinda flattering when a girl likes you so much that she'll go after you, but most guys want to be the ones doing the chasing.
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Melody Carlson |
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4436340
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When the Friend comes, the Spirit of the Truth, he will take you by the hand and guide you into all the truth there is. He won't draw attention to himself, but will make sense of what is about to happen and, indeed, out of all that I have done and said. He will honor me; he will take from me and deliver it to you.
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Melody Carlson |
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92b46ee
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Shut off the internal bashing.
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teenagers
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Melody Carlson |
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9577535
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you don't fully appreciate what you've got until something threatens to take it away.
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spiritual
inspirational
religious-faith
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Melody Carlson |
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ff5c0d5
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a planner-the sort of person who could size up a situation and take control and be rewarded with a good outcome.
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Melody Carlson |
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59e470d
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I think we all need to learn to like ourselves-just the way we are. And if there are moderate ways to improve our looks and if we're doing it for the right reasons (not to impress our friends!), then maybe it's just fine. Beauty is very subjective-meaning that it all depends on your personal taste. I think that's why God made us all different. So instead of turning ourselves into cookie-cutter images of the latest fashion icon, why not take..
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Melody Carlson |
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e5ec39c
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It's possible you've already let the right someone walk right past you.
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Melody Carlson |
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43c4965
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Sometimes it's good to take a break. Just as long as you remember it's only a break.
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Melody Carlson |
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82514ae
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Our Lord reminded his disciples to show hospitality. He said there could be times when they might help or bless a stranger and in reality be blessing him. Be mindful of this as so many of you open your homes to family and loved ones and life becomes somewhat hectic. Perhaps it is in those moments, when all is not going smoothly and well, perhaps that is the very moment when you might discover the Lord is right there in your midst.
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Melody Carlson |
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82d564e
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I always thought faith was kind of a personal thing, Dad says thoughtfully. Everyone has to figure out for themselves how much they should do things like pray or read the Bible.
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Melody Carlson |
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356c430
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New life, new hope, new joy will start when this is given from the heart.
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joy
hope
life
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Melody Carlson |
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6dc2442
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Even now, it still bewildered Chelsea the way Virginia and her circle of picture-perfect friends had made that amazing transition--it seemed like overnight--abandoning bikes and Barbies for boys and fashion. But Chelsea hadn't been invited to cross that bridge with them.
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Melody Carlson |
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d1cb509
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We are no different today, friends. We get caught up in the season, busily making preparations for Christmas. We decorate, bake cookies, shop, and wrap presents, and yet we aren't truly ready. We aren't waiting with great expectations. Our hearts aren't prepared to receive this holy guest, this heavenly visitor.
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Melody Carlson |
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7547426
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God IS good!
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Melody Carlson |
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dfdb804
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Call it what you like.
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Melody Carlson |
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3320990
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So, there you have it, you get up and go to school, thinking it's just another ordinary day and the next thing you know, something totally unexpected happens! Life's like that. I guess it's like Forrest Gump said about the box of chocolates-you just never know what you're going to get!
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Melody Carlson |
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b06466d
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The real treasures of this world cannot be purchased with any sum of money. But they can be given away for free.
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Melody Carlson |
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60034ba
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we're not always ready to receive God's love. And we're not prepared to accept that it comes in a variety of ways. Often when we least expect it, God's love can show up in the form of something or someone we aren't happy to see-something or someone we want to push away or even run from. And, let me tell you, God's love can make us downright uncomfortable at times.
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Melody Carlson |