Who will it be?

I've always drempt about the perfect wedding. I've drempt about my wedding ring, the dress, my hair, all of the usual wedding necessities. There is one thing that I have yet to find...a groom.

As I lay in bed, I think about my life, I think about my future and I realize that someday, I'm going to be a bride. The one thing that I looooong to know is this...Have I met my price charming? Do I already know the man of my dreams? Is it someone from high school? Or will I meet him in college? At what point will I know that he is the one?

Statistics show that the majority of married couples were best friends through out high school and college..If that's the case, I can tell you off of the top of my head who I'm going to marry. He knows me better then all of my friends, knows when I'm mad, sad, excited... But is it him?

Statistics also show that 24% of married couples meet outside of high school...........

I do know this. I am who I am, no one will change me or make me different.  We will have the time of our life through the good and bad. I also know that who ever this man is, he's who I've been looking for, as long as I can remember.

I do
~Haley~

Best Things

The best things in life are hard to find. A thing is defined as a material object without life and consciousness. Is it true that the best things in life aren't things? That would mean that sports, computers, beds, tvs, all of these objects aren't what make life so amazing. I agree, life is simply a "thing" to enjoy. I cheerish every moment of life that I have. Anyday could be my last, and the best things in life are far from things. In Fact, I personally would consider them humans. I believe the human race is one of the best things about life. We rely on each other, we bond, we eat, we laugh together, we cry together...some of the BEST moments in life are spent with the people that you love most.

What If

What if........

What if is my biggest fear.

What if that car swerves into my lane? What if I'm alone at 80 years of age? What if I'm kidnapped? What if my dog dies? What if I don't quit taking these drugs?  What if I continue drinking? What if...I die?

BUT what if...you never looked back. What if you really did leave all your fears behind you and pressed on through every circumstance?  What if you showed every single person how much God loves them? What if you realized that God is living inside of you? What if people realized all their fears would disapear by saying one simple prayer? What if...you believed?

What if?

~Haley~

It All Started With A Sign

Driving down the road...there is so much to see and so many breath taking things to witness.  You see the "Golden M", A big red Circle with a dot in the middle (Target), or even a kid on a bike. These are the most common signs that we experience each and everyday. But sometimes we, as humans, bypass the most important signs in life. The signs that could add to the stories we already have, the signs that could shape us  into a better person, the signs of the homeless.

Driving down the road...there he was, just sitting under a tree, holding a sign that read "Homeless Veteran, Please Help". I was on a bus with about 50 high school students, and we were stopping at In-N-Out-Burger. I ordered my food and sat outside trying to figure out what my heart was telling me to do. I knew deep down that I needed to just walk over and talk to him but there were so many worries that were racing through my mind. I turned to Paige and said "what did his sign say again?" We were attempting to unscramble the sign when I said "Lets just go over there and talk to him". Paige agreed, but first I wanted to grab some guys to go with us just for protection reasons. We got two guys to go with us...as we were walking over he made eye contact once but didn't really make any facial expressions. I sat down, along with the three others and we all introduced ourselves. The first thing I said after that was straight to the point "So John, how did you get to this point in your life?" He said "how about we start from the beginning", so I replied  "sure".

John was born in Chicago, IL. He grew up in a semi-religious family, it was never a big deal to attend church though. After graduating high school he served the United States with all he had. After coming home from war, he decided to not go home to Illinois but instead move to California. He rented a house for a while but the rent became too much, he down sized and yet still it was too much. As time progressed things kept getting harder and harder. One day he just decided it was time to live on the streets, he couldn't hold a steady job, so sitting on the corner of a street, holding up a sign was the best he could do. This is what he has done for 30 years now...living on the streets, watching cars drive by, begging for life. He was currently "living" on the other side of the freeway (from where we were sitting) with tons of other homeless people on a campground. He said it wasn't too bad just got chilly sometimes. That's all he has known for years and years.

That was his story, simple right? Well, we all began telling parts of our stories, little did he know that we were here on a church trip...but soon he did. We talked about church and God. He told us he wasn't really involved with a church or anything like that but he did believe in a higher power. We then told him about our missions trip and middle school trip experiences and how amazing God really is. It was breath taking to see how interested in the conversation he was, made my heart feel full. I then asked if I could pray for him, and he said "I would love that". So I called everyone to huddle around him and I prayed...asked God to bless this crippled man, help heal his arthritis, keep him on the right path and allow him to grow in his relationship with you. I thanked God putting John in my life and I know have another story to add to the many I already have. As I said "amen" I looked up and saw a tear rolling down his face, a tear of happiness, a tear of hope, a tear of encouragement to me, a tear for God. Before I walked back to the buses, I shook his hand and he said something to me that I will never forget. He told me, "I've met alot of Christian people in my life but none that have made me as happy as you have. I hope that you will keep me in your prayers as I figure out my life, and I will keep you in my prayers too, now that you've taught me how to pray." I patted his back and thanked him, and walked away with a tear in my eye, a tear of hope that someday I will see this man again in heaven.

We as in Palm Valley Church unloaded some of our leftover food from the trip. He was so happy!!! God truly blessed me in the simpliest way.

All you have to do.....is take a drive down the road.

~Haley~

Little Hearts

Any of you who know me just a weeee little bit would know that I love kids! I strongly believe they're a precious gift that you just can't return. I've always had a passion for loving kids and being there for them, always.

I began babysitting when I was 12 years old. It was a learning process as to firgure out when a baby cries what s/he wants, food, diaper change, binker, so many things that could be wrong. As time went on I started to figure out what cries were for what need. It's so neat for me to be with these kids as they grow up. Some of these kids I've watched since they were babies (3 weeks and +) and now they are 3 and 4 years old, if not older! Kids bring such joy to my day. Knowing that some of the kids could have poor backgrounds but that they know they will have a good day with me! Maybe they don't get equal love from their parents, or enough attention individually and that's what I try to do. Make them all feel simply special.

When I was mentoring the Middle Schoolers, I heard a few of the most heartbreaking stories from some of my girls. Its's so hard to be "okay" with what's going on in kids' lives nowadays. So many twisted stories of abuse and neglect and knowing that some of them CPS can only help so much. Wishing that I could open my home to hundreds of kids but I can't there's only so much I can do.

Well these little hearts just need a little love and someone who cares for them...

~Haley~

First Blog

Well I've been sucked into this whole "blogging" thing. Still getting used to the whole concept but I'm sure it'll all come together as time progresses. Seems like an amazing way to vent feelings and emotions throughout the week...which in some cases I need to do!

I love God and smiling! :) I recently went on my first Mission Trip and mentored a Middle School Church Camp. It was life changing! The stories that I walked away with were unbelievable! I come from a family that's never been through divorce, I've never been abused but some of these girls I was mentoring dreamed of the life that I have. It amazed me to sit back and watch them figure out who God is and what a plan he has for their lives even though they've already been through so much! God works wonders daily!

Touch Hearts---A saying that my mom has always told me to do. "Go and touch hearts Haley". That's just what I want to do, go out and piece together the broken people show them that they are never alone and prove to them that life is worth living.

Touching hearts starts with one person loving someone else....

~Haley~