is this the new year or just another night?

So, it's been a few days. I totally made Graphic of the Week on LOBH with my Switchfoot Elves. That made me happy :)

Anyways, you all know that New Years is coming up. A time to start fresh. A time to decide whether or not you want to live the same year over again. And a time to look back on the things that has happened this year.

This year was a learning year. You know what I mean? It's not a year where something crazy-bad happened. A few really awesome things happened and a couple bad here and there. But nothing life-changing. But what I mean by "learning year" is that there are things about this year that I will carry on for the rest of my life. While nothing dramatic or terrible happened to me, there are plenty around me who has had horrible experiences this year. And I am learning how to deal with those. Some very scary things happened to people around me. But I decided that I was going to help them. And that made this a learning year because it has helped me find out how to help people for the greater good and encouraging them to keep on a good, straight path. While I have learned that I can be nobody's Holy Spirit, I know how to balance that with good help and even pushes from time to time.

I know that I wanted to make a new friend this year. And that I did. We get along amazing. But there was something about her that was different from my other friends. You see, when learning more about life and how to deal with things, God changed the way I acted. I am truly ashamed of the person that I used to be. "Who I am hates who I've been", right? So with this new friend, I felt like I was given a clean slate to start over with. Almost like I could get off on a good start with this person because she didn't know the old me. I feel so terrible about the way that I used to act and I'm glad that she never saw that side of me. While I am no where near perfect, I can truly say that there has been a change in my life. With my other friends, I feel like I have to start over with them, in a sense. The person that I used to be I now want dead and I want my friends to forget her. To leave her behind. And start fresh.

This is one of my New Year's Resolutions. To completely rid myself of the selfish, self-serving brat I was and become a new, shining child in God.

There are so many things that I can be thankful for this year. The epiphanies I've had while sitting in my bed late at night. Switchfoot quietly mulling their beautiful tune in the background. And my Bible in my hands. The true word of God passed through His humble servants. The things I have found in that book have been...well, really cool! It's so neat how God can show you something that you've seen 1000 times over before and then suddenly there's the click in your head. "OH!", you might say. "I can't believe I never saw that that way before! Amazing!" It's really neat the things you learn when you find out how to keep your mind open to the words of other people and not the darkness in your self that tries to trick you from time to time.

It's amazing. When you have Christ living inside of you, it's like there's now a battle. A constant civil war of good and evil. While the good wins the wars, there are times when the bad whens the battles. Those are hard times, indeed. But the good always comes in and rescues you from yourself. You can always tell because that Good is not of yourself. It can't be. You are the evil, but God is the Good in you. When people tell me that I "shine in my faith", it's very easy for me to give myself the credit. It's God shining through me. It always is. Without Jesus, I was as dark as a night with no moon. But now I have this amazing fire shining through me, and it makes me happier to know that God is living in me rather than me doing all these things myself. If it's just myself, then it's temporary. Useless. It won't get me anywhere but on a high horse where I'll crash to my face. Thank God that is not ultimately the case.

Well, I believe that all that I have to say for now. Have a good day. And a beautiful New Years.

Peace.
Cecelia.

merry christmas.

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

letters to the amazing.

Wow, it's been a while. A lot of things have happened, just nothing worth writing about I suppose.

I've been wanting for a long time to write a letter to Switchfoot. I just don't know how. They really have helped me in my life. I can't explain how much they have helped me.

So I wrote out a letter for them, knowing they probably won't ever read it, but it was nice to write just get out there.

Dear Switchfoot,

Over the past 8 months, I have seen more spiritual growth in my life than ever before. The reason I say 8 months is because 8 months ago, I saw you guys and came home a Switchfoot fam. I thought my Switchfoot "high" would be over in 2 weeks. Ah, how silly of me to think that.
After learning so much about you guys, I have learned much about life, myself, and God. I've learned how to love people better, how to understand God more, how to stand up to the giants in both spiritual and physical realms. All of it. Though I give God the ultimate glory, I want to let you know how much you mean to me.
Since becoming a huge fam, I have experienced many amazing things. Things like talking to friends on the boards to actually meeting them and seeing them in person. Then more serious things. I started thinking deeper about life. I never really did before nor did I even think of why. I just knew the rules. But now I think for myself. Instead of taking people's words for it, I go and search things out myself. I like to explore more and more the confines of my broken heart. I've realized just how not-as-fixed-as-I-thought-I-was I really am. I have more passion. I find more beauty. I enjoy God more.
While all this may seem to not really have anything to do with you, it really does. You see, I have seen Christ shine so brightly in you that I can't possibly turn away. I'm mesmerized by the light shining off of you guys. And it makes me want to learn more. I now have a passion for helping people. Because of you guys, I am going on a missions trip to LA next year. I have decided to branch out more in everything that there is. And you guys have greatly influenced that.

A friend told me today that she knew that I was a hardcore Christian and I had God shining through me. She said that I'm "like a Mirror image.... that is if God's reflection was a 16 yr old girl with black hair and glasses". That was literally the first time I cried tears of joy. I was so happy. I have been praying so hard that God would show me that I truly am His, because I find myself so terrible I can hardly believe it. But that just made me sure. I know it did.

I know that you guys have talked about how nothing would make you happier than to have God use you as a tool for His purpose and to further advance His kingdom. Well, I'm living proof that this is true. I used to not care so much because I thought I had it all figured out. Then God used you to prove me wrong.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you.

God bless every single one of you and your families. I love you all so much.

Sincerely,
Cecelia.



Even that seems extremely hollow. Words cannot express love, life, God, and the amazingness of Jesus Christ the way that we want them to, most of the time. God has struck me hard lately.

I'm excited about going to bed tonight. That's where I sit and talk to God when the world is quiet and dark and I'm alone with my God. I know He already knows what's going on. I just like to talk to Him, you know?

I feel really bad for the atheists that are missing out. My heart goes out to them. If you know an atheist, talk to them. Don't shove, just talk. You can't be the Holy Spirit, but you can live out Christ as He lives in you. Just as North Coast Calvary Chapel puts it: "Living in Christ. Living out Christ".

Merry Christmas, everybody.

ohmygravity!!

click that!
it's awesome!