.cheer on.

one of my absolutely most favoritest tv shows is “the voice”
not only are contestants chosen based off the pure talent of their pipes
instead of their “image” as an artist,

but there is just something so magical to watch beyond just the performances.
last week, i caught myself with goosebumps while watching miss holly henry.
( proceed to watch the musical magic below please and thank you ⇣ )

sheesh… needless to say, that voice of an angel has been on replay the past week.
but did you see her cute brother crying?

did you feel the urge to fist pump in the air when blake hit his button after 5 seconds?
did your fist pump turn into jumping up and down like a hooligan

when ceelo and adam finally turned around as she hit those high notes?

were you biting your nails just waiting for christina to come to her senses?
and then when she did, were you filled with sweet and utter euphoric joy that all 4

coaches would be honored to have her grace their team?

did i mention her cute brother crying?

goodness gracious heavens to betsy.

those 5 minutes always send me on an emotional roller coaster.

but why? i mean, like i said, the performance was amazing

but i think there’s more to it than that.

there’s power
there’s chills

there’s love

there’s support

there’s altruism

there’s spirituality

in being the cheerleader.

it’s inspiring to see others and want with every fiber of your being

for them to be successful.

to do their very best and beyond.

i think part of the magic of that show

is that we each get to be the cheerleader too.

we’re right up there with the family and coaches crossing our fingers

jumping up and down, and mentally wishing they’ll hit all the right notes.

and when they do? we keep cheering even louder.

oh, how i wish i could always cheer for others

like that sweet little boy cheers for his sister.

i think everyone needs a cheerleader.

a high-five after every test.
a treat after a long day.

a trophy for exercising off the treat. (heh)

a note letting someone know they are more than they think.

a standing ovation for every soul who keeps goin when the goin gets tough.

i hope one day i can have sore hands from high-fives and clapping
a tired voice from hip hip hooray-ing

be broke from buying treats and trophies

and have arthritis from writing bajillions of notes.

truly, three cheers and a toast to you, my friends.

ra ra ra.

go get your pom poms, people.

.remarkable friends.

dear liza.

in this letter, i want to talk about a few things. the first one is remarkable friends.

remarkable friends are friends who sacrifice.
what makes them remarkable is their ability to lay aside whatever is personally plaguing them, listen to another, and without any selfish incentive, offer love, concern, and advice. they put off homework, personal time, and comfort to make themselves available when someone they know needs help, or just someone to listen to them.

remarkable friends are loyal.

they remember the ways that they connected with each person, and go to great lengths to preserve every relatable conduit between them. they worry about others and their welfare. they pray for them. even when they rarely see or hear from some people, they think of them fondly and often, and hold special places in their heart and mind for each.

remarkable friends listen first.

they always turn the conversation back to you, no matter how hard you try to stop them. they try to place themselves in your shoes and tear up when you tear up. they laugh at even your silly and less-than-clever jokes. and they make you feel like being honest about how you really think and feel is not only ok, but valued. they see the darkest sides of you, but only offer to light another candle in the corner rather than decry the lack of light. they make you feel not only good about who you are, but that being you is one of the world’s most desirable blessings. their love for you often exceeds your own love for yourself, and in many ways, they show you real love, forgiveness, and Christianity in a way that transcends pulpit-doctrine and bleeds into emotional and conversational interactions.

have you ever had a remarkable friend? they are pearls in your life that you hope never end their selfless affection. i have had very few. you are one of them.

…

oh, my my my.

it’s one thing to have a boy tell you that he loves you.
he whispers flattering words of your beauty, talent, wit, intelligence.
but it’s hard to forget a boy who knows your essence.

he speaks to, treats, and sees you like the person you’ve always wished you could be.

you’re wondering how you ever got so lucky.

because, in reality, they are the remarkable friend.
it’s hard to forget a boy who knows how to compliment your soul.

.grateful day.

today is a grateful day.

i'm grateful for retrospect.

i’m grateful things haven’t worked out according to plan this year.

i’m grateful dreams i didn’t even know i had came true.

i'm grateful for the "never would i have ever thought..." moments.

i’m grateful to work for the rad-est of rad recording artists.

(seriously, if you haven’t heard her stuff, click here

and you can have a grateful day too. you’re welcome)

i’m grateful for her music and the example of her gracious life.

i’m grateful to play with her cute little boy.

i’m grateful when he pretends to shoot me

and then says ‘good morning’ to bring me back to life.

i’m grateful that he’s only two and knows what a weed whacker is.

i’m grateful he calls to play saying ‘com’ere you lil stinker.’

i’m grateful for a roommate who sees the beauty in everything

because she is and blesses with beauty everywhere she goes.

i’m grateful she likes to eat beet salads with me.

i’m grateful for our PT.

i’m grateful for her chauffer services.

i'm grateful she is da PA of da PA.

i’m grateful for an understanding family.

i’m grateful to be exhausted on the 45 minute stretch of concrete

because at least i have a car.

i’m grateful for letters.

i’m grateful to get 2% on a quiz in a program

i didn’t think i could get into.

i’m grateful and excited i have so much to learn.

i’m grateful for new friends you meet

and you wonder how you ever lived without them before.

i’m grateful to live without loved ones each day

because every day after i get to love them a little bit more. 

.i mean it.

i was thinking a lot about this week about why things mean so much.

or why they meant so much.

or why someday they might mean something.

i read my old journal.

about what?

duh, a boy.

page after page, he meant everything to me.

he was all i thought about.

all i talked about.

i wrote down every text/email/phone conversations/wall post/comment he ever said to me.

i glued and taped in anything and everything that he was associated with.

altogether, you could say i had a nice lil picture book (well, actually novel) on my hands.

but like fickle boys do,
he passed.
time passed.

the picture novel passed.

until that trip down memory lane,
part of me forgot why he was so meaningful.
in fact, part of me felt silly for feeling the way i did.

old clothes are meaningful too.

every six months, i make a semiannual trip to the DI.

and every six months i wonder why i can’t bring myself to throw away the gray wildcats t-shirt from when i was on the set of hsm3.

it’s a size xxxxxxxxxl.

and it’s got yellow stains on it now too.

at this point, all rationalization to keep it lies solely in the fact that it was given to me just inches away from zac efron.
so, therefore… gotta have it.

the band perry got it right when they said,

“a penny for my thoughts? oh no, i’ll sell ‘em for a dollar

they’re worth so much more after i’m a gonner.”
when my mom passed away, i couldn’t write down memories
and scan in old pictures fast enough.
i still keep her nappy hot pink sweater too that doesn’t match with anything
and is borderline socially acceptable to wear in public.

why? cause that’s what she wore every morning making scrambled eggs.

even now, i concoct potentially meaningful scenarios.

i do and say things for the sake of their possible future significance.
why do i keep a penny i found from 1956?
beats me…

what if it’s worth 5 dollars someday?

is there anything that keeps its meaning beyond today?

will i still think about it later?
will i care about it tomorrow?

i’d like to think so.

as Hebrews 13:8 says:

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.”
thank goodness for consistency.

praises and jubilations to a rock of hope in an ever-changing world.

with the gospel of Jesus Christ as a guide, He’ll let us know what matters most.

fickle boys, nappy sweaters n all.

i mean it.