Take the Plunge into the New Year

Hey, guys.

2011 has almost come to and end...wow! Where did the time go? As we approach the year 2012, most of us probably look back at all the memories that have been made and all of the events that have happened. I usually take the time to think back on the year and think of one word to describe the year. The word I thought of this year is the word 'blessed.' I have been blessed with my family, I have been blessed with a job which I love, I have been blessed enough to get accepted into the nursing program at Concordia, and I have been blessed with the life in which I live. I know my life isn't perfect, and there are definently missing pieces, but I have to say that I am content with my life right now. God has plans for me, and I will trust in Him to let His plans fall into piece in 2012 and beyond. 

My New Years resolution is to take more risks. Going out of my comfort zone has always been an issue for me. I love the safety and security of knowing what I am doing at all times. But, I've realized this past year, that isn't how the real world functions. In order to move forward into my life, I need to take risks. As I have found out this year, sometimes taking risks will result in consequences that may not be in your favor. That's okay, though. That's how it works. In 2012, I will take the plunge. I will take risks. Be confident, be bold, be you. Trust in Him. I know you can do it, too. 

Happy New Year! 

Love, Sarah Allison

CHRISTmas

Hey, friends!

I just have a quick story to tell you that pretty much made my day. At work, we do this activity called Bible Time, where all of the classrooms come together for a half hour to learn and sing songs about Jesus. The theme today was what Jesus has to do with Christmas, and one of the questions was "What do presents have to do with Jesus?" A 4-year old raised his hand immediately and said "Because Jesus was our first present." I was amazed not only at his answer, but the fact that he has the meaning of Christmas spot on. Jesus is the reason why we celebrate Christmas. The 4-year old was right; Jesus was our first gift. We give gifts to honor what Jesus brought to this world, as well as to remember his sacrifice for us. Because of Jesus, we are free of all sin. Remember the Christmas story in the Bible? That bright star in the sky above the stable? 

That's there to remind us why we are so in love with Jesus Christ, and why He loves us back just as much. This is why Christmas is my favorite holiday :) 

Keep the Christ in CHRISTmas forever. Merry Christmas!

Love, Sarah Allison 

Weekend recap

Phew...what a crazy weekend! I will admit that I am FINALLY on break and loving being home! I can't believe that CHRISTmas is only a week away!!
On Saturday, my family and I spent all day (literally) making our annual Christmas cookies! It was a lot of work, but SO worth it in the end :)
                                                We had to frost ALL of these...plus more :)

Then, I got to worship at my home church on Sunday which was WONDERFUL! On Sunday night I went over to my sister's and brother-in-laws place for a dinner party! We played Yahtzee and talked about wedding plans...:) It's getting SO close now. 4 months away!
I hope your weekend was just as great! Remember that He is the reason for the Season.
Merry Christmas!
Love, Sarah Allison

Motivation

Dear college students, or whoever needs it,

Here is some motivation to help you get through finals :) You can do it! I believe in you. 

1. "For I know the plans I have for you," declared the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." -Jeremiah 29:11

2.       Lift Me Up by the Afters

Have a great, stressless week of finals. Study hard, and do your best! 

Love, Sarah Allison

A Mother's Prayer

May God grant you peace in the midst of  a storm.
May God give you strength even when you're forlorn.
May you answer the door when Jesus comes knocking.  
May wisdom guide you when your mouth is talking.
May discretion protect you and keep you pure.
May you never stumble or fall for allure.                
May your heart  remain humble to the very end.
May a brightness in truth be what you defend.
May the world not ensnare or change who you are.
May the light that is within you shine like the stars.
May angels surround your body, spirit mind.
May favor in peace be yours to find.
May rejection and pain never reach you.
May your spirit grow bold for what you're called to.
As you rest in God's care, I will rest too;
knowing that Jesus is watching over you.
Amen.

Love, Sarah Allison

This will Make you Smile :)

Hi, friends.
You know those certain things or events in your life that just make you smile until you cry, and that make you forget about all the things you have to do? Well, I just discovered one of those things. It's a Youtube video, actually. But it's not the video itself; it's the content in it that is so beautiful. This little girl, named Kaitlyn Ashley Maher, is 4 years old, and a few years ago, she auditioned for America's Got Talent. I'm always sentimental about children, but believe me, this will make anyone and everyone smile really, really big. It will probably make your heart melt, too. (Yes, even you manly men...) You'll see what I mean :) Children really are the greatest.

Love, Sarah Allison

1000 Gifts: A Challenge

Hey, friends!

Thanksgiving is almost here! How crazy is that? I am looking forward to going home and cherishing the time I get to spend with my family! Family is the greatest :) Because Thanksgiving is all about giving thanks and reflecting on everything you are thankful for in this world, I have something that I thought I would share with you. The student speaker at The Remedy yesterday, which is a student-led time of worship at Concordia, talked all about thankfulness. And during her talk, she had mentioned this idea called 1000 Gifts. She is challenging herself to write down 1000 things she is thankful for. These things can be anything and everything you are thankful for and there is no time limit. She is just simply listing 1000 things. 

Give Thanks unto the Lord, for He is good.

After hearing this, God put this idea in my heart and I am now challenging myself to compose a list of 1000 things I am thankful for. I pose this task to you as well! I challenge you to make a list of 1000 things you are most thankful for. Can you do it?! Have a blessed Thanksgiving and always remember to give thanks in all you do!

Love, Sarah Allison

My Beloved

Hey, all.
If you ever feel like you're not loved, or not good enough, or not perfect enough in this world, let me tell you something. You are. You are loved beyond measure. You are beautiful. There are days when I feel like this. But then God reminds me that I am everything He's ever wanted. And, you know what? You are, too. You are His beloved, and His love for you is everlasting. This song I am going to share with you is a love song from God to you. He will never, ever, fail you. I love you, and so does He.

Love, Sarah Allison 

My Favorite Things

"I simply remember my favorite things, and then I don't feel so bad." I had a difficult night last night, I'm going to be honest. So many things just came crashing down at once and I was overwhelmed and saddened by what happened. But, in the midst of this difficult time, I remembered the wonderful song from "The Sound of Music, called "My Favorite Things." So, I started humming it and then I decided to make my own list of things that make me happy. I thought of my toddlers back home, whom I miss terribly and who make me laugh like no one else can. I thought of my family and my mom, who is my other half and whom I could not live without. I thought of the piano; when I play it, I forget the world. I thought of God, who loves me unconditionally.When I remember my favorite things, the things and people that make me truly happy, I feel so much better. It really works, you should try it sometime! I know that I am loved by so many people, and that's what gets me through. I think of my future profession as a pediatric nurse, and how I will save the lives of children who deserve the best life they can get. Everyone deserves a chance to live. These are my favorite things.
Love, Sarah Allison

Miracles

I came across this today, and I want nothing more than to share it with you.

You are a miracle; you are special. If you think about the saying "the miracle of life," all of it is true. One sperm and one egg come together to form the very life that you live right now. Ever wonder why I'm so sentimental about children? Well, this is why. When I'm a mom one day, I am going to look up at my little girl or boy and say "You're my little miracle," because they are, and they always will be. 

So, believe in miracles and cherish what is good. And always remember that you are one. Always.

Love, Sarah Allison

Gravity

Hi, guys.
This is my second post this weekend, but I just have to share a song with you.
There's something so incredible about the piano. I have been playing for close to fifteen years, and I will never get tired of it. Playing piano is an outlet for me; I can just go play and forget the world for a few moments. I came across Sara Bareilles's song, Gravity, tonight as I was listening to Pandora. It's absolutely gorgeous; The lyrics, her voice, and the piano itself. I encourage you to listen to it and just relax from all the stressful events that are currently taking place. Let the piano take you away from reality. Enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEXhAMtbaec&ob=av2e

Love, Sarah Allison

Romans 12

Happy Saturday!
I hope you all had a blessed week. I wanted to share with you part of Romans 12.
"Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless with those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in Harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position...do not be overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good." 

We cannot enjoy all God desires for us if we live by our self-centered desires. Romans 12 says it all; by doing all of these things,  we are truly enjoying all God desires of us. Here is what I believe Romans 12 is telling us to do.
"Hate what is evil; cling to what is good."- practice the Ten Commandments
"Be devoted to one another in brotherly love."- be a loyal friend
"Honor one another above yourselves." - care about other people; put yourself last
"Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord." - serve the Lord in everything you do; keep the Lord first. Always.
"Share with God's people who are in need." - Share the gospel, say a prayer, help them in whatever way possible
"Practice hospitality" - volunteer, make a difference in the lives of others
"Bless with those who persecute you"- love your enemies; pray for them
"Live in Harmony with one another." - do not argue, for it wastes time.
"Be willing to associate with people of low position" - dare to be different; talk with people who are very different from you
Most importantly, "do not be overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good." Be civil; follow God and try your best to make what is evil, good. In doing so, YOU will be able to enjoy everything God desires for you. Be bold, be great, be YOU.
Love, Sarah Allison

Cherish our Differences

Hey, guys!
I hope you're all ready to start off this week. As I was driving home from school on Friday, my roommate and I were talking about what it would be like if everyone were the same. Quite the topic, huh? I thought I would share how I feel about it on this blog.

Could you imagine what it would be like if everyone in this world were the same? What would happen if everyone practiced the same religion, or if everyone voted for the same people? What if everyone rooted for the same sports team or even drove the same kind of car everyday? I think that society today would be so dull and boring, it would be ridiculous. People. including myself, take for granted all of the differences that make this world livable in each and every day. I constantly think that people should do the same things as I do; but then I got to realizing how selfish that sounds. If everyone were to live their lives the EXACT same way as you do, there would be nothing interesting to discuss; nothing new to learn. Our differences are what makes us UNIQUE; they are what separate you from  the billions of other people; our differences are like our external DNA that allows us to be different than other people. Be proud of what you believe and the differences you have from others. After all, you are who you are.

I am a Lutheran, a Twins fan, a nursing student, a Cobber, and a toddler teacher. What are you?
Love, Sarah Allison 

My Sister and I

Hi, everyone!

Yep. Explains us. 

Wow, what a busy last couple of weeks...from Homecoming weekend to going on a retreat to mid-semester exams this week, I haven't even had time to think straight. I have two more exams and one paper until I get to go HOME for a few days! Yippee!! I haven't been home since August, and I cannot wait. After all the stressful events currently taking place, it'll be very nice to just sit at home and spend time with my family for a few days. What I'm most looking forward to is getting to spend time with my sister :) I haven't seen her since August, and I'm really excited! Rachel and I are 4 years apart, yet we're still really, really close. We may not see each other that much, but whenever we do, we always become our goofy, dorky selves again, just like when we were little. We quote Finding Nemo like it's nobody's business, we share Nicholas Sparks novels, and we blast country music and Backstreet Boys whenever we get the chance. She's engaged to be married this coming April, and, let's face it, I'll be the first one to start crying on her wedding day :)

Fall 2010

What I'm trying to say is that siblings are forever. They will be there for comfort, for laughs. You always will have this bond with them that nobody else has. You are stuck together for life, so enjoy the moments you spend with them. God put you together for a reason, so love them, laugh with them, and share stories that will last a lifetime. Have a great week, everyone!
Love, Sarah Allison

Fallapalooza Fun

Hi :)

I just got back from the best weekend I've had in a long time. This weekend, I was blessed to be at a retreat called Fallapalooza. The weekend retreat was for students at Concordia, North Dakota state University, or Minnesota State University-Moorhead, who are involved in their campus's Campus Crusade for Christ. All three hundred students went up to Devils Lake, ND for the weekend to mingle, relax, and better our relationship with Christ. We worshiped, we dug into scripture, and we spent intimate, quality time with our God. Throughout the weekend, I stumbled upon Ephesians 5. I'm pretty sure God wanted me to read it, because the verse I read is a spitting image of how I want to live my life. It reads:

"Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved Children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." 

Worship time!

God and I had had a talk the night before I read this verse, and He told me to use my passion for children and my knowledge for nursing to go and make a difference in Tanzania, Africa. In May 2013, I, along with other nursing students, will serve the Lord and the people of Africa by doing clinical work and bettering the lives of as many people as we can. I hope to focus on children especially, because no child deserves to be in the hospital. Not in my eyes. I want them to know that they are loved and that everything will be okay; I will take care of them. If God helped me decide this, He can help you decide your vocation, too. I challenge you to spend some quality time with God. He will point you in the right direction. 

Below are some pictures from my weekend. Enjoy, and have a GREAT week!

Love, Sarah Alllison

My roommate and I enjoying the gorgeous fall afternoon

Leaf jumping!

Facts about Me

Good morning, everyone and happy hump day :)

I just wanted to share with all of you some random facts about me and about who I am. So perfect for the title of my blog, right? Okay, so here it goes. 

1. My favorite food is macaroni and cheese

2. I have a bucket list that I take seriously

3. Working with children is something I not only consider a gift, but a passion

4. I've NEVER had pop before in my life. It's true!

5. I LOVE LOVE LOVE sports. I surprise people everyday with how many stats I know. Go Twins!

6. I dream of working in a children's hospital in the pediatrics unit

7. I would love to go to Africa to work/volunteer in a hospital down there and make a difference

8. I've played the piano for 14 years

9. My favorite book in the Bible is 1 Corinthians 13

10. Salzburg, Austria is my favorite city in the entire World. (Sound of Music, anyone?) 

So, there you have it! These are all part of the characteristics that make me who I am. I encourage you to let the World know who you are, as well. You only have one life; let loose the facts about yourself that make you the one and only You. 

Love, 

Sarah Allison

Focus on What's Right

Happy Monday, everyone!
Wow! It's only Monday morning and already I am off to a very busy start. And, I am already getting distracted from the day's to-do list. Obviously, I'm blogging instead of working on homework, and before this I was just checking my Facebook and Twitter accounts, and, as I'm typing up this blog post, I'm watching a TV show on TLC...(sigh).

There are so many times throughout our day that we can lose focus on the things that are truly important. Instead of spending all our free time on social networking sites or watching TV or Netflix or whatever, I challenge you to focus on things you feel are important: relationships, God, being proactive and not procrastinating. Last night, I was distracted by so many things that I prayed to God for guidance for getting through the week. He will be there to get you through it all no matter what.
Faith, Focus, Finish.
Love,
Sarah Allison

Imperfection is Beautiful

Hey, everyone,
So, I just got my microbiology exam back about an hour ago, and I have to admit that I did awful on it. The fist thing that popped into my mind was "How did this happen?" I studied for days, hours for this test, and I got nothing to show for it. As a college student, you are constantly fighting silent battles. Someone always does better than you, someone is always smarter than you are. But, in the midst of all this internal hatred for myself for doing poorly, I heard God say to me: "Sarah, you are not perfect. Nobody is." These are words I'm sure we've all heard before, but it got me thinking. I'm human; God's right, I am imperfect. But, you know what? That's beautiful. Being imperfect is what makes us all unique. It's God's way of telling us that we're all human, and that we do make mistakes. So, next time you are in the same scenario that I was just in, remember that God loves you no matter your failures. It's part of the beautiful imperfections that make up who you are.
Love, 
Sarah Allison 

Beautiful

Hey, friends :)
As we venture into the school/work week, I wanted to share with all of you a song one of my roommates introduced me to a few days ago. It's called "Beautiful" by Jim Brickman featuring Wayne Brady. (Yes, the Wayne Brady from Whose Line is it Anyway :) It's beautiful, incredible, and sends a gorgeous message: that everyone is beautiful. "But I've never seen anything as beautiful as you."
You are all beautiful; don't let anybody tell you otherwise.
Have a great week!
Love,
Sarah Allison
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GS9GH8XX3Ew

Jeremiah 29:11

Hi, guys.

So, it's going to be another late night. Part of the joys of being a college student, right? While I'm taking a break from studying, I figured I might as well blog for a little while. I will admit that at the moment, I'm as stressed as can be. My mind is always going through so many questions. How come this exam has to be worth half our grade? Why do we only get 2 weeks to write a 10 page paper? Why does this lab have to be 3 hours long? But, in the midst of all these questions, I pray to God for guidance; that everything will turn out okay. Listening to Him always helps me. Most of the time, He tells me to read Jeremiah 29:11. So, of course, I go get my bible and open it up to the verse. It says: 

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord. "plans to prosper you and not to harm you; plans to give you hope and a future." 

This verse always helps me to push through the times we find most inconvenient, and I know it will help you, too. 

Love, Sarah Allison

Wonders of Fall

Hey, guys!
It's a very chilly Saturday morning here in Moorhead; only 53 degrees, in fact! Oddly enough, I am perfectly fine with this weather. My favorite season in fall, and this weather proves that fall is finally here :)
Fall is a great time to experience:
1. Beautiful leaves in many different colors

2. Pumpkin scented candles!
3. sitting outside with a blanket and enjoying a warm cup of hot cocoa
4. pumpkin spiced lattes! (Anybody excited for this as much as I am?) :)

There is so much more to LOVE about fall, including all the things God has blessed us with. I thank God every day for the beautiful creations He made, and all the beautiful people He put on this Earth.
Have a great weekend, and enjoy the wonders of fall!
Love, Sarah Allison

Blessings

Good evening, my fellow blog-followers,

I just have a short story to share with all of you. I could not sleep last night; my mind was spinning and spinning with all of the blessings that have happened to me in the past week. It was spinning so much that early this morning, I just broke down and cried. I cried not of sadness, but of joy. I have grown so much closer to God in the past week, I think, than I have in my whole lifetime. Between going to church on 9/11 to singing to our Lord through The Remedy to participating in my dorm's bible study, I am just so overwhelmed at how blessed I am. Last night, as I was sobbing, I realized that life, right now in this moment, is pretty close to perfect. I continue to thank the Lord each and every day how ridiculously blessed I am. I knew there was a reason I chose to go to Concordia: It was You, God, who decided that. It is You, God, who gave me my love for children. It is You, God, who led me to live my life the way I am. You made me; I am me because of You. During bible study tonight, we talked about this: 

"God sent the one who would rescue and restore us. His name was Jesus. The unique Son of God became one of us. He spoke truth, modeled love, dispensed grace, granted forgiveness, and offered life in all of its fullness." 

He is my ultimate role model, and I could not love without His guidance. I cannot wait what else He has in store for me this year. I am blessed, and so are you. 

Love, Sarah Allison

United by God

Hey, everyone, and happy Tuesday.

Last night, I got to experience something truly miraculous here at Concordia. I went to The Remedy, which is a student led and a student planned worship service. I didin't know what to expect because it was my first time going to it; I cannot believe I didn't go last year! I cried, I laughed, I prayed, and I lifted my arms up to the Lord our God; for I know that he is our one and only Savior. We read through some scripture that read: 

"But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you. For surely, O Lord you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as a shield." Psalm 511-12

The book of Psalm is my favorite book in the Bible, and this verse is one of my favorites. I am so thankful that The Remedy is here to renew me and make me whole again. Praise God and all his glories!

Love, 

Sarah Allison

Soli Deo Gloria

Hello, everyone and happy Tuesday!

I hope you all are having a good beginning of the week. It's a rainy,chilly Tuesday here at Concordia. Classes don't start until Tuesday so it's very nice to have some down time before then. I am using this relaxing time to think about the true reason I am here at Concordia, and why I fell in love with the school this past year. Concordia is truly a place where I can be open about my faith in God. Soli Deo Gloria is Concordia's slogan, and it means: "to God alone be the glory." Concordia lets me practice my faith, discuss my faith, and so much more that this school has actually made my faith in God even stronger. I always ask myself, "how is that even possible?" But it is possible. It's difficult to explain. I have always thought my Faith was where it needed to be, but once I got to Concordia, I quickly realized that I had developed a stronger, deeper relationship with Jesus that was not there before. Concordia, the word, means "hearts together" and that just describes the community that develops at the college every single year and beyond.Our hearts are together throughout, and our hearts are in our God above. I am so excited to begin another year here at Concordia and see what else God has in store for me :) I am beyond honored that I am a Cobber. I pray that you all have a GREAT rest of the week! Soli Deo Gloria.

Love,

Sarah Allison

Back to School

Hey, everyone!
I'm just taking a little break from this hectic Saturday. Yes, tomorrow I leave to go back to school, so it's that day of packing, organizing, cleaning, and etc. I hope you are just as excited about the school year as I am! New year, new friends, and new experiences await. However, as a nursing student, I, for one, can tell you that school can also get pretty stressful. I'm sure every other college student can agree with me. I've learned that being stressed out is part of life. So, I like to handle being stressed out by defeating it. I get through it by staying strong, staying optimistic, and reminding myself that God is always on my side. Praying to God is something that is a huge part if my life and I can say that He always answers them. Besides, once your stresses pass, you feel so much better :) I better get back to work; I'm going to try to be done by 5 so I have the chance to worship at my home church for the last time in quite a while! I hope everyone has a great first day of school! Remember to have fun :)
Love, Sarah Allison

Luke 18: Why I Love Children

Good afternoon everyone, and happy Saturday!
I hope that you all had a good week! This morning, I was doing some reading in my bible and I stumbled upon this verse that I thought I would share with you. Luke 18: 15-17 is about Jesus talking to little children, and having his disciples rebuke them.
 "People were also bringing babies to Jesus to have him touch them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. But Jesus called the children to him and said: "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 'I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."
This is why I so deeply care for children. Every child is a child of God, and every child is perfect in their own way. I find joy in their smiles and their imaginations. When they laugh, I laugh also. I work with children now, and I will continue to work with children in the future; when I become a pediatric nurse. I love children because they find joy in things that us adults usually take fr granted. By working with toddlers, I have learned to appreciate the little things: birds, squirrels, flowers, airplanes, and sunshine. Children highlight God's creations such as these that we just look at without even appreciating. Children are everything to me, and I thank God everyday how lucky I am to be able to work with them.
Love, Sarah Allison  

Jim Thome

Hey, everyone!
I finally have time to blog; hooray! It's been a busy week so far. I'm wrapping up my last full week of work before I go back to school. I'm excited to get back in the swing of things at Concordia, but I'm also very sad that I have to leave my wonderful toddler class behind.

Anyway, the topic I was going to talk about today was Jim Thome. If you're a baseball fan, no matter what team, you should be familiar with the name of Jim Thome. He's played for 5 different major league teams in his long career (Cleveland, Chicago, Philadelphia, LA Dodgers, and the Twins) and, two days ago, he accomplished the long-awaited feat of hitting his 600th homerun. And, here's the most interesting thing: When he hit that homerun, he and the Twins were in Detroit. The whole crowd gave him a standing ovation as the entire team and his family came out to congratulate him and give him a hug. For the Detroit crowd to recognize him like they did, it just shows how great of a person Thome is. I may be over-exaggerating here, but I believe that he is one of the greatest athletes to ever play the game of baseball. Not only because of his skill, but because of his character. He is confident in what he does, he keeps a great attitude no matter the circumstance, and he just enjoys what he does. There are so many athletes out there that play the game just because they're good. And that's great. However, you will not succeed on just talent alone. You need to have passion, and that's what Thome has always had.
Thome is a great example to me of how you should live you life: Have passion for all you do, be happy, and you will be successful. Even if Jim retires after this season as a Twin, he will always be remembered in the baseball world. I can guarantee that. :)
Love, Sarah Allison

Life-It's a Story Worth Telling

Good evening everyone, and happy friday!
I am so, so glad it's Friday! I am lacking lots of sleep from this chaotic week and I am looking forward to not setting my alarm tomorrow morning :)

 I am spending my Friday night in my room just relaxing and listening to music, and I put my iTunes on shuffle and the song "Story of Your Life" by Matthew West came on. Immediately I turned it up. This song, like every other song, tells a story. But the story is not about love or break ups or getting back together or any other cliche Taylor Swift-like song. The song is about finding yourself, and thinking about what kind of legacy you want to leave of yourself. The beginning says: "This is the story of your life. You decide how the rest is gonna read. This is your chance between the lines to redefine what kind of legacy you leave.This is the story of your life and it's worth telling." Matthew West is right on on the fact that your life is a story worth telling. You should be proud of your life and all you accomplish in it. It's a journey of ups and downs, obstacles and accomplishments. The song also is saying that if you have made some mistakes you regret, it's never too late to start over. God's love is never ending and never failing, and he loves you no matter what paths you chose to go down. No matter what, live your life. Have no regrets. Fall in love. Dance in the Rain. It's your life. It's a story worth telling.
Love, Sarah Allison
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DR7KfFfse3k

Take Joy in the Little Things

Hello everyone!
Sorry I haven't been able to write since Sunday; it's been a crazy week so far. I've been balancing my work schedule with being on staff for my high school's marching band.
Anyway, I wanted to tell you a little story that happened at work today. As most of you know, I work with kids at my church's childcare center, and today (field trip Wednesday) we took the school-agers to a water park for a few hours. I was playing with a kindergartner most of the time we were there, and I had asked her if she wanted to go on the tube slide. She was skeptic at first, and told me she was scared. But, after a few minutes of thinking, she agreed to go with me. We waited in line with our double-tube and when it was our turn, she squealed with delight all the way to the bottom. "Again, Ms. Sarah, again!" she told me over and over again. So we spent the next hour (no, I'm not kidding :) going down the tube slide, screaming and laughing each time we went down.
On the bus ride back, I couldn't help but stop and think about the joys little things such as water slides bring into our daily lives. Children bring joy into my life everyday, and I thank God every night how blessed I am to work with such amazing kids. Everyone should take joy in the little things in life, whether it's going down a water slide, hearing a baby's laugh, or even just seeing the sun on a gorgeous summer day. The little things may seem small, but they will make a big impact on our daily lives. Have a great rest of the week! Smile, love, and be happy :)
Love, Sarah Allison
 

Weekend recap

Hi, everyone!
I have to much to say and only so much space to say it! I just got back from the most wonderful weekend I've had all summer. (Despite the dumb construction and the extra hour it took us to get there and back...) My Duluth weekend was filled with laughter, fun, and late nights of playing card games in the hotel lobby, and so much more. :) This weekend was just what I needed to relax and forget all of the stressful things I have to do before I go back to school...like rehearse for my clarinet audition at Concordia, finish my school shopping, go to a zillion appointments, and focus on my kids at work Yikes!
But, as promised, here are some pictures of my amazing weekend in Duluth! I hope everyone has a GREAT start to their week!
Love, Sarah Allison

The kids playing cards until midnight :)

Hiking at Gooseberry Falls National Park. God is so good!

Sitting by Lake Superior on a gorgeous Friday afternoon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Duluth!

Good morning!

I was blessed to get the day off work to go up to Duluth for the weekend. I am really looking forward to this weekend spent with family and friends! This weekend is also special because it's my only vacation this summer. I've been so busy with work and other things that I haven't gotten the chance to just relax and not do anything yet. Everyone should get the opportunity to have at least on of these times each summer, despite your busy schedules. Take time to relax, unwind, and enjoy God's beautiful life designed for you. You only get to life it once, so live it up! Have a joyous weekend, and I'll be back on Sunday with pictures :)

Love, Sarah Allison

Welcome!

Hello all.

Welcome to my blog, "I Am Me." I've always been wanting to start a blog, but have never been able to come up with a good name for it until just now. So, I came up with the title when  thought of this: God created me to be me. Makes sense, right? Why not be all you can be when God created such wonderful people on this Earth? I am choosing to live my life the way I've always wanted to, and that is by making a difference in this world. I LOVE doing whatever I can to put a smile on people's faces; whether it's by making them laugh or doing a small deed that, to them, makes them feel loved.
If you take away one thing from this blog it's this: You are loved. Don't let anybody tell you otherwise.
I am Me, and I WILL make a difference; even if it's in the smallest of ways. I hope you will follow me along on this journey and that you will realize that you, too, can be you.