Own little world

This song is one of those songs that makes you think, and it should. We shouldn't get so caught up in our own little worlds, we should look out to the others around us and see the world that we live in. 

"In my own little world it hardly ever rains 

I’ve never gone hungry, always felt safe 

I got some money in my pocket, shoes on my feet 

In my own little world 

Population me 

I try to stay awake through Sunday morning church 

I throw a twenty in the plate but I never give ’til it hurts 

and I turn off the news when I don’t like what I see 

it’s easy to do when it’s 

population me 

What if there’s a bigger picture 

what if I’m missing out 

What if there’s a greater purpose 

I could be living right now 

outside my own little world, ooo 

Stopped at the red light, looked out my window 

I saw a cardboard sign said “Help this homeless widow” 

Just above that sign was the face of a human 

I thought to myself, “God, what have I been doing?” 

So I rolled down the window and I looked her in the eye 

Oh how many times have I just passed her by 

I gave her some money then I drove on through 

in my own little world there’s 

Population two, woah 

What if there’s a bigger picture 

what if I’m missing out 

What if there’s a greater purpose 

I could be living right now 

outside my own little world,  

my own little world, 

Father break my heart for what breaks Yours 

give me open hands and open doors 

put Your light in my eyes and let me see 

that my own little world is not about me 

What if there’s a bigger picture 

what if I’m missing out 

What if there’s a greater purpose 

I could be living right now 

I don't wanna miss what matters 

I wanna be reachin' out 

Show me the greater purpose 

So I can start livin' right now 

outside my own little world, (yeah) 

my own little world, (yeah),yeah, yeah 

my own little world"

Matthew West: Own Little World.

'la vita e bella'

'life is beautiful' 

I think sometimes we get so bogged down with life and the worries and the tasks we have to do, that we forget the simple truth that 'la vita e bella' (life is beautiful). 

Whatever happens in our lives, the pain and the hurt, the love and laughter; each and every part of it is beautiful and our lives are made up of small moments that make this huge picture. 

Life isn't being easy on me at the moment, in fact a lot of the time it sucks but I walk out my door and I see the view of the city I live in and it makes me smile. 

The graveyard at the end of my road gives me comfort and the songs that I listen to each day make me happy. 

My best friend, with all the wisdom she has said to me today that 'summer always comes, sometimes it just takes a while'. She is right. 

Life is beautiful, throughout the pain and heartache, life is beautiful and summer always comes. 

It is God's world and He made it to be beautiful, and it is. 

xoxo 

My day...

(How i feel right now... )

My day has been spent:

-writing a presentation that i have to do on tuesday 

-playing with my new macbook :) 

- eating to much toast 

-  getting worried about blood test results 

-bad phone-calls and venting to housemates 

-eating wine gums :)

Now off to the cinema so am happy to get away from my life and escape into 'life as we know if' :) 

peace out and love you all 

xoxo

Lovely things...

Today I just wanted to share some lovely things that always make me happy:

The graveyard at the end of my road is one of the most peaceful places ever and it is so pretty, it calms me down every time I go there 

 This little trinket box that my bestie made me this summer makes is beautiful! 

Not mine, but this hangs in a friends room and I love the saying 'love is friendship set on fire' 

My bed-spread :) Its covered it little shiny red hearts and makes me smile and my room pretty. 

In case you can't tell Love Hearts make me happy- they are amazing and wonderful! 

So lots of love and hope you have wonderful days 

'me' 

xoxo

My weekend...

Was spent.... 

Running around in pouring rain
Watching gossip girl from the beginning 

Sitting through vision meetings and writing on flip charts 

Eating junk food and watching movies about weddings 

Burning too many candles 

Talking to new students 

Eating free pizza 

Focusing on the good things 

Trying to sleep and being unsuccessful 

Realising that my housemate is amazing and truly there for me 

Talking to my mum and dad about everything 

Now for another week, lets hope and pray this one is better... It has had a good start so far

'me' 

Bestie for life !

Best friends make the world a better place and it is wonderful to have around... 

I love her 

'me'

"To send a letter is a good way to go somewhere

without moving anything but your heart."

-Phyllis Theroux

I miss the days of letters, although technically I wasn't around then I do remember the airmail letters my mum would get from her mum when I was little. They just seemed so exciting. I have decided that this year I will re- ignite the letter. I am going to write letters to friends. 

Letters make people happy and they provide such awesome memories. 

Letters are beautiful things. 

That's what I've been thinking this morning, now to do some work before I go into back into my day dream world. 

'me'

Beauty of a new year..

Final year of University starts in a week and it's a brand new year, with brand new adventures and brand new dreams. 

This past year was full of drama and heartache, learning and discovering who I am and what exactly the world has for me. So now I start all over again with the knowledge that I actually know nothing, but that I have a Daddy God who has this plan. A brilliant perfect plan and all I have to do is fall... 

Fall into the glory that he has given me and the love that overpowers me and let myself sick into grace, just like the song says.. "if grace is an ocean, then we're all sinking.." 

I think I have realised that there is a beauty in the written word, a beauty far beyond what you would think. Emotions and dreams and desires flow as one types or writes and they just seen to melt together to create this world that you get lost in. I have started to read some classic books and I find myself falling into a world where you get lost in time, forgetting the day and dreaming about adventures in far of places. 

I am a true romantic and I want to be romanced. There's nothing wrong with that. This makes me happy. 

So I would say, embrace your dreams, follow your heart and fall into the Fathers arms and wait. For Him to show you the adventure of your life, the one that is far beyond anything you ever dreamed of for yourself. This adventure is the best it can be and will leave you filled with knowledge that you are loved eternally and endlessly for simply being you. 

Peace.Love.Hope.Joy 

'me' 

Ran away, Ran away and found myself today..

(stolen from a friend)

Today I sat in my PJ's watching mindless american drama's, read endless blogs and flicked through books that I have no interest in. It has been a pure indulgent day of nothing and yet I have become inexplicably tired this afternoon and evening. 

I came to the conclusion to day that very often life does not make any sense and people will often disappoint you, scare you and do things that you do not understand. I am gripping on to the faith and truth which is that there is a plan and it is unbelievably good and better than anything that I have ever imagined. 

Today my dad asked me what type of place I would like to live when I have somewhere of my own? I had never really thought about it but I did realise that I will be happy where ever I am as long as I am with the people I trust and Love. 

That's it for today- Tomorrow I shall be more productive and make something of the day. 

'me'

Love on a Monday

Don't shut love out of your life by saying it's impossible to find. The quickest way to receive love is to give love. The fastest way to lose love is to hold it too tightly; and the best way to keep love is to give it wings.

Home Sweet Home... (and a beautiful purchase)

Hello lovelies, 

So revision is done, books are closed, exam halls quite and summer is to begin...

My parents picked me up from my beautiful uni house and loaded the car with all my stuff- 3 bags dedicated to the wonder that is beauty and hair products (I think that I might have a slight obsession!) along with about 5 other bags of things I was sure I needed.

The journey seemed shorter than the usual one although that may have been due to a late night chat, Legally Blond sesh with my beautiful house mate and the sleep that I therefore caught up on during the journey.

We came to the conclusion that Elle Woods is the best sort of role model for girls who simply love their ditzy and girly things but can hold an intelligent conversation if need be. She is the ultimate of kindness, no matter how harsh Vivienne or anyone else is. 

Anyway back to being at home...

It is strange to be back at the house as much has changed since I was last here, and Uni has definitely become more of my home - I suppose that is how it is meant to be considering its your transition into adulthood

So me and my mum decided to escape the football on TV and go to Tesco and do a spot of food shopping. 

I love Tesco's, not because of the food but because I am always able to find some little gem of clothing which I fall in love with. Today it was these beauties:

  

How stunning are they? The pink is much brighter in person and they are very high (about 5 or 6 inches) as my mum keeps pointing out. But to me they are wonderfully indulgent and I know they will bring a splash of colour to my many LBD's which make a regular appearance when I go out. 

I can't wait to relax and slump for the next few days, recovering from the stress of exams and recoup-orating before the flight to Israel. 

Here's to days of reading, sipping wine, coffee with friends and sunshine. 

'me'

xoxo 

Life as it happens...

So currently I am in the final week of year 2 of university, this time next year I shall be graduating and moving on to the real world!

Revision, essay deadlines and last minute to-do lists have taken over my life and I cannot wait to be home and sink into the comfort that is my parents house. They have these sofa's which essentially swallow you up and you never want to get off them. Perfect relaxation after weeks of endless study and work. 

My plan is to relax into those sofas and sleep in my huge double bed, read books that have gathered dust on my shelf all year and watch mindless films and endless episodes of west wing.

This summer looks to be a fun one, definitely the busiest I have had in a long while: going to Israel for 3 weeks for a third year module, followed by 2 weeks at home before 2 weeks in New York a la brother and co. Then working until September to gather some money for treats such as Apple Macs and hair straighteners (if the pay-check allows). So here's to a summer full of adventure and such things. Hopefully achieving some sense of happiness and bliss after the stress of the last few months. 

By the way scented candles and flower fairy lights are a dream if you need to relax. Along with cups of tea and chilled out music such as Rend Collective Experience . I have also been reading my way through the wonder that is 'Inspiration' by Mark-Kate and Ashley Olsen, full of interviews with designers, models, photographers, artists and wonderful people who do indeed inspire you. The book makes me happy and awakens my longing to be creative and see the inspirations around me. It is beautifully written and put together.

Well now back to the slog that is learning about Post-colonialism, exam in four days and I am free... until next year :)

Love.Love.Love

'me' 

exams, essays and sunshine

This is where I would quite like to be. 

I am not. 

Currently I am sitting inside, reading a book that is too long and making notes so I can write an essay and pass a module. Now don't get me wrong, I actually do like my course and I actually do like to write essays: and this one is quite interesting. But....

Today it is very very hot, Yesterday was also very very hot and I was stuck inside reading books while children in a garden near-by were playing in a paddling pool. 

I can not wait until I can forget about reading and essays and module marks this summer.. 

Exams and essay deadlines should be all finished before the brilliant sunshine comes- that way I can enjoy it rather than despising it. 

That's it, rant over, now back to the books... I will finish this chapter, I will, I will...

'me' 

Happy music and distractions

t this moment in time I should be working on my essay reading but instead I am writing on here because of course it is more fun. I have found myself being distracted by almost everything in the past few days. Cleaning and organising my room being one of the most common along with a new found obsession with The West Wing. I was looking at fearne cotton's blog earlier today and found this beautiful song which she was raving about. 

Lissie- When I'm Alone

It is just a brilliant happy song. 

Right off to do some work of some kind- Pile of four old library books waiting to be read. :D 

love.peace.godbless

'me'

Barbie..

I was one of those typical girly girls when I was a child, Barbie dolls covering the floor and sleeping with me in my bed. I loved them, right up until the age of thirteen or fourteen I played with them. There is just something magical about that perfectly blonde, brilliant doll. The idea that you can just live a life through this doll. The movable ones and dancing ones, one of my house-mates had a singing Barbie. 

And of course then came Ken and Kelly and all the friends to go along with Barbie. It was a little fantasy world perfect for girly pink dreamers: a la me. 

So of course when I came across The Fashionteller's blog about the Barbie spa in Shanghai I had to investigate and discover this world. 

What can I say? I am hooked! Barbie is still as intriguing and thrilling to me now as she was when I was ten. I still adore her and dream of her life. I still (maybe somewhat misguided) want to grab one of my old Barbie's and make-believe her life. 

Believe it or not, I am currently making choices about my third year dissertation and without a doubt Barbie will make an appearance, my friends think I am mad. I think I am inspired. 

'me'

xoxo

love 

I know what you've been hearing

I've seen you hide your fear

Embarrassed by your weaknesses

Afraid to let Me near

I wish you knew how much

I long for you to understand

No matter what may happen, child

I'll never let go of your hand

I know you've been forsaken

By all you've known before

When you failed their expectations

They frowned and closed the door

But even though your heart itself

Should lose the will to stand

No matter what may happen, child

I'll never let go of your hand

The life that I have given you

No one can take away

I've sealed it with my Spirit, Blood and Word

The everlasting Father

Has made His covenant with you

And He's stronger than the world you've seen and heard

So don't you fear to show them

All the love I have for you

I'll be with you everywhere

In everything you do

And even if you do it wrong

And miss the joy I've planned

I'll never, never let go of your hand

The life that I have given you

No one can take away

I've sealed it with my Spirit, Blood and Word

The everlasting Father

Has made His covenant with you

And He's stronger than the world you've seen and heard

So don't you fear to show them

All the love I have for you

I'll be with you everywhere

In everything you do

And even if you do it wrong

And miss the joy I've planned

I'll never, never let go of your hand

I'll never let go of your hand 

Books, books, books...

I love books and love reading, it is a beautiful sense of escape from the world in which we live. You become engrossed in the lives of the characters and live vicariously through them. I love the sense of a new world and discovering new things through those characters. 

I read a lot when I was younger, in the way that on school breaks I would sit in out living room with a pile of books and read my way through them. I re-discovered one of my childhood favourites on a recent visit to my parents house and so decided I would share a few of my all time greats. 

The Balloon Tree was my actual love when I was about 5 or 6. A princess is obsessed with balloons and her father has to go away to battle but tells her to send out her balloons if she needs him and he will come straight back. Of course her evil uncle tries to take over and destroys all the balloons, but a wizard helps her and it all ends happily ever after. It is such a beautifully illustrated and well written book, full of all the things a good princess story needs. It still makes me happy when I read it now.

 

When I was 12 or 13 I discovered this gem of a book and I still love it! In fact I just started reading it again. Its all about this girl's adventures as she travels to the Amazon to live with a distant relative after her parents did. The book has brilliant descriptions of the Amazon river and the world that surrounds it. It transports you to another place and time in which you love. The characters are beautiful and well made. 

I love reading and I think everyone should discover reading for themselves. 

I grew up in a house full of books and with parents that encouraged reading. I love looking at the books my parents have and stealing a few to read myself. Bookshelves in their house are full of John Grisham and Dick Francis next to the classics and Bill Bryson. 

It is a beautiful pass-time and a wonderful escapism. 

xoxo 

'me'

Three is the magic number...

3.Names I go by...

1.Rachel

2.Rachiebabes

3.Rach

3. Jobs I have had...

1.Department store, sales assistant

2.Hair dresser temp

3.Gift shop assistant -Love

3.Places I've lived...

1. Papua New Guinea-childhood home until I was 7  

2.Watford-home

3.Sheffield-Uni

3. Favourite drinks...

1.Orange juice- smooth- without bits!

2.Cocktails- basically all of them

3.Lemon and Lime water 

3. TV shows I watch...

1.Bones

2.House

3.NCIS

3. Places I have been...

1. Millennium Dome when thats what it actually was 

2.London Zoo- perfect day 

3.Taunton - beautiful town

3.Places I have visited...

1.Australia

2.Toronto

3. Dallas

3.People who text me regularly...

1.Alannah- housemate 

2.Rosie- bestie from home 

3.Big Brother 

3.Favourite Old TV shows...

1.Friends- miss it- go to happy TV

2.Sex and the City - recent discovery and it makes me happy

3. Ground Force- actually Loved it as a child

3. Favourite dishes...

1.Ice -cream and cookies

2. Spaghetti 

3.Eggs and Bacon 

3.Make-up products I can not live without...

1.Concealer - benefit erase paste 

2. Mascara- whichever one I happen to Love at that minute 

3.cherry Carmex  

3.Things I am looking forward to...

1.Going to Israel in the summer

2.Finishing these essays!

3.Seeing my family on Friday- all together once again

Love

"Love and live life to it's fullest and one day you can look back with no regrets because you have lived through mistakes and heartache but never missed the opportunities put down in front of you" 

'me'

I have seen so many 'in' and 'out' blogs and video's that I though that I would do my own, only differently- this is going to be about things I love about the world and life and things I dislike about the world and life.

 Things that I love: 

-fresh cut flowers 

-children's uncontrollable laughter 

-beauty when it is discovered by the owner for the first time 

-put together rooms and beautiful shop displays

-strong scented candles 

-unconditional love from family 

-the beauty of nature and the world 

-the knowledge that wherever we are, we are never alone or without God 

-the knowledge that we are beautiful and perfectly, wonderfully made

-cupcakes and the smell of my mum's baking 

-family gatherings and stories into the night

-God's faithfulness

-the beauty of culture and diversity

-friends that become sisters and brothers 

-innocence until proven otherwise 

Things that I dislike

-injustice and exploitation

-hatred towards others for no reason  

-judgement 

-heartbreak 

-misunderstandings 

-rumours 

-exclusivity 

-discrimination 

-mud

I don't pretend to be a person who has all the answers and her life all together, in fact I know for a fact that I am so far from it. But I know that God is here and that He is real and that the world we live in and the people we live amongst are His. I know that the beauty of the world is His and the beauty of the world has been put here for us to share. So I hope that each day when you wake up you are able to see the beauty that has been set before you and placed in your life. I hope that when you see people you see the good in them and that when you make a snap judgement you ask the question "Do I actually know them?". I hope that you see the beauty that the world holds and that you do whatever you can in your daily life to embrace and show that beauty to others. 

There is beauty in this world, in each and every person there is Love and Passion and Talent to change their tiny bit of our planet in a way that gives it more beauty.

Know that you are beautiful and that you are treasured and cherished each and every day. 

Love.Peace.GodBless

xoxo

God doesn't want us to suffer alone...

God didn't want us to suffer and He didn't want us to feel the pain that we feel. BUT because of the way the world now is, we do feel pain and we do suffer- but never alone. God weeps and cries and loves to hold us as we need him and as we are suffering. The only comfort we need is through God and His mighty way. He LOVES us so much that He wants us to give Him the pain and He wants us to hand over our aching hearts and minds to Him, so that He can comfort us and begin the healing process within us. 

He is above all a loving God, who wants to hold our hands through everything and be with us in everything that we do. He made us and so He knows us and He knows us better than anyone else in the world. He Loves us because He Loves us because He Loves us and that means that He will never let anyone suffer alone if they only ask for His comfort and strength. 

<3 <3 <3