content.

I have been reading lots these days. I mostly pick up a book when my mind is getting too much for me, which has become very common lately. I just take it as though God is journeying me through a season of sifting. Sifting being compared to that of what people do when they are looking for gold. "the process of separating or filtering the good from the bad, the desirable from the undesirable". A time of reflection and constant maturing. My mind is being renewed daily and it is sooooo awesome. But with great awesomeness comes a lot of energy spent in the process. I find myself getting exhausted by thought. It's cool though, I take it as God caring so much for me that He wants me to grow in Him....daily, and I mean DAILY. Sometimes it is hard to turn off, but it is time well spent.

Through all of this sifting, I have had to train my thoughts into the mentality of being content no matter what the circumstances. "Contentment is a daily struggle, It is something we learn by adhering to the basics - cultivating a growing relationship with Jesus Christ, living daily, and knowing that Christ strengthens us for every challenge" This contentment I am talking about is accepting God's sovereign control over all of life's circumstances. I get such a great peace when I read this.

That really is what being content is about. Remaining in freedom with joy and peace within, through even the ickiest parts of life. Especially when we don't get what is going on around us and feel so trapped by the circumstances, feeling like no one understands. "Contentment is a matter of trust. If we really trust God- if we really believe He loves us and has our best interests in mind- when things fall apart around us, things don't have to fall apart inside us. Contentment is trusting God even when things seem out of control"

 (ps all of these quotes are from the book I am absolutely loving, The Glorious Journey, Charles Stanley)

inspiration.

what a day!

had a lovely morning with my parents and went out for lunch after church. it was refreshing.

came home and conked out! aka swiss coma..... it was lovely. one of those moments where you could wake up, fall asleep and wake up, fall asleep...even though I had to go do a dance show in an hour! anyways, it was wonderful while it lasted, nothing like a Sunday afternoon nap on a beautiful sunnysunny day.

Like I raved yesterday about my amazing friends through dance contests, today I met up with more and what a breath of fresh air that was....

there is something shared between kindred spirits who have found the same kind of joyful release through dance and music. We kindred spirits have also seen each other go through battles and have been their for encouragement. It is through these friends who can communicate certain past experiences with you to help you get through the next week. Feeling the freedom to talk about the sensitive stuff without feeling judgement. People who have been there and are happy in giving advice and how they dealt with it when they were in the midst of the fire. Whether it was through books read or quotes shared, and simple words that things WILL get better.

though we may not see eye to eye on everything, it does not hold us back from loving one another, as it shouldn't! To be challenged by a friend to try something new in order to making life exciting and living in the moment because dreading on the past and looking to the future is wasting NOW. I thank these friends for their pure honesty and boldness of heart to unveil past hurts and in trying to make the journey easier for another.

I often pray for people to be brought into my life when I need encouragement or phileo(brotherly love). I am blessed to have so many people full of actual substance and wisdom. I love loving these people back. Loving like Jesus. When I think of loving like Jesus, my heart soars and the bar is set so very high. It is like I need to remind myself of His love all the time in order to be so grateful for what He did for me. Some people are harder to love than others, lets be honest, but when we set aside our emotions towards these people and make the choice to just love, it is so very rewarding and in the end -- feels soooo good! So make that choice, and love. You don't really know where that person is at and you could be just the person to make their day.

shape.

So today was a pretty awesome day.

How blessed am I to be totally surrounded by talented people. I was performing today at Home County in London with some very musically talented people and am in awe every time I hear them play. It just makes me appreciate the skills and how lucky those people are that can make a living off of their talents. How exciting of a life is it to do what you love, meet other lovely talented people, and see new and exciting things! You can just bask in each other's awesomeness, yet these people are so humble for the skills they possess.

The joy brought to an audience through their music is so wonderful. I am a people watcher, I admit... and the excitement and pure expression on their faces was priceless. The clapping and happy toe tapping. We all need this sometime or another. I could never take the beauty of this type of music for granted, especially when you know the people behind it.

Music is definitely a universal language. People can just connect and share joy through such a different form of communication. I love that. Another reason why I love summer -- festivals! Canterbury was last weekend and I got to meet some more super talented genuine people. Every summer brings different festivals that I am totally blessed with the opportunities to attend. CONTESTS, again, another reason why I love summer.

These contests I am raving about are the fiddle and step dance contests I have been going to since I was 12 and has had a huge influence on me. Here are a circuit of people who have grown up with each other in one of the most Canadian ways possible, camping, jamming, socializing. They are so welcoming, and loving and so very very wonderful.

If you didn't know, in April I got to hangout with this lovely group for 5 weeks, 72 shows! I don't think a person could take so much in in 5 weeks. We all came out of it with a new taste for life and learned a lot about each other. When we reunited a couple of weekends ago, it was like tears of happiness performing together again. All of our experiences shared together as a family in that time in Branson were brought together through a dance. I respect these people a lot. For looking out for one another, respecting and for being so understanding. Thank goodness for the contests.

conclusion: Special people have special roles in our lives. They shape us and make us who we are and add a little bit of character to our growing personalities. I am so thankful for this...because life would be boring without interesting people to spice up our thoughts.

sound mind.

when I hear about having a sound mind, I think about just taking a second and chilling out in my head. Sarajayne -- what is your deal and why are you freaking out about something you have absolutely no control over? This is something I have to work on e v e r y single day.

As Jon Foreman sings, "Why do I worry, why do I freak out? God knows what I need, You know what I need". If you have never heard of this guy, he is pretty awesome, def recommend if you need a lil bit more Jesus lovin', inspirational music.

anyways, as I was saying... sound mind.. We are called to have a mind like Christ... that's a toughy especially when we are fighting the flesh allll the time. But you can't fail when you are trying to truly live a life like Christ  -- whenever I am in a pickle I try and think about what my friend Jesus would do, yea the good ol' wwjd, and it sums it up pretty well. Whether I am willing to do it or not is where the fight against the flesh comes in by a matter of "wanting" to do it. Sometimes just DOING what you know is the right thing instead of steeping in thought about it and totally psyching yourself out. For example, how many times have you walked and saw garbage on the ground when a garbage can is in sight and you KNOW the right thing to do is to pick it up but you are too busy analysing and over thinking about picking it up that by the time you act, it's "too late" and you are already past it so O WELL.. yea, I am trying to break out of the habit of doing that... and not just with picking up garbage....but in like everyday life.  Letting the Spirit lead is something I have definitely been learning how to do. Sounds horrible right.. I have been of Christian spirituality for a very long time and I am still fighting, and I will always be fighting. That is why it is called "taking up our Cross DAILY". Fighting our sinful nature and living and loving like Jesus.

The beautiful thing about surrendering and letting God lead is that it takes no thought... If I just lett'r go and let God, the task has been done and you are left with being in awe about how God just used YOU! And you never know when it is gonna happen! So stop stressing about whether you changed that person because YOU tried to, it is not of the self but of the Holy Spirit within you. Instead, when you go into a situation and you have the slightest hint that this is an opportunity for God to move someone -- let it be of His will and not your own. Pride is all too common in us and must be done away. Dying to self.

so when you find yourself getting all tied up in your circumstances and trying to figure out every solution in your mind while you are starting to actually feel it exploding in your brain -- that is not a good sign and you should probably stop hurting yourself.... and umm -- that is what it is like to not have a sound mind. So having 'sound mind' as part of my title is kind of just a reminder to me, every time I read it -- have I let go and let God? 

YEP, because my mind is at ease.

Newbie

Newbie...

Yes, I have given in to the world of blogging, but only to say that I have experienced it. I just might like it and I won't know until I give'r a chance. Here goes.

Why sweet feet?

Well, I am a dancer and have been dancing for 14 years. I have only come to really learning how much I have been blessed with this talent and am really starting to be grateful to the One who created this joy within me. This is the purpose and fruit behind the passion I freely express when I perform in front of many or when I am alone practising in my basement. Before I go any further, I must clarify with you that I love Jesus... A LOT. Simply put. He is all of me, so whatever I spill in this bloggy is basically me glorifying all He has done and is doing in my life. This man, (100% God, 100% Human) who came and lived on this earth and tasted what we as humans go through, the temptations and the ickyness of our daily struggles and sinful nature, and willingly going through the most humiliating type of being put to death in that time, crucifixion, and feeling every bit of pain. He could have stopped it in a second. His love for us is outrageous and I find myself going back to the basics everyday and trying to comprehend a love like this.

So that is the feet part.. the sweet part has to do with my last name .. = Sweet Feet...

I live out of obedience to the God who created us, who bought us back from our disobedience met in the Garden. To sacrifice His Son who had bonded with Him in the Heavenlies long before entering the earth. I know I am jumping all over the place..... but blogging is freely writing...  So that is just what I'm gonna do. That's what happens when you are so passionate about the Truth. This gift of eternity so freely given.