Mandy's Song

My life in words and pictures and posts

[a-joyfuljourney]

Jenessa Wait

[worshipgifs]

Constantly learning that if I don’t fill my mind with prayer, I fill it with anxiety, worry, temptations and resentment.

75/365 reasons to pray | proverbs31v25 (via worshipgifs)

[fuckyeahrudyfrancisco]

Envy is when someone walks around with a pocket full of “That should’ve been me”. Insecurity is when you turn up the volume on all the wrong voices. Hate is what happens when you put a shotgun to the face of understanding and it cowers in the corner. Courage is ripping your heart from your chest and saying “Here, hold on to this for me”. Truth is everything you tell yourself when you realize you are the only one still paying attention. Self is whoever you become when the door is locked. Trust is jumping into someone’s arms and knowing you won’t have to pick yourself up when it’s over. Love is a tablespoon full of hemlock that I’ve been dying to try. Faith is doing what you love and watching the bills pay themselves. Failure is when you talk yourself out of becoming something amazing. Victory is standing in front of the school bully with no intention to back down and a fist full of irony. Success is explaining to your mother exactly what you do for a living without feeling ashamed. It’s falling asleep at 2 A.M., waking up at 4 A.M. and going to work with excitement stitched into the fabric of your smile. Success is a thank you letter from a kid who lives in a city that you’ve never even been to. It’s breaking up a fight between a person and everything that’s telling them they will never be more than what they are. When I was fourteen, my friend Adam stole a dictionary from his English class. He brought it home and we set it on fire. Since then, I’ve been defining things for myself.

“Definitions” - Rudy Francisco (via fuckyeahrudyfrancisco)

[contrariansoul-deactivated20180]

It is not the high summer alone that is God’s. The winter also is His. And into His winter He came to visit us. And all man’s winters are His–the winter of our poverty, the winter of our sorrow, the winter of our unhappiness–even ‘the winter of our discontent

George MacDoanld (via kvtes)

[samxcamargo]

Joy comes to us in moments - ordinary moments. We risk missing out on joy when we get too busy chasing down the extraordinary.

Brene Brown (via yesdarlingido)

[mandyfyola]

Things my dad taught me

Above all else my dad taught me doubt He taught me to suspect my neighbor. He taught me to question what I'm told and question your intentions. Through reality checks and scared straights, through harsh words and heart-to-hearts my dad taught me the bitter taste of a grain of salt. My dad taught me perseverance. He taught me to shrug it off, hold back my tears, to not be broken. Through rabid teasing and crass jokes, through angry tirades and justified meanness my dad taught me to have a thick skin. My dad taught me shame. If he didn't make fun of me some one else would. And at least he knew when to stop. At least we knew he was only joking. My dad taught me darkness. There is evil in the world and it doesn't care if I'm only a kid. They'll kick you down when you're not looking. So keep your eyes on the ground he'd say. Keep your defenses high. My dad taught me to be realistic. Stay grounded he'd say. Your enemies will shoot you down if you fly too high. So don't get caught looking at the sky. My dad taught me duty. Through a loveless marriage and unhappy obligations through jobs we hate and unwelcome burdens my dad taught me to always do "the right thing". My dad taught me how to swim. Through careful lessons and chicken, bird, soldier. Through dunkings and tosses in the deep end. My dad taught me the strength of my own legs in the water. My dad taught me that the best intentions sometimes have terrible consequences. That dads are only people who happened to have kids. My dad taught me that people pass down the lessons that the world teaches them. Through all the things my dad has taught me I may have learned how to survive, but not how to live.

[osointricate]

Tips for living alone

Buy a bat (I have my old color guard rifle) or similar. Keep it in your room/near your bed.

Get a lock for your bedroom door.

If you’re moving into a new place, change the locks. Who knows who had a key to your place before you.

Keep your phone/a phone in your room.

Get a weather alert system set up. App, weather call, little weather radio that tells you about major weather events.

Adopt a pet

Wave at your neighbors. Take note of the ones that make you uneasy. Watch out for kids always.

Be nice to your mail person. No matter what.

If you choose to drink/etc alone, unplug your wifi router. You’ll thank me.

Have extra seating. People sit when they visit. Your one comfy chair is great for you. Not so great for you + grandma + ur five cousins, your aunt, and a couple others.

Learn the self-Heimlich

When you take a shower, bring your phone to the bathroom in case you fall your phone is no longer halfway across the house, it’s just on your counter

Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Idk what else

[thefisherqueen]

If you live in an one-room apartment, put a screen around your bed. It’ll feel less like you visit people, esp. strangers, into your bedroom. Also you’ll feel much safer sleeping in the enclosure. Cook enough for a few meals each time you cook, and freeze the extra food. That way you’ll prevent things from expiring and it’s great when you don’t feel like cooking or have no time or energy for it.

Give a key to someone near you trust, or hid it somewhere few people will look, like up in a tree. Shutting yourself out isn’t nice, esp. not at night. Put something translucent like curtains or stickers for windows where people can walk past or look in. You’ll feel less watched that way.

Put some contant money somewhere in your room. Good to have in case your bag gets lost or stolen. 

Feeling lonely? Remember, online contacts are not less valuable.

[art-is-blind-deactivated2019010]

I would say maybe set reminders for everything too. Taking meds/vitamins, working out, going to sleep, waking up.

[crewdlydrawn-deactivated2022072]

Buy a small fan for white noise at night if you’re the kind (like me) that gets anxious at all the little ambient noises that ANY building can supply in the dark. Don’t watch scary movies in the dark by yourself, with no visitors. NETFLIX, if you can afford it. It’s also useful because you can watch movies / shows with your online buddies at the same time, miles and states and (sometimes even) countries apart.

[tittily]

get an app like safetrek. never walk into allies or empty streets if there is a more populated/well-lit route to your destination. keep emergency contacts in your wallet and a red cross card with your blood type on it in case anything happens. carry a list of medications you’re allergic to, if any. 

walking around with a headset or headphones discourages people from yelling at you on the street, and it’s easier to escape from hasslers. however, it’s pretty advisable to not have anything actually playing so you can be aware of your surroundings. if anything, have it at low volume.

if you get grabbed on the street (this used to happen to me a lot), immediately scream, and the person will usually get startled, giving you time to get away. 

if you feel like you’re in a really bad place, call someone, or even pretend like you’re calling someone. say where you are. act like you’re planning on meeting up with them. be loud about it. make it seem like someone will notice if you go missing, even for a little bit.

also u should look up manufacturer’s coupons like damn i feel like a successful suburban mom every time i walk into cvs and save 2 dollars on my toothbrushes

[littleaimeebaby-deactivated2017]

PSA PSA EVERYBODY NEEDS

[scully]

[coqueli-cat-deactivated20191111]

this is so sad yet important

[jamaicanblackcastoroil]

12 or under. Think about it.

[alfaazkibarsaaat]

I want your Monday morning sleep soaked eyes dream drenched voice, lazy bones ‘five more minutes please babe.’ I want your Tuesday afternoon coffee break, glasses off, laughter on ‘just hold me for a while it’s been a hard day.’ I want your Wednesday evening fingers through hair teeth nibbling nails neck craning, eye glazing ‘this paperwork never ends’ I want your Thursday night drinks for two bones unbind muscles let loose flats, slacks, ‘just me and you’ I want your finally Friday stretch soul smile, sun sipping light from the glaciers in your eyes fingers unfurl, hand extends ‘c’mon babe, lets go wild’ I want your weekend. your movie marathon Saturday reading by the fireplace kissing in the blankets want your Sunday morning orange juice and pancakes white sheets, tender skin hair like the Fourth of July ‘let’s not get out of bed today.’ I want your ordinary and your stress, rest, release I want your bad day and that terrible night I want you drunk in my arms forgetting the place but never my name I want your lazy and your lonely and your fist full of fight I want you everyday in every way for the rest of my life.

On Both Knees | alfaazkibarsaaa. (via h-o-r-n-g-r-y)

[jspark3000]

There are days or weeks or even months when I read the Bible and there are no grand epiphanies. There are whole seasons of Sundays when I sing praise and feel nothing. There are times of prayer where the silence kills me. There are great Christian books and podcasts that I eat up which don’t budge my spiritual life. There are too many times when I doubt the very existence of God and the sending of His Son. It can all feel like a crazy lie. I’m probably being too honest — but I’ve found that I’m not the only one who feels this way. It’s in those times that I ask myself, “Am I out of love with God somehow? Am I losing my faith here? How do I get back to where I used to be?” But I keep reading my Bible. I keep singing on Sundays. I keep praying. I soak in books and sermons. I serve. I enjoy the company of mature Christians. I enjoy the fellowship of the broken. And you know what? Sometimes the clouds part and God comes through and His love squeezes my heart and I fall to my knees remembering how good He is. Then I read Scripture and can’t stop weeping and I turn on Christian songs in my car full blast and sing loud enough to scare the traffic. I serve with shaking hands and get convicted by those sermons and soak in God’s goodness all over again. So I’ve learned over time: I wasn’t really out of love with God. I’m just a fragile human being who changes as much as the weather. I was setting a ridiculous standard for myself that can’t be defined by self-pressuring parameters. I was tricked by the enemy into judging my flesh. My faith is based on His grace and not my feelings. And I think I need to relax.

J.S. from this post (via jspark3000)

Oh.

(via hopefisch)

[justcallmebishop]

In every season of the soul, teach my heart to sing

Amanda Cook

Shepard

(via justcallmebishop)

[mandyfyola]

Goodbye, dear mother

Goodbye, dear mother I have so much and so little to say I don't know If I wish for you Or the dream of who you were supposed to be But let's be honest That's not who you ever were I guess this is what happens with fatal flaws and crippled hearts Alas, slow and steady wins the race Goodbye, dear mother I won't forget you Your memory is written on my face In the crinkles of my eyes and the small of my waist You've made your mark on the world So much of me comes from you But you're roots are bound Tangled and knotted and tied You've stopped growing Goodbye, dear mother I cannot stay with you I was never meant to be a houseplant I was meant to be a tree One day I hope you will join me In the earth and the sun and the rain One day I hope you'll be free

[suchlovelylittlefinds]

Have a nice weekend ! 📷 @iamafoodblog by mint_magazine http://ift.tt/25bgLty

[darshanasuresh]

one of my favourite things in the entire world is when there’s a huge thunderstorm outside and it’s raining heavily and you’re in bed swathed in blankets and you have just never felt warmer and safer than you do in that moment

[culturenlifestyle]

Stunning Visuals That Depict Endangering Species By Destroying The World

Creative agency Photoby&co have introduced a set of highly creative advertisements for environmental activist Robin Wood. The incredible graphic designs engages the public to think of the drastic changes the world can suffer from by destroying the natural habitat of animals.

Keep reading

[archatlas]

Christian Watson