Who You Are Part II

I once knew a potter
none of his work was the same
beautiful imperfections
scorched by the flame of the kiln

I once knew a father
he called all his girls by name
and the way he looked at them
and the way he cried for them

Oh this is all we are

We are dust, but we are clay.

04.19.13 /20:32/♥ 1

“It is to the humble that Christ belongs, not to those who exalt themselves over his flock.” -Clement

03.06.13 /16:33/♥ 1

01.27.13 /18:41/♥ 57788

sunnerising:

Kevin Russ

01.10.13 /18:26/♥ 534

humility

I set out on a quest last year to place God at the top of my priority list, and to commit myself to having a closer relationship with Him. I wanted to hear the voice of his Spirit more clearly, so that I would take the right steps each day and live the life that I am called to.

The more I read and learned about the Holy Spirit, one thing that stuck out was that he speaks to the humble. I found this quite fitting, as it is commonly believed that the most deadly sin is pride, and humility is the antithesis. Pride is deafening, humility opens our hearts.

As last year has turned into the next, I am realizing that humility is not only understanding one’s own weakness and constantly turning to God for help, although that has been the most important thing for me to learn. Humility is also being able to act, without questioning, on what God has told me to do, and accept his growing process. You see, if my prideful self was present, I would try and do things differently, try and make things easier. But God does not want us cutting corners, he wants to teach us something.

God has put a lot of things on my heart. Callings and dreams. But I am realizing that they will take hard work and dedication to come into fruition. While he has blessed me with gifts and talents that help, and will He be there constantly on my side, I’ve got to take courage, and move forward.

01.02.13 /13:54/♥ 1

mindthoughtsanddreams:

umugwaneza-love:

so true

Johnnnnyyyyyyy

12.11.12 /14:45/♥ 132306

$muffintop-less: Eight Ingredients You Never Want to See on Your Nutrition Label. (This is why I stick to whole, real foods). 1. BHAThis preservative is used to prevent rancidity in foods that contain oils. Unfortunately, BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole) has been shown to cause cancer in rats, mice, and hamsters. The reason the FDA hasn’t banned it is largely technical—the cancers all occurred in the rodents’ forestomachs, an organ that humans don’t have. Nevertheless, the study, published in the Japanese Journal of Cancer Research, concluded that BHA was “reasonably anticipated to be a carcinogen,” and as far as I’m concerned, that’s reason enough to eliminate it from your diet. 2. ParabensThese synthetic preservatives are used to inhibit mold and yeast in food. The problem is parabens may also disrupt your body’s hormonal balance. A study in Food Chemical Toxicology found that daily ingestion decreased sperm and testosterone production in rats, and parabens have been found present in breast cancer tissues.3. Partially Hydrogenated OilI’ve harped on this before, but it bears repeating: Don’t confuse “0 g trans fat” with being trans fat-free. The FDA allows products to claim zero grams of trans fat as long as they have less than half a gram per serving. That means they can have 0.49 grams per serving and still be labeled a no-trans-fat food. Considering that two grams is the absolute most you ought to consume in a day, those fractions can quickly add up. The telltale sign that your snack is soiled with the stuff? Look for partially hydrogenated oil on the ingredient statement. If it’s anywhere on there, then you’re ingesting artery-clogging trans fat.4. Sodium NitriteNitrites and nitrates are used to inhibit botulism-causing bacteria and to maintain processed meats’ pink hues, which is why the FDA allows their use. Unfortunately, once ingested, nitrite can fuse with amino acids (of which meat is a prime source) to form nitrosamines, powerful carcinogenic compounds. Ascorbic and erythorbic acids—essentially vitamin C—have been shown to decrease the risk, and most manufacturers now add one or both to their products, which has helped. Still, the best way to reduce risk is to limit your intake.5. Caramel ColoringThis additive wouldn’t be dangerous if you made it the old-fashioned way—with water and sugar, on top of a stove. But the food industry follows a different recipe: They treat sugar with ammonia, which can produce some nasty carcinogens. How carcinogenic are these compounds? A Center for Science in the Public Interest report asserted that the high levels of caramel color found in soda account for roughly 15,000 cancers in the U.S. annually. Another good reason to scrap soft drinks? They’re among The 20 Worst Drinks in America.6. CastoreumCastoreum is one of the many nebulous “natural ingredients” used to flavor food. Though it isn’t harmful, it is unsettling. Castoreum is a substance made from beavers’ castor sacs, or anal scent glands. These glands produce potent secretions that help the animals mark their territory in the wild. In the food industry, however, 1,000 pounds of the unsavory ingredient are used annually to imbue foods—usually vanilla or raspberry flavored—with a distinctive, musky flavor.7. Food DyesPlenty of fruit-flavored candies and sugary cereals don’t contain a single gram of produce, but instead rely on artificial dyes and flavorings to suggest a relationship with nature. Not only do these dyes allow manufacturers to mask the drab colors of heavily processed foods, but certain hues have been linked to more serious ailments. A Journal of Pediatrics study linked Yellow 5 to hyperactivity in children, Canadian researchers found Yellow 6 and Red 40 to be contaminated with known carcinogens, and Red 3 is known to cause tumors. The bottom line? Avoid artificial dyes as much as possible.8. Hydrolyzed Vegetable ProteinHydrolyzed vegetable protein, used as a flavor enhancer, is plant protein that has been chemically broken down into amino acids. One of these acids, glutamic acid, can release free glutamate. When this glutamate joins with free sodium in your body, they form monosodium glutamate (MSG), an additive known to cause adverse reactions—headaches, nausea, and weakness, among others—in sensitive individuals. When MSG is added to products directly, the FDA requires manufacturers to disclose its inclusion on the ingredient statement. But when it occurs as a byproduct of hydrolyzed protein, the FDA allows it to go unrecognized. Article found HERE$

12.11.12 /14:43/♥ 746

thedailywhat:

Frost Flowers Blooming in the Arctic Ocean

Here’s a magical view of “frost flowers” blooming over the surface of the Arctic Ocean. Frost flowers form when newly formed ice “sublimates,” or changes directly from a solid to a gas without going through the liquid stage in subzero air temperature (-22C or -7.6F).

Pretty…

12.06.12 /08:51/♥ 41129

12.05.12 /19:47

newshour:

During the Yi Peng Festival in Chiang Mai, Thailand, lanterns are launched into the night sky in the belief that grief and misfortune will fly away with them.
Photo by Hong Wu/Getty Images

11.27.12 /20:29/♥ 770