~Update~

Hello Superstars,


    Tomorrow I will be going back to my typical attitude of living only for Friday. Yes, I will be returning back to school. My lovely Spring Break will be over in less than twelve hours, and I have not came up with an excuse to stay in my cozy bed. I guess I can only turn to Destiny's Child "Survivor" to get me through the place I would dislike thinking about.

   Before I go back to school, I thought it would be nice to give you an update of my life. The events I'm about to tell you about happened in no particular order.

   Let's start with boys! Don't worry, Superstars, I'm still single, but I have developed a few crushes. When I have a crush, the guy is nothing but trouble or doesn't have a clue I exist. I'll leave it you to decide which is worse. Personally, I think it's a sign from God that I don't really need a companion. Companion. That is actually a funny word for someone my age to use.

   This month I learned what it was like to lose someone. My grandmother, a person I truly loved, passed away. I had been preparing myself for a long time for her death. Honestly, the more you expect things the more surprise you are. I did not ever imagine how hard it would be to lose someone's presence on Earth. It was definitely a healing process. I am not completely healed yet, but I am strong enough to realize that my grandmother will forever be with me.

  On a lighter note, I finally have a new skincare routine! As most of you know, I am a former Accutane user. I am now four months post the medication! This is the first time in years I have been satisfied with my skin. 99% of my satisfaction is due to Accutane, but the other one percent is due to the new products I have been using. Although the products cost a pretty penny, I am extremely satisfied with the results.

   Fashion. Superstars, I know you have not seen a lot of fashion here on this blog lately. Don't get me wrong, I love clothes. I'm just in a place where I want to blog about clothes. Honestly, I don't even want to buy clothes. I am growing as a blogger, and I feel that I want to expand my writing from the girl I was over the summer. Also, I'm trying to find myself when it comes to my personal style. While cleaning out my closet, I realized I was over so many things in my wardrobe. The more I mature the more my style changes. I'm clueless about how I want to dress. So, I would rather save my money and wait until I find my style.

    I'm sure you all have heard of the Vitamix blender. If you haven't, it is one powerful machine. This week I welcomed it into my kitchen. No, it is not part of my "health kick". I would have started that the day after New Years. Yes, I am now taking more steps to a healthier life. I feel like my mind and body are at point where they connect. A point where I can stay focus and lose weight. I'm not

I finally saw the movie where this quote is from.
 I bet you know what movie it is from.

trying to look a certain way. I want to feel a certain way… a better way. I think everyone has experienced or will experience a time when they feel good about their bodies. I experienced that before… five years ago. Now, I am trying to get back to that place.

  You see a lot has taken place in my life thus far. I could go on, but there's a point you must put a period on your past. Plus, I feel you know more about what is going on in my mind then my friends do. In a way, I like that. Feel free to comment below with an update of your life.

Love ya,

Sarah E.
 

Letting Go and Letting God?

Hello Superstars,

     I'm sure you have heard of Alcoholics Anonymous. Don't you think there should be SA, a Student Anonymous group? The idea sounds grand. Students would gather to vent about their unhappy teachers and the loads of homework that must be finished before they can count sheep. I guess SA groups already exist in high school cafeterias across the U.S. If there ever was an official Student Anonymous program, here's how I would introduce myself.

      " Hello, I'm Sarah Elizabeth and I had twelve test in five days," I would say.
       
       The cute boy (just imagine it) across from me would ask," How did you get through it?"

       Releasing a breath, I would give him a one word answer," God."

    Honestly, that was the only way I've been getting through my test. I didn't just get through them, but I passed them with A's. Yes, I did study from the hours of 6 p.m. to 12 a.m.During my study sessions, my mother would always come to me and say," Sarah, there's a point you just have to let it go."She was not saying stop studying and go into class with a "YOLO" attitude. My mother was telling me that I was doing all I could do, and at a certain point you have no control. You must then give your control and trust back to God. You have to "let go and let God."

   Truthfully, that is the hardest thing to do. Why? I can't speak for everyone, but I'm going to speak for myself. I am a believer of God, but I'm not a perfect believer. There are times when I take do two steps back, ignore the presence of God, and only trust in myself. Basically, I have times when I don't go to God for things. I only depend on myself. Sounds stressful? Well, those times are stressful. So stressful I found myself midday in the E.R., patiently waiting for my doctor to fill out a prescription for anxiety medication.

   I thought my good grades was the result of me staying up late, reworking problems multiple times, and just being naturally smart. I did not ever think it could have been because of God. Shouldn't that have been my first thought? I mean, He is the one that has blessed me with a new day for the past sixteen years. It wasn't my first thought, and I had to learn the hard way.

  It wasn't just my mother's advice that played a role in me letting go, but I kept coming across Matthew 11:28 - 30. To me the verses are saying, go to God with whatever is heavy on your heart. Give your burdens to him, but you must be willing to take on his burden. Don't be scared. His burden is far lighter than ours, and all he wants is your trust.

When I gave my trust to God, I had to humble myself. I even admitted to God how hard it was for me to give him complete control over how I would do on my test. It was hard for me to let go, but it would have been far harder if I would have taken those test alone.

The school year is coming to its closing stages. Standardized tests are on their way and finals will soon be knocking on the door. Superstars, I will like to leave you with a prayer my sweet mother granted me with. It's perfect for the smallest quiz to the exam that determines if you pass a course. The prayer is from a prayer book. It's an emergency prayer entitled "I Need Grace to Pass an Exam".

  "O God, what peace and comfort there is to know that You are all- knowing and there is never a question that baffle You. Therefore, I come boldly to Your throne of grace so that I may obtain mercy and find grace to help me pass the is very important exam( Hebrews 4:16). yes, I'm doing my part by studying, but I am not trusting in myself for a successful outcome because Your Word says that he who trusts in himself is a fool ( Proverbs 28: 26).
 
 My eyes are on the Holy Spirit to show me what I do not know and bring everything I study to my remembrance (John 14:26). I praise You, Father, for You give wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding. You reveal deep and secret things; You know what is in the darkness, and light dwells with You ( Daniels 2: 21-22). I stand in faith that You will reveal the answers to whatever part of the exam that I find myself in the darkness.
 
I thank You and praise You in advance, O God, for giving me wisdom, insight, and making known to me the answers to the exam ( Daniel 2: 23). i will give You all the glory and will resist any pride as a result of this victory. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen."

 Love ya,
 Sarah E.


                                                 Here's a peek into my Saturday.

I must shamelessly admit, while I was typing this post I was getting my groove on to the Grateful Dead.

Why Do We Play the "Change Me" Game?

Hello Superstars,

It's a game that we all play without evening knowing it. The game where we so casually say to one another,"Why I can't I have your *insert unique feature*?", but think so deeply about. It is such a popular game even twins play it.

Why do we wish to be magically metamorphosed into some unobtainable figure? There is one Miley, one Jenna, and one Sarah Elizabeth (okay there are probably five million Sarah Elizabeths, but each one is unique). Have you ever thought about a giant bubble you would be placed in if you did have the feature you yearned to have? You would be just another girl with the mole on the left side of her chin. Or the chick with the cool baby hairs that lay just right. Do you just want to be another girl? Gosh, it's starting sound like I'm giving dating advice.

What I'm trying to say is, accept what you have. What you have is so much more than what you don't have. Remember that! Having two slightly slanted eyes is better than having one good eye
. And unruly eyebrows is WAY better than having no eyebrows. Go ahead and imagine yourself with a giant hairless space on your forehead.

Let's be real women and put the "Chang Me" game away.


Love ya,

Sarah E.

A Song Bringing You Closer to Something You Lived Without

If there was a song that could make me touch the sky,

I would learn every word, every chord of it,

It wouldn't be just a "top of the lungs shower" song,

No, you won't just hear it at an underground jazz club,

It would be the anthem of dreamers like me,

Dreamers who believe they are the difference between good and bad,

Boring and unique,

This song will set them free,

It will spark a hidden talent,

A talent so bright it would light the world,

Warm every soul,

Burn every non- believer,

And spread from Africa to Asia,

Jungles to suburbs,

Relentlessly,

This song will be so catchy even a deaf person could feel it,

A mute person would sing it with their fingers,

Not one person will go to bed without knowing it,

Because it will be a song that will take them far beyond the world,

Away from fears and doubts,

Closer to a dream they knew but lived without.


Sarah E.