Silhouettes

So, its 1:10 am, Saturday night.

Or is it Sunday morning?

I think its still Saturday night because I haven't gone to sleep.

So first, you should definitely listen to the song of this post

(If you don't realize, every post title is a song title)

It's by Swimming with Dolphins.

And I've listened to it probably over a hundred times in the last few months.

The entire song is just brilliant.

From the instrumentation to the lyricism.

But what always stands out to me, every time I listen, is:

"Who really needs the past, with the allure of something new"

The ghosts of my past seem to constantly haunt me.

Regrets and Nostalgia, two shadows that trail behind.

I can never seem to shake them. No matter where I run and what corners I turn.

They're often times allies in a plot to keep me up for hours at night.

But now I seem to have a weapon at my disposal.

One to ward them off.

That is, the allure of something new. :)

I know not of what will come tomorrow, but there has got to be something new.

Something that will grab me, something I will enjoy, somewhere.

That is what I look to, and what I have been lately.

Dear reader. Keep your head up, in the midst of toughness, or complete joy.

There's always something new and wonderful God has in store for you.

And another note, I just finished watching Prince of Persia,

and have a new actress crush to add the list of 7 (why 7? because its my favorite number),

and she sure did rise above most of those who have been on it for a while.

1. As you already know, Zooey Deschanel

2. The new addition, Gemma Arterton. She is so gorgeous, it's unbelievable.

3. The ever so stunning Rachel McAdams

4. The gorgeous, blonde, Scarlett Johansson

5. The angelic and lovely, Kiera Knightley

6. The beautiful, (except for the first name), Olga Kurylenko

7. And the magically magnificent, Emma Watson

Those are my top 7 ACTRESSES.

Therefore you should already know Taylor Swift would trump any of them,

but I'm just talking about actress crushes here.

(being in one movie, Valentine's Day, doesn't make her an actress)

But I've got to say, Gemma is absolutely enchanting.

I couldn't get over how tantalizing she was.

Couldn't keep my eyes off of her the entire movie. Ha.

Well.

It's 8th week, incredible. Which means this week, and the next,

are my last two weeks of classes, then finals.

It has seemingly gone by so fast, yet SO slow at the same time.

I'm not caught up, and really dreading finals are coming.

So prayer would be greatly appreciated.

It's my last IM outdoor soccer game tomorrow, it sucks that outdoor rec soccer is over.

And, also, in three weeks (after finals) I head off to San Salvador, El Salvador!

You don't know how excited, and nervous, I am about this trip.

I'll probably write a post soon (I promise) on El Salvador, and my excitement.

Anyways, hope all is well with you.

It is going well with me.

With love,

Dan

PS: Isn't she just splendid?

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Folding Chair

"Just because everything's changing

Doesn't mean it's never been this way before."

-The Call

I have been listening to Regina Spektor quite a bit lately.

Enjoying every bit of it.

Her music makes me smile.

I always wish I had more time to scribble out all my thoughts and life.

But I mean, who can really do that anyways? ALL their thoughts?

To do that you would need thousands upon thousands of sheets of paper.

Thousands upon thousands of ounces of ink.

Do not forget time. You'd need lots of it as well.

All of which I don't have.

So, here I sit, ready to compose what I can at this moment.

I admire the quote shown above.

Everything's changing. I can barely keep up with how often I find myself

catching up with readings. studying for midterms. writing papers.

There's no set schedule in my life.

It's sporadic. It's hectic. It's energetic.

I want a break. And you may think it's here, three-day weekend, right?

Ah. Tis not a break, I'm accompanied with more catching up to do.

It's as if its unending. I just want to sit back and take a breath.

But there's nothing I want to, or can, give up in my schedule.

School, studying, working out, worship/bible study/church, voice lessons.

So I'll keep praying for a breather in my life soon.

I've been getting stressed, and upset.

I hate change. I want everything to go smoothly, perfectly, how I want it.

But then I realize, that isn't life. That's romanticism.

And this romanticism, therefore, boosts my selfishness.

My life becomes centered around what I want and when I want, and not around God.

I tend to forget that there is no such thing as a "Jesus Jack."

I can't take him out of the trunk when my car hits trouble.

But neither can I form the idea to "give Him the keys to the car," why?

Because it implies that I must give Him permission, must give Him control.

See the thing is, God is in COMPLETE control. He does what he wants.

I don't need to acknowledge it for it to be true.

I am not implying that we don't need to acknowledge Him though.

For when we do, we realize that He is in control, and He knows what He's doing.

He knows everything and His plan and purpose will ultimately prevail.

So, we can...

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart

and lean not on your own understanding;

in all your ways submit to Him,

and He will direct your paths." - Proverbs 3:5-6

I hate how selfish I am, and how it clouds my mind.

But I believe in circumstances, in the midst of change, we must look at it with the right view.

If we look upon it as burdensome and negative, then the clouds will gather, and hide the sun.

But, when we see that it's God working in our lives (Romans 8:28), the son gets brighter.

Circumstances get smaller as God gets greater.

I urge you, to request that God would do whatever He needs to, in and through your life,

for His will to be done, and His kingdom advance. Not yours.

When we focus on the mindset that this life is ours,

we allow every wrong turn and every heart-wrenching moment to control our emotion.

But when we abandon that, and desire that He be glorified in and through our lives,

we have a hope to cling on to when the waters ride tough.

For we know, that the living God is our God. And He says:

"I know the plans I have for you...Plans to give you hope and a future" - Jeremiah 29:11

Therefore, I plead with you, as I plead with myself,

to drop our self-centered me, me, me look on every situation,

and acknowledge it in the hands of an almighty, wonderful, powerful, and loving God.

I know how hard life can be, I have struggled much lately.

But upon writing this to you, I write to myself.

I pen this out addressed to my heart, while typing it to you as well.

Life can't continually go our way, but it goes God's way.

It is not a life of perfection, but a life of fighting.

We must endure the tough, the saddening, and the heart-breaking,

For we know He is with us.

For in his arms we find peace. shelter. love.

In the arms of our Savior.

With love and prayers,

Danual.

All the way my Savior leads me

Who have I to ask beside

How could I doubt His tender mercy

Who through life has been my guide

All the way my Savior leads me

Cheers each winding path I tread

Gives me grace for every trial

Feeds me with the living Bread

You lead me and keep me from falling

You carry me close to Your heart

And surely Your goodness and mercy will follow me

All the way my Savior leads me

O, the fullness of His love

O, the sureness of His promise

In the triumph of His blood

And when my spirit clothed immortal

Wings its flight to realms of day

This my song through endless ages

Jesus led me all the way

Jesus led me all the way

All the way my Savior leads me

All the way my Savior leads me

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If I Only Had the Heart

Planet Earth,

What the hell.

Why must there be Valentine's Day?

Valentines Day... the day where the myriad of couples parade around in high esteem, knowing the day is theirs'. Unintentionally looking down upon the shunned multitude who lack the "significant other." Prancing around with smirks elevating themselves above the common single man. Holding stuffed animals and heart shaped boxes of chocolates, with stares of sympathy towards those without.

The images and emotion this day evokes. Couples holding hands, exchanging their gifts, and thanking the other with a kiss. Images to make the single man want to gouge his own eyes out.

The day where society deems you inadequate, and not as good as everyone else because you are not, as facebook would say, "in a relationship." You are a separated from the ranks of "normal" because you are in no relationship. And therefore you are forced to suffer the displays of love, cupids, hearts, and couples. couples. couples displaying their stupid emotion just because its Valentine's Day.

This wretched day, chosen for only the handful, favors those in "love" vs. those without, those that are happy and single, or longing. It favors the lovers enough to make the happy single man feel dreadfully empty, and the longing man even emptier. What a terrible feeling to have forced on you, by people. By society. By pictures. By LOVE, or at least the thought of it.

I wish this day could be blotted out of man's mind forever or that someone ironically could hit cupid over the head with a box of chocolates, and knock some sense into him. This day is not made for love, its made for money and exclusivity. Make some happy, while the others dreadful with having to put up with it. And of course, money is the root of happiness right? Wrong. All your lavish gifts aren't going to make someone love you more, it should be you they love, not what earthly things you give them.

Juliet tells nothing short of truth,

"What's Montague? It is nor hand nor foot,

Nor arm nor face, nor any other part

Belonging to a man. O be some other name!

What's in a name? That which we call a rose

By any other word would smell as sweet;"

Why must we put a name on one day to "emphasize" love? When merely it does no good for man to be thrust into such a day. Love has no bounds, and love cannot be enhanced by a single day by the name of Valentine's. Rather than make the multitude of singles be forced to inhale the garbage, let us live as if it is of no speciality. It is just a day.

True love, o, true love, where art thou true love?

Sympathy to those who stand on the same boat as I.

Let us ride solo, heads held high, and let not the beast of Sir Valentine take us down.

He will bite and throw himself at us, but it is our minds, our hearts, that will slay him.

Thrust the sword into the gullet of the beast, and shut its mouth.

For we will stand victorious.

Screw Valentine's Day.

Sincerely,

Danual.

Oh, and if you will argue me and say I am bitter because of a recent break up, or because I have no "significant other." That is not the case. If I were to have one, I would still hate Valentine's Day. Why? Because it FORCES you to show extreme affection. You must go above and beyond, rob your freaking wallet dry, in order to make her feel special. As if we men don't try to do that every day. The pressures of buying flowers, stuffed animals, and chocolates, enough to drive a man crazy. Oh, not to mention, romanticism is supposed to be spontaneous. When not, it's loses the fullness, oh how much better it is when not expected.

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