when the answer is no..

hi friends..

again, it has been too long since we've spoken. in about 7.5 weeks, i will finally be done with this whole school thing and perhaps can start writing some more. the goal is still the same..to make you smile and remember that God is above all the best thing to ever happen to you and me.

so, about that title.

what do you do when the answer, the answer you really wanted to be yes, is no? do you cry, stomp around, plead with God, ask 'why me', or do you breathe a pray of thanks for God's will to continue and pray for the next direction.

i must confess, until recently, i wasn't so good at being thankful when the answer was no. God took that opportunity to teach me to wake up and remember that i am most definitely not in charge of my life nor can i see what is really going on in this wonderful life.

so today, i'm sitting on my couch thinking about the answer no and a verse popped into my mind. its one most of us know well. and this verse, well, it explains in 26 words exactly why 'no' is a perfectly okay answer from God.

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end." Jeremiah 29:11

all i can tell you from here is that hearing no is really hard sometimes, but there is a reason and He knows best.

God also said that all we need is food and raiment..that's food enough to stay alive and clothing enough to stay alive (and decent). that's it. this means that we might hear 'no' when we don't want to.

for me, hearing no isn't and wasn't fun, but once i remembered Who really is in charge and has the plan for life, it became a little easier to accept.

next, though, i had to also remember to praise God, even though His answer was no.

that was definitely harder than i was expecting. thank goodness for music to help me praise. take a few minutes to listen to these songs. they have the same title, but are sang by different women at different points in their lives.

I Will Praise You - Ginny Owens https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkiX_g8hGPI&index=30&list=PLSTbHdwl24okjRiqIcHwAem4gBNNbA396

I Will Praise You - Rebecca St. James https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXET-duSRr8&index=31&list=PLSTbHdwl24okjRiqIcHwAem4gBNNbA396

now..when the answer is no, just remember there is a Plan you don't understand. a Plan more beautiful than you can imagine. a Plan with a better end for you. 

and that, my friends, makes me smile.

with that, i love you all. i pray for you all.

keep smiling!

hello my name is..

hey all,
i'm tori lyn and it has been a really long time since we've talked.

the real title of this post is...

survival.

it's been almost two years since we've talked and as a result i have survived nursing school without keeping up with you.

the real thing is though, life is all about survival. God created us and gave us a knapsack of tools to use. in that sack is His Word, some family, a few friends, the sunshine, the clouds, a mind to think, a body to move, an appetite for food and liquid, and the capacity to love. surviving with all that seems pretty doable, however, He also included emotions.

emotions are tough. not a day goes by lately that i'm not in tears or close to it and let me tell you something...that is okay. God gave us the tears. its His reminder that its not a perfect world, but He is perfect and He can help us through.

we are God's children and He loves us.

please remember to smile my friends...God put that ability in your survival knapsack too.

i love you, so does He.

go forth, smile a few times and let love be part of your survival.

peace :):)

the numbers.. [dedicated to my best friend, Lindsay]

hello friends. :)
how are you today?

do you ever feel less of a person because of the numbers in your life?  your grades? height? weight? IQ? number of friends? age?

guess what...the numbers do not matter.

your age is just a human defined measure of time.  God loves you no less because you are thirty instead of twenty. (and so do i)

your weight is just a measurement of gravity and the Earth, again, human defined.  although there are reasons to control it, God loves you the same stick skinny or not.

your grades are just a representation of your ability to take a test or remember information.  even though you need better than a C to be an average student, the human definition is just that...defined by humans.  God sees you as a child of His, not a C average student.

see the pattern...?  God is your Creator, He is the Judge in the end, your Constant in between.  He does not love you based on the human defined measures of greatness: numbers.

God loves you, and so do i!

smiles and hugs :)

scabs

hey everybody!
two posts in a month?! i must have so much time on my hands... :) just kidding, i have something to share with you all that couldn't wait.

do you know why you get scabs?

*nerd alert* scabs form on your body over an injury so the inside can heal first.  the scab is basically a protective covering so healing can take place from the inside out, rather than healing the skin and leaving a wound inside.  this could cause an infection anyways. so our bodies work really well (it is because they have a wondrous Creator), but today i would like you to know that scabs are not just physical.

think about the last time you've been hurt, not physically, but emotionally or mentally, or however. (don't dwell on it too long, just long enough to remember the feeling) just like in our bodies God's wonderful creative ability shines through as our wounds heal from the inside to the outside creating a completely fixed area, His creativity in spiritual healing is just as amazing.  the last time you were hurt, it probably took awhile for the hurt to heal, you perhaps were really touchy around specific subjects for awhile.  first, the physical pain of the hurt probably went away, although you probably still thought about it frequently.  next, your thought frequency on the subject diminished.  then when people talked about subjects relating to the hurt, you didn't react, and lastly, one day, the hurt was gone, leaving a faint scar, barely noticeable that just reminded you that you survived.  through the whole thing, there was a level of protection and extra comfort available from our Father, the scab.

was it a fun process? of course not, but now you are a survivor, stronger on the inside AND the outside due to the wonderful formation of that scab.

stay strong friends! remember, God created scabs!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhVDhUlUX88 ***listen to this for further encouragement***

smiles, hugs, and laughter :)

p.s. scaB -- the 'b' stands for broken; scaR -- the 'r' stands for repaired :)

BIG news

hello my friends,
it has been awhile since we've spoken. (nursing school has abducted by social life) :)

being a full time student with a demanding(ish) job can be a big task.  think about the most overwhelming thing in your life right now, good or bad.  do you ever feel like you can't handle it, and just want to give up?  do you tell yourself someone else out there will take care of it, you're not good enough anyways?

guess what?! there is a Person out there that can help you get through it.  God is BIGGER than the most overwhelming thing in your life. He can handle it, He can help you through anything.  just remember, God would not bring you up to something that He didn't know you could handle with some help from Him.

go BIG, my friends, and keep smiling. :)

100% sunshine

hi friends :)
how do you feel when you walk outside and see sunshine? i feel happy and free.  sunshine is a beautiful gift from God that is mentally, spiritually, and physically beneficial for you.  the more the better, right?

wrong.

if all we had was sunshine, would we appreciate the gift?  would we be as thankful, as reverent to our Heavenly Father if we knew we could receive His gifts so easily without ever a reason to appreciate them?  think of it as hawaii; to tourists, it is an awe-inspiring vacation spot, but if those tourists visit the same spot every year, it begins to lose its value as a vacation place, it becomes too routine, and the significance drops.

sunshine is like that. if we receive the gift so often that it begins to lose significance, eventually we don't see sunshine as a reason to thank God.

embrace the gifts we are given...including the clouds.

smiles and hugs :)

beautiful chaos...

hi friends :)

what does your schedule look like? how often do you wish for just an hour of leisure time to just relax? how focused are you at work or school? our lives are a big jumble of plans, ideas, thoughts, wishes, and the actual happenings.  chaos, if you ask me. but it is a beautiful chaos.  that big jumble is a mess from the outside, but with God at our side and a healthy dose of faith and trust in Him, there is a way out, a way to make the best from the mess that is this beautiful chaos.

let God be your event planner, take a break from the stress of the chaos and let Him arrange it as He sees beneficial to you...after all, He is God, He sees everything, knows everything, and is more than capable to take a messy chaotic day and turn it into a beautiful reflection of His plan.

smile, my friends, and relax a little.
the chaos can turn beautiful.

hugs and smiles :):)

be well :)

hi friends!

thanks to the Walgreens employee i spoke to yesterday, i have a new thought for you all...he was telling me how the company has a new phrase that they tell people.  this phrase, be well, struck me as very important.  not only does being well mean being physically healthy, but all around well. over and under, right to left, up and down, everything in alignment...

but,
since when can we humans attain perfection..? we can't, but God is.  when we let Him be our guide, trust in His incredible plan, and believe that all will work according to Him, our minds and mentalities become well.

it doesn't take a psychologist to tell you that when the different pieces of you are healthy, the whole you is healthy.  when you are healthy, you can be well.

sometimes all it takes is a step back from the controls (i really need to remember this) to let God guide us, and we see our own vibrancy and health shining around us.  God is so good, my friends, let Him be your Guide.  let Him help you to be 100% well.

smile my friends, and be well :)

roadtrip?

hi everybody :)
when is the last time you took a roadtrip? they are a lot of fun, aren't they? is life fun? overall, life is pretty fun...do you know why? because life is a roadtrip.

the goal of a roadtrip is to enjoy the journey just enough to keep the anticipation for the destination high.  in life, we see every experience as good, bad, or normal.  the normal is like the long stretches of interstate, calm and regular.  the bad might be the terrible gas mileage of your vehicle or that annoying click your car makes (personal experience).  the good is the time spent with your travelling partners, the memories made, but also the knowledge that when you reach your destination, it will be worth every single second, good, bad, and normal, of the trip.

appreciate all moments of life, my friends.  although you might have a bad day, it is still one day closer to our heavenly destination.  enjoy what God has given you, relish the beauty of today.

safe travels!
smiles everyone!

just keep swimming...

hey!

a blue fish taught us all a valuable lesson...when the road seems impassable, just keep going, keep pushing, if its meant to be, it will be. well its finals time in the semester which means those of us in school are over stressed, over-caffeinated, and sleep deprived. you know what?

besides attempting to cut down on caffeine, get some sleep, and get some valuable nutritious food..that stress won't go away until its cause goes away..

i can't make the end of the semester come any more quickly, but i can tell you to keep swimming. every day, make sure you accomplish at least one extra thing than the bare minimum...the end is near.

best wishes and good luck!

keep swimming! (and smiling)

if you don't have finals...keep swimming through whatever big stressor you have right now...God made a way for us to survive, and He promised to not expect more of us than what we can handle. believe Him.

stay strong my friends!

:):)

a healthy brain

hello everyone!
your body requires lots of different things to run efficiently, that much is obvious. good-for-you food, water, oxygen, sunlight, the list goes on...

but...

the brain requires more than the physical healthy helpers.  the brain needs happiness, pleasant interactions, positive outlooks.  your brain needs to be happy.  all the good-for-you stuff only works when you have positive emotions.  those positive emotions cause happy things to flow through your body, and in turn cause a fully functioning brain, body, soul, and smile.

take time to spend with your family and friends, read a good book, eat a piece of chocolate, take a nap, drink extra coffee, eat cool-whip from the container, do the same with nutella...all these are simple things you can do to send some positive emotions through you.

don't forget, a smile can also send happiness through you :)

so my friends, go out, be happy, and focus on giving yourself a healthy brain!
hugs, smiles, and sunshine!

:):):):):):):):):):)

don't forget to look for the blessings...

long time no talk my friends...life has become crazy busy. one thing i notice when i become overly busy is that i forget to notice all the blessings in my life. i feel as if i am not the only one...any of you have that week when you are so busy that you forget not only to be thankful, but you also fail to notice all of God's blessings? its a terrible thing, but it seems so very common.

here is a fix that works for me...take a few minutes each morning, besides your normal personal daily devotions, and focus on your beautiful life.  no matter what is going on, there are blessings evident.  take that awful cold shower, the intense traffic (we don't get much here haha), the bad roads (those we definitely get), the long lines...take anything that makes you less than joyful and remember that in that, there is a blessing.  the traffic might be stopping you from being in an accident, the bad roads make you appreciate, and be thankful for, the good roads even more, and those long lines might just mean that once you get to the front, your food will be fresh (happened to me yesterday at Panda Express...fresh fried rice after waiting in a long line!!) whatever the annoyance is just don't forget, God put it there for a reason.  so...

DON'T FORGET TO LOOK FOR THE BLESSINGS...they are there, somewhere. take joy in the search and move on in life...every day when you wake, remember, God gave you that morning, so be happy, thankful, and humble.

don't forget to smile either...
love, hugs, blessings, and smiles...

you are beautiful...

today i want to share something very important with you. it has a lot to do with God's creations and how we treat them. so let me ask you a question. would you intentionally bash your car into a tree? would you intentionally yell at your pet just because? the answer should be no. so why do we intentionally degrade ourselves? God created trees, pets, AND you. all things God creates are wonderful, magnificent, beautiful creations. including you. open your eyes and look around! would God create something ugly? who decided that women need makeup, lots of jewelry, and skimpy clothing to be beautiful? God says you are beautiful and worthy. believe it.

YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL, because God says so.

have a good day! smiles!

the importance of you

hey all, i have some news!

YOU ARE IMPORTANT.

end of story.

just kidding, i have more. ever think about how small you are compared to everything else? ever wonder if you matter to anyone? well, you do. you matter to God. why would He have created someone who didn't  matter...? also you matter to me. i don't know some of you, but because i can put this out there, have people read it, it makes me feel like i can reach out. you don't just matter, you are important. you are the lead actor/actress in your life...and God wanted you there. He picked you for you. you are the best version of you, because God said so.

take a break from your computer. go look outside, but first, if you are a MN resident, put on some extra layers. :) see the sun? that is God's smile. He loves you!

take a chance today, go out and change someone's life. the next stranger you encounter, smile at them. then comment, and tell me what happened...please?

continue smiling my friends, life is a beautiful thing! :)

answering machine...

hello friends! it has been way too long! i confess to letting life get in the way of my twice weekly goal to post something to make you smile, or keep you smiling...but don't we all have a problem of being too busy? i digress...

how often do you check your mail? voicemail, email, texts, etc...

i have this insane worry that i will be needed urgently at the very time there is no way to contact me, so i compulsively check my various types of mail and messaging services to make sure everyone is okay, and that i am not needed. crazy, huh?

what about when you need someone desperately and cannot contact them? does it make you more upset, or do you worry about them? or, like me, do you sometimes have a niggling feeling that there is a reason they did not answer or reply immediately? perhaps, they didn't want to talk to you, they are hurt, they can't help you...the list continues. it is a tough place to be in, especially when you really really really really really need someone.

want to know something absolutely awesome? God does not have an answering machine.  He is ALWAYS there, exactly when you need Him, and if you don't get a reply immediately it isn't because He is ignoring you. He is replying! He says 'wait, and see what else I have in store for you...'

so, when you really really need someone to talk to, let your someone be Him. He will be listening.

hugs, love, smiles, and laughter!

the lyrics of life

what is your favorite song? when you first learned that song, was it the individual verse lyrics you were able to memorize first or the chorus lyrics that repeat constantly? for most people, the lyrics in the chorus are the words that initially stick in their brains. as you listen to the song more and more you start to hone in on the words in the individual verses and they each begin to mean something to you, or turn the song into one that you no longer love all that much. but as soon as the song cycles back to those chorus lyrics that make the song, you love it all over again. life is a song. each verse is different, some amazing, some mediocre, and some absolutely terrible, but the chorus is the stability in your life. for many its church, family, friends, and/or a food item. (once you have been through college, you will understand the food item reference...mine was/is nutella) no matter how tough that verse of your life is, the chorus that follows it is the glue that keeps you together. so remember when the verse is tough, the chorus is coming! stay strong, my friends, and smile! :)

in the absence of light...

there is no such thing as darkness. what we refer to as dark is really just an absence of light. think to the last time you sat in complete 'darkness'...how did you feel? and i don't mean that wonderful feeling right before you fall asleep. is there a sense of fear or uncertainty in the dark? a lot of people hesitate to sit in completely darkened areas without a legitimate reason. not all people, i had a roommate in college that held a strong dislike for light...i do believe our curtains were always closed and the overhead lights only on if they were absolutely necessary. back to the point...in that absence of light you are remembering, do you think how you were feeling could have been different? the next time you have a spare five minutes, go to a quiet place and make it very dark. sit calmly and think about sad things, or frown. how do you think you will feel? i am quite sure that your feelings will not be positive. now try again, only this time, smile, laugh, and think about happy things. did the darkness disappear? in the absence of light, it does not take physical light to correct the absence, it only takes a positive outlook. from now on, any time you are feeling blue, or like you are sitting in a dark area: smile. you will feel better.

love, love, love! (and smiles) :):)

the key to life...

hello! if a random stranger were to walk up to you and ask you what the key to life is, what would you say? on average, i am pretty positive realistic people would say breathing. i agree actually, for obvious reasons...but what about non-obvious answers. take a look in a mirror. what do you see? look past your physical characteristics and view your person. are you alive? or merely existing? you see, it takes things like breathing, eating, and sleeping to exist. but to live, it takes more. so today, i challenge you: live! smile more, love freely, and choose to live every day like it is your last. cliche or not, there is much truth to the phrase...today may be your last, so take advantage of the unknown and live! the key to life is life. in order to truly live, you must have life in you. don't just exist, live!
and smile... :)
peace, hope, smiles, hugs, and glittery laughter... :)

no matter what...

hello all! i hope today was as happy as sunshine for you! today's post is something of a cheer up therapy session for those of you who didn't have good days. open another tab and go to YouTube. search the song No Matter What by Kerrie Roberts. when i titled this post the first thing that popped into my mind was that song. to me, the song is a reminder that no matter what happens, what we have done, where we have been, or who we associate with, God sent Jesus to die for you also, and that alone, right there is a reason to rejoice, take joy, smile, and be happy. and if that doesn't make you smile or cheer up, then think on this: be you! you are allowed to have days that aren't stellar because that is part of you. and remember, you are a masterpiece created by the best Artist ever. smiling yet? i am cheering myself up by writing this! :) so go forth and smile at random, make the rest of your day sunshine-y happy, and don't forget...SMILE. :):)
peace, hope, and smiles... :)

humbly awesome... :)

hey friends!
while talking with some friends yesterday, we had this interesting thought about humility and awesomeness. we have an awesome God, right? (correct answer: yes) :):) and our God delights when we are humble, yet He created us, which makes us awesome children of an awesome God. that makes us humbly awesome! so smile about that. :) here is a thought about humility that i heard during a talk with the band Big Daddy Weave. being humble is not about degrading yourself or being cruel, but true humbleness is accepting the way God created you and LOVING YOU. give yourself another smile. :) now for a final thought, what do you think when you hear the word creation? i usually think of masterpieces, or things not easily recreated except by the original artist. my friends, God is that Artist, and you are His masterpiece. smile! :)
hugs, smiles, and hope... :)