the closest to heaven I will ever be (at least while I am alive)

I love Beersheba Springs Tennessee. I know big surprise. It is my favorite place on the earth. When I am there things work. Dreaming the impossible is really just dreaming the what can happen. Nothing is too big to do. You can change the world. When we are at Beersheba we are living in an ideal world. It is a place filled with laughter and peace, where we are connected to nature and one another in a way I can't always find in the real world. We clap for one another at the talent show, and we sing without fear of others hearing us. People support my crazy ideas and do what ever they can to assist me. There are two story people quotes that I like to describe Beersheba, but there are countless others

If there is any secret to this life I live, this is it: the sound of what cannot be seen sings within everything that can. & there is nothing more to it than that.

I promise you not a moment will be lost as long as I have heart & voice to speak & we will walk again together with a thousand others & a thousand more & on & on until there is no one among us who does not know the truth: there is no future without love.

There is no future without love, but there are moments that make loving the world easier.

Love,

the girl who is still being created 

See Me

Last night was an event on campus called box city. It was yet another reminder that I close my eyes from the world to often. I don't see the people around me. I don't. I should but I don't. This is what what ran thru my mind this morning:
How can I walk past you everyday and not see you? Who are you? Why do I not recognize our similarities? Because as much as I want to say I acknowledge everyone's suffering, I don't. And even if I do see it, I don't do enough.
Let me see beauty in all the people I see face. Let me see their suffering and lend a comforting hand. Oh, I don't know if I have the strength to open my eyes. I don't want to become disillusioned from this beautiful world but I don't want to turn a blind eye on it either. I will open my eyes, don't let them stay closed. No don't let them stay closed.

lost and found

Yesterday, Mom and I worked on cleaning my room (yes, it did take both of us, and yes, you should be shocked) and we found one of my old stuffed animals. This ragged little cat has a belly that has been clutched so much it is a completely different texture than the rest of her fur. She has been well loved. She protected me from monsters and comforted me when I cried. We played together. Every child needs a toy like that. She gave me ComFURt. hahah. But more seriously I can't imagine not having her, my baby doll, or my real animals.  I googled organizations that give animals to children how don't have any and there are tons out there, including ones that take pre-loved toys.
ComFURt
Held close
Cuddle
Cry
You have been there
I have been there
I might be old
But you still give me comfort
I will carry you with me don't worry

Journaling

So, I don't journal. I know, great way to vent, good for working through things, blahh blahh blahh. I just don't think that way. I am a one word type of girl. One word that says it all. I have been tempted to start art journaling for awhile and today I started. It's fun. And it is relieving. I was able to get things out that words can't do.  I am not going to post a photo because it is a little personal. But here is the gest of what I did.
Materials:
Paint Journal
Straw
Water
Paint Brushes
Paint
Pens
Spoon
Steps:

The first step I used was to write what I needed to on the paper. I mixed water and a little bit of paint. Then, I caught some in my straw. Next, I blew the paint on the paper making a really cool effect. i did this with two colors and then painted bigger words on top. Last I splashed a little glitter because glitter is my one true love. But journaling is all about you.
Do the technics you want to do. Do what feels right and will mean something for you.

Night

For my first year seminar class we had to read Night by Elie Wiesel. This a powerful book about Elie Wiesel's life in concentration camps. It broke me. Yet another event to make me reexamine my life and the way I chose to live. I don't want to turn a blind eye to the suffering in the world. I want to speak out. I want to be a person of the world not just live in the world. If you haven't read Night yet I suggest you pick it up. How could humans do this? How did they loose their humanity? Why did the rest of the world not respond fast enough? Where were the humanitarians, the lovers of the world, those how believe in mercy? At the end of the book there is a copy of Elie Wiesel's Nobel Peace Price acceptance speech. It is truly amazing and touched my heart in a way I needed. I have attached a link to it here http://www.pbs.org/eliewiesel/nobel/index.html. Please read it. I am currently considering multiple paintings based on this memoir . I will keep you updated. For the next few weeks I am going to schedule times to do more research that will help me learn more about the world around me.
May our eyes stay open and we don't fall asleep on the world,
Sarah 

isn't it fanny

Oh I love word play. So this project really has no meaning, but it is fun and quick and easy. And it would be great on a hot day. Which luckily we don't have right now! Yay fall.
Supplies:
Paint stirrer
Big circle out of light weight card board (cereal)
Fun paper
Glue
Scissors

First, glue the paint stirrer to big card board cut out. Then glue your choice of paper the front of the card board. Trim the edges. Voila. oh and let it dry.

carry it with you

some of you might know this but I like to always carry things that remind me of certain parts of my life. I wear a necklace that reminds me of the unconditional love of my Mom and Grandma. I also wear a ring that says Faith*Family*Friends, because those things should always come first. Sadly, there are many things that are important to me that I don't have a piece of jewelry, or a shirt, and certainly not a tattoo to always remind me of how important they are. But what I do have is a phone case. So I decided to use a symbol of my addiction to material things, as a symbol of what is truly important.
Supplies:

1. Phone case, ipod case, computer case, whatever it just needs to be hard plastic. Not rubber
2. Paint pens. I used craft smart Fine Line Paint Pen. I wouldn't use puff paint.
3. Sealer. I used Hard Coat Mod Podge 
4. Paint brushes

• The first step in the process is brainstorming. I knew the words I really wanted on my phone. While you are brainstorming you should also be cleaning your case if it isn't new. Mine wasn't . Yay for being spend thrift. 
• Next, after your case is dry, start at the center and write what is really important to you. I wrote "REMEMBER" 
• Around that word write little words that mean a lot to you. I wrote words like peace, broken, full, Burma, home, family, and other words                                                                                                            

I hope that you carry something with you at all times that reminds you who you are.