two ears | one mouth

"We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak."  -Epictetus

I used to be a great listener, mostly because I was shy and never knew what to talk about.  but now that I seem to be growing out of my shyness, i've found myself forgetting to listen.  listening is extremely important in conversations and in relationships.  yet, sometimes we're so caught up in what we have to say, that we forget about the other person.  so remember; two ears, one mouth.  

"A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion."  (Proverbs 18: 2)

tonight.

Let's just take a moment to recognize that it's Friday the 13th and a full moon.  can you say mermaid ?! 

ps. i took this photo yesterday...sorry to deceive you.

confessions.

1| during the summer especially, I struggle to do my quiet time everyday. the sad part, too, is that I just simply forget.

2| all i've ever wanted to do lately is watch movies or be on the computer, so I have to force myself to sit and read a book instead.

3| yard sales make me uncomfortable.

4| i'm really sad that my sister is leaving for college in the fall. yet at the same time, i'm excited to play the roll of an only child.

5| I over analyze almost all of my conversations.

I left my heart in Haiti.

I love these kids with all my heart.  Two weeks ago I was able to visit them for the third time in my life, and I know it will definitely not be my last time.  I seem to fall more in love with the people of Haiti each and every time I visit.  This time, I was able to bring my dear friend, Cara, with me.  It was incredible being able to relive my first experience going to Haiti through her.  She connected with these kids instantly; it was such a beautiful thing to see.  One of my highlights from the trip was, while putting on VBS for the kids, Cara and I got to perform our dance (see below.)

Although this video doesn't show it, after the dance, the kids started chanting "Again! Again!".  It was an overwhelming experience that I will definitely never forget.  Cara and I feel so blessed.  

Another highlight was going to the beach.  That was just plain fun.