Posted on by Simone

Phone Calls

Hello old friends, new followers, and fellow bloggers- 

I’m an old soul, born circa ’93 but in my heart, I feel like I’m from an earlier era.  I love phone calls.  Yep, I’m one of those weird people that rather receive a phone call than an email or a text message.  It’s something about hearing the voice of those you love, it’s comforting yet exciting.  It’s a simple way of building connection and intimacy, two things that I hold dear.

I have a friend who is a master of connection.  She is the only one I know that loves phone calls, facetime, and face to face meetings.  It’s like she feels no anxiety as she bares herself to me in conversation.  Every time I’m with her I feel safely loved, heard and just free to be myself!  Over the past eight months, she has taught me about connection: both with God and others.

I realized that I shied away from connection because it allowed people to see me. And I mean see me: in rawness, brokenness and undone.  Yet, it is this baring of oneself that builds intimacy and connection.  If you cannot see me fully, then you cannot know me and you cannot love me.  Now, I find myself putting my phone down in the company of others, preferring face time calls, and wanting to have amazing conversations over a hot cup of coffee.  I prefer connection because to me:  it’s raw, it’s intimate, and it’s real.  Who wants to be in relationships and cannot be real?  Who wants to invest in something that only appears to be close?  That only appears to be solid?  Not me.  I’m good without the facade.  Give me the real, where I can hear in your voice that you’re not good.  The real, where I don’t have to decode your text messages or wonder why you used a certain emoji?  Instead of laughing emojis, I want to hear the ones I love laugh and I want to know that they are laughing from a genuine place.  At the end of the day, we all want something real.  Now, for my friends who are not like me, I’ve mastered my text game: GIFS, emojis, and short paragraphs of text but in my heart, I love a good phone call!

So why talk about phone calls? Well… maybe because we live in a world where people desperately want to feel connected.  To something, to anything; to someone, to anyone.  There are people all around us who want to know that they are seen, heard, loved and valued.  If we look up from our screens and start looking into the face of those around us, maybe we will build connections based on the raw, based on the real.  It’s harder to forget about those whose voices you hear frequently- that’s why when someone is around you all the time, you find yourself feeling closer to them.  On the flip side, those we only engage with via social media from time to time and even through an occasional text, sometimes we forget about them.  We forget to see how they are doing, beyond the highlight reel, we forget that we were once apart of their lives.  Our friendships lack communication, our relationships lack depth and before you know it, it’s easier to move on breaking covenants because what we had lacked the real- it lacked connection beyond a keyboard.

I encourage you to look up!  To be aware of those around you.  I encourage you to come out of your comfort zone and to connect.  I love phone calls, but it’s because at the end of the day I am okay with vulnerability. Are you okay with being vulnerable?  Are you okay with revealing who you are to have depth in your relationships? It’s okay if you’re not ready yet.  It’s okay if vulnerability frightens you, but I can guarantee that the level of love you desire is only coming through vulnerability.  What you want in your friendships and relationships is only going to come through revealing who you are, baring yourself to your inner circle.  Depth only comes through the raw, it’s only strengthened through the real. Happy connecting!

Xoxo,

Simone 

 

 

Posted on by Simone

The Aftermath of Creativity

Hello old friends, new followers and fellow bloggers-

I don’t know about you all but sometimes I just erupt into this ball of creative energy.  It’s like everywhere I turn, my desire to create increases and my concentration upon the task at hand decreases.  It’s very rare that you meet someone who is full of creativity and logic at the same time.  I was talking to my brother about myself and I said, “You know bro, I’m full of contradictions- housing both boldness and insecurity. I’m a walking oxymoron.”  I think those who hold creative mindsets, ideas and etc are walking oxymorons- mixed with things that don’t make sense but just happen to work! 

But what about after I’ve hit the high of creation, well I quickly become super sleepy for a few days.  It’s like my body can only handle the creative process for 24 hours and then I am drained longing to recoup so that I can do it all over again.  I believe that is why the Father longs to teach me rest because even he at the height of his creative power- he created man and was so as I could imagine it drained of himself and decided to rest. He took that seventh day to rest! He placed everything he could into the creative process and then recouped to begin the process all of again. 

Wow, that’s encouraging! God placed all of himself into the creation of us that is was imperative that he rested. So what is the aftermath of creativity, I would argue that it is the necessity for rest!  Creativity fuels the necessity to rest and when we operate and create but don’t rest we burn ourselves out before we can relish in the work of our hands.  So, I encourage you all to create, accept the contradiction that you are and embrace the ability to rest- for God being love and judgment, fire and cloud, peace yet a man of war teaches us that contradictions are not only good but difference should be celebrated. Create yet rest! 

Until next time, 

Simone 

Fic : http://drwillsparks.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/creativity.jpg

Posted on by Simone · 2 Comments

Daddy Issues

Hello old friends, new followers and fellow bloggers-

Happy Father’s Day to all of the fathers that I have the pleasure of sharing my life with everyday.  I appreciate you and all that you do for your children.  FATHERS you are SOOOO important!!!! Really, your presence in your child’s life makes a real difference.  I was blessed to have an amazing dad, and his wisdom and love has changed my life forever.

Whether we realize it or not, a person’s relationship with their father affects their relationships with others.  I have had so many relationships with men with “daddy issues”, which results in this apparent insecurity in regards to their ability to be a “man.”  I have been in relationships with guys that didn’t know their dad or their dad wasn’t the best positive influence in their life- this results in trust issues, love issues, lack of intimacy and affection and all kinds of problems for the relationship.  Fathers, your presence is not only important but life-changing.

Well…. what about women?  Do they have issues when their dad is not in place? Yes!  A lot of problems, such as understanding their identity, abandonment issues, trust in men issues, this idea that they have to consistent protect themselves and sometimes this obsessional search for love that leads to empty sex with random individuals.  Promiscuity has been produced in the absence of men in their daughters lives…emotional/physical abuse has been produced in the absence of fathers in their daughter’s lives.  SO FATHERS YOU ARE SOOOOO IMPORTANT!!!!

So I want to encourage the fathers that are giving their all to their kids- KEEP BEING A GOOD DAD!!!! KEEP AT IT !!!! To those who are not where you’re supposed to be, there’s still time to make things right.  The same way our Heavenly Father reaches out to us and make things right, you have the ability to make things right with your children because your presence is very important for their life.  We thank God for our single-mothers, for the women that are occupying two positions in strength and grace – but if you can be a dad, be one.

Emulate our Heavenly Father, and enjoy the blessings that come your way!

Until next time,

Mo 🙂

Featured Image Credit: http://files.stablerack.com/WebFiles/71513/dad-and-son-at-lake.jpg

Posted on by Simone · 2 Comments

I’m So Busy….Doing What????

Hello Authentic Lovers! –

I’m just getting a moment to breathe, working overtime to complete some task before Memorial weekend dawns upon us and I am feeling tired and slightly aggravated.  I was thinking a moment ago, why am I so busy?  And, am I busy doing something meaningful?  When you’re busy doing something purposeful, it’s like you find the motivation to continue in spite of being tired or stressed or etc.  But the real question for myself was, why am I so busy? And is what I am investing my time into, actually worth it?

I’m reminded of the story of Mary and Martha.  Jesus was coming into the town of Bethany and decided to stop my His friends; Mary,  Martha and Lazarus’ place.  Three siblings that shared this common bond of friendship with Jesus Christ.  Martha being ( I would assume) one of the older siblings, took it upon herself to prepare for Jesus’ arrival.  She prepared a meal and she served all of the guests that stopped by the house, she cleaned, she was so busy making sure everything was perfect for Him.  Mary on the other hand, as soon as Jesus came by, spent time in His presence and just sat at His feet- eating up His every word.  She was still but she was busy too, busy feeding her soul.  Martha looking at Mary’s stillness became very frustrated with her sister, because she thought her sister should have stopped everything to help her- knowing how busy she was….  I like the next part of the story, because it simply says that Jesus looked at Martha and told her that she was busy doing things that held no eternal meaning, but that Mary was doing what was meaningful in that moment.

Today I feel like Martha, busy doing things that aren’t meaningful.  I love my job, I do.  But is it meaningful?  I love  those I serve with, but is the work we’re doing meaningful?  I love the kids I teach during the week, but is it meaningful?  I rather be like Mary still and feeding my soul- than to be like Martha, do the most when it isn’t necessary.  I believe that when we live life in purpose, all of the trials of life become worth it.  We find ourselves satisfied in where we are.  We find contentment in purpose.  So this evening, I implore you to examine your life and how you are living it?  Are you busy?  If so, busy doing what?  Is what you are doing meaningful?

Have a great evening and we’ll talk soon!

Until next time,

Mo 🙂

Featured Image Credit: https://www.lds.org/bc/content/shared/content/images/gospel-library/magazine/en07jun41a_rane.jpg