Lets be cliche together

I hate these blogs. 

You know the ones where we gauge our wording because of the nearing holidays. But I give in this time.

***

Ah, the smell of turkey and ham. The rice, beans, potato salads, casseroles, and baked goods. 

Another good 'ol American holiday. 

Our fireplace has fake leaves on it. I'm not sure why my mother decides to decorate our house with such tom foolery. Really, its very....cliche. But, living away from home has made me that much more appreciative of every fool I've come to love throughout the years. 

My family, who have held my hand through difficult times.

My boyfriend, who's held my heart through my brokenness. 

My friends: Gab, Jess, and Ro, who have carried my weight, figuratively and literally, through my weakness. 

Fools. All of them. 

Fools for staying so close for so long. 

I love each and every one of you with everything that I have.

And tomorrow I'll be thanking God, the one who's held my life for 23 years, for you guys more than anything. 

aut Caesar aut nihil

I can only pray that my transparency goes over well. 

Im quite sure it will turn some heads and crick some necks.

All in good faith--I'll share my heart.

I have learned how to pray. I've learned how to enter into the presence of the Lord with fear and trembling. I've learned how to be bold. I've learned how to be strong. I've developed thick skin.

 I've learned humility. I've learned honor. I've learned how to be faithful, truthful, discerning, grateful, loving, submissive, creative, trustworthy, outspoken, zealous, giving, and more.

I learned to pray like a warrior in battle and travail like a laboring woman.

I've learned that the presence of the Lord is picky, so be afraid. 

I've learned to be bold in the face of adversity, but only if the adversity is directed toward you and your folk. 

I've developed thick skin through years of criticism. 

I've learned to be humble because someone else is always better than you, God can always choose someone else.

I've learned to honor those in charge, not those to whom its due.

I've learned to be faithful to the church.

I've learned to be truthful and have had a lot of "truth" spoken to me.

Ive learned to "discern" the atmosphere and do things according to those inclinations.

I've learned to be grateful for what you're given. Its all you may ever get, no matter how hard you work.

I've learned to be loving--with conditions, of course.

I've learned to be submissive--the mark of every "servant."

I've learned to be creative--in ways everyone else, but myself, can imagine.

I've learned to be trustworthy--everyone loves a snitch.

I've learned to be outspoken--quietly.

I've learned to be zealous, I'd like to pair this with enthusiastic. I was so enthused by even a hello.

And I've learned to be giving, with what little time, money, and energy I had.

And that, my friends, was just optimism.