Thursday, June 28, 2012

Unplug


I sort of fell head over into the new Season without anytime whatsoever to sit down and gather my thoughts about everything that has happened in the last couple of weeks (and I haven't even shared it with you yet).
But tomorrow marks the day of 11 days of vacation. I am flying out to Chicago to my friend's wedding. I am so excited to leave and plan on completely unplugging from everything. No emails, no blogs, no facebook or the like.
I cannot wait to go on this adventure and explore a new place and see new things and meet new people. Those are the things that fuel my creativity. For me to get away from everything for a few days helps me stay on track.
So, this is good-bye for a while now but you can look forward to many pictures and details about my time in Chicago.

xoxo

Ramona

PS: picture taken with my instagram (@ramonasebald)

Monday, June 25, 2012

The First Weekend of Summer

It is the start of a new season and it happened so fast I didn't even have the chance to linger around Spring a little bit longer, savour the momens and experiences and the new beginnings of the past three months.
Time seems to be passing so fast these days and I am traveling from one Wedding weekend to another. I have three weddings behind me already and three still before me.

But this past weekend was filled with some great summerly moments like sitting by the fire; and everybody who knows me a bit knows my love for fire. Also we swam in the Rhine River on Sunday, something I have never done before and sat by the fire in our bathing suits - also something I have always wanted to do. It's just that thing you would imagine doing in the summer. Swimming, sitting by the fire and time with friends. All of these combined and you create some great memories.
So here's to the beginning of Summer and a season of warmth in my life.

xoxo

Ramona

Friday, June 22, 2012

Quote of the Day

“Even
After
All this time
The Sun never says to the Earth,

"You owe me."

Look
What happens
With a love like that,
It lights the whole sky.”


- Hafez

xoxo

Ramona

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Issues of the Heart Part II


Last week I started talking about the heart... again. I think there is almost not one day recently where I don't ponder about the heart in one or the other way.
And today I want to do the second part of what I started last week.
There are seasons in our lives where our hearts get troubled, where we deal with stuff in our lives but it is up to us to not let that define our lives but know that it is only for a while.
I wrote about the importance to run to God, to have God ordained friendships and to not underestimate the power of the local church. All three of which I believe are essential and crucial in dealing with the heart issues.
But those are also the things that will be most under attack when we go through those seasons. Yet I want to talk today about four things that will help us come through what we're going through and will give you my thoughts on them:

"And I will be your Father, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.
Because we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete holiness because we fear God. Please open your hearts to us. We have not done wrong to anyone, nor led anyone astray, nor taken advantage of anyone. I’m not saying this to condemn you. I said before that you are in our hearts, and we live or die together with you. I have the highest confidence in you, and I take great pride in you. You have greatly encouraged me and made me happy despite all our troubles."
(2. Corinthians 6:18, 7:1-4)

1. Keep a clean heart
Make sure that whatever you are going through to keep a clean heart ("...let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body and spirit."). If somebody hurt you don't go out talking bad stuff about them. Make sure that from your side of the perspective you keep things clean and holy. I find that in those times we go through things the best way to get over it is to allow the Lord deeply into our heart, clean out all the bitterness, despair and hurt and bring His light into our hearts to heal and restore what has been broken.

2. Keep an open heart
This one is so important. It happens so easily in those times our heart is troubled to just shut it down, build a wall and be hardened. But I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to keep an open heart ("Please open your hearts to us."). Yes we are still risking being hurt again but we are also making our lives bigger and following the promises the Lord has for us. Open your heart and be open to the road He is leading you on. I wrote more on that subject a few weeks ago here.

3. Keep a loyal heart
I am in fact a very loyal person when it comes to the friendships in my life and I think it is sooo important to stay loyal especially with the God ordained people in your life ("I said before that you are in our hearts, and we live or die together with you."). Even if you are going through rough times together with them. Do not allow any bitterness to come between the friendships. Be loyal to them and be loyal to your church family as well.

4. Keep a teachable heart
I believe that whatever we go through or whatever the issues might be it is very important to stay teachable because when you do you keep staying soft and open to change. And God will put people into your life to speak right into your life and point out those things to work through. Stay teachable because it will allow you to come out on the other side of the tunnel a better and stronger person.

To close this off I just want to encourage you that whatever it is you are going through don't let it define you, but work through it. Keep your heart clean and open, stay loyal and teachable and know that the Lord will always be with you and carry you through it all.

xoxo

Ramona

picture via because trees grow around their wounds and keep reaching for the light.

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Thursday Tunes

The following song is one which expresses my deepest feelings and love for God. We sang it last week in you(th) and I don't think it ever spoke to me this much as last week.
So I spare you with more words and let the music do the speaking:



Music Playlist at MixPod.com

Take all of me
You broke the night like the sun
And healed my heart with Your great love
Any trouble I couldn't bear
You lifted me upon Your shoulders

Love that's stronger
Love that covers sin
And takes the weight of the world

I love You
All of my hope is in You
Jesus Christ take my life
Take all of me

You stand on mountain tops with me
With You i walk through the valleys
You gave Your only Son for me
Your grace is all I rely on

I love You so, and I give up my heart to say
I need You so, my everything


xoxo

Ramona 

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Issues of the Heart Part 1

Spring so far has really been about the Heart. Following your heart, allowing it to heal and carrying it in the palm of your hand.
So as I listened to Brian Houston's message about "Only for a while" I knew I had to share some things with you. The message basically is about the issues of the heart and how those issues determine the issues in our lives. How the two are inseparable.
I want to do this in two parts and then add it to my Inspirational Thoughts.

"When we arrived in Macedonia, there was no rest for us. We faced conflict from every direction, with battles on the outside and fear on the inside. But God, who encourages those who are discouraged, encouraged us by the arrival of Titus. His presence was a joy, but so was the news he brought of the encouragement he received from you."
(2. Corinthians 7: 5-7)

There are times in our lives when we face conflicts, where our hearts are troubled and we struggle. It is very human. It might me heartbreak, issues at work, issues with friends.
But how we deal with it and how we look at it is crucial. Is this issue going to determine the rest of our lives or is it only for a little while? Are we going to work through those things or are we letting those things define who we are?

In the message I listened to, Brian Houston talked about three things which are important when it comes to dealing with issues of the heart and I want to share my thoughts on each of them:

1. Run to God
When faced with issues like a heartbreak, losing friends, having lost a relative it is absolutely crucial that we first run to God ("But God, who encourages those who are discouraged..."). He will give us comfort and joy in times of sadness and grief. He will lift our spirit and will calm our storms inside.
I have experienced this every single time I had to work through stuff. Every time I did praise and worship my heart felt lighter. Every time I spent time with the Lord, even just lying on the floor crying He would sooth my spirit and give me rest.

2. God ordained relationships
Do not underestimate the importance of God given friendships ("...encouraged us by the arrival of Titus. His presence was a joy..."). This could be a mentor, a good friend, people on the other side of the globe who you trust. God puts people strategically in our lives. Do you have God relationships? People who will speak life and encouragement? People who will just be there with you through the hard times?
I know who my God-ordained friends are. I know who I can call in the middle of the night crying.
Find out who these people are in your life.

3. Church family
We all belong to the Body of Christ. His Church. But do you belong to a local church family. A church that you are part of? It is not only sitting under the Word every Sunday, but it is church life. Building, encouraging, serving and growing together. Never underestimate the power of a church family in your life ("... but so was the news he brought of the encouragement he received from you."). Your connect group. Your youth group. Whatever you are part of. Get yourself involved. Stay close. The encouragement will come.
I basically grew up in a church at it was always the place I would feel safest when going through hard times.

At the end here I just want to encourage you. If you are going through some rough times with heart issues and you don't know when it is going to end or when the pain will stop. Know that it is only for a while. Have the attitude of an overcomer and trust the Lord that He will bring you through it and that you will in fact see the end of the tunnel. Run to him, allow those God ordained people to speak into your life and stay close to your church family.

xoxo

Ramona

PS: The plant in the picture is my plant of hope. It had died this Winter because of the cold. And when I cut everything off I could see that new life had already come forth at the end of this Winter. It is now growing and flourishing again.

Friday, June 8, 2012

Cease the Day

Yesterday I spent the day with two of my amazing artist friends. I had stayed over night so there was lots of talking, eating and dreaming. Yesterday we all just slept in and had a big breakfast with pancakes, bacon and eggs and strawberries. More talking. More dreaming. More looking into the future as we all embark on new adventures and get ready for new seasons in our lives.
After breakfast we went to Alyssa's art studio to paint a little. Well, they painted and I read a book to them. It was one of those perfect days where you loose track of time and place. You just live, enjoy the moment. It is exactly what happens with great friends. You just do life together. You challenge and encourage each other. You dream together and you don't necessarily need to do that much but rather just be.
I will miss them dearly as the three of us will be seperated after this summer.
Here's to a day ceased. A day of freedom. A day of community. A day of dreams.


xoxo

Ramona

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

A Weekend in Austria

As some of you might know part of my family is Austrian. And you might think Austria is really close and it is but my family lives far east of Austria in a beautiful wine region so it takes about 11 hours to drive there. Anyways I love my family there and the times spent there are always special and relaxing and it is just good to be with family.
I don't get to see them all too often so I try to savor every moment I'm with them. This past weekend my oldest cousin got married and it was the most cultural wedding I have ever been to. There was so much baking and making and preparing that it turned out to be a really beautiful wedding. And at the core of if two people in love made a covenant to spend the rest of their lives together.

xoxo

Ramona

PS:  Sadly my SD card is broken so all the photos are taken with my iphone and edited with Photo Effect Studio. You can also follow my instagram @ramonasebald

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