7.30.2012

The End of a Beginning


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A girl walked down the streets of Nashville that evening, a scarf wrapped tightly around her neck and her hands placed in her coat. It was the same street's she had walked last year this time...yet then she was not alone.

Finally she found an empty bench and opened up her jounral where she sometimes wrote down dreams that came and went. In her simple seventeen year old hand-writing she wrote : Perhaps this is the beginning of the end. She then looked up at the busy street and a tear crawled down her face.

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One month later she was dressed in simply a t-shirt and gym shorts, sitting at the cafe', pretending to read, and playing an epic game of people watching. She could not explain the weight of the world on her heart that night as the sun was going down. It was her last night in the city, the beautiful city of her dreams she had lived in for so long.

Packing up her book, she escaped outside and walked for a bit and down to the shore. The cold November waves crashed against her legs and for the first time she burst into tears. She thought of leaving the place she loved so much, the friend she lost so young, the horror's she saw as a child, the boy who had torn apart her heart without even knowing it. Nothing in the world was right that night. . No one was there to feel her pain, no one knew the tears fell so hard.

That's when she felt it again. This was the beginning of an end. Perhaps, this was the end.

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Many months later, the same girl starred out onto the beach. The sun had set long ago and it seemed if it was ready to rise again. She walked down to the water, waves crashing her legs once more. It reminded her of a night in November long ago. Except that was a different beach, in a different place. But still the same worries--and more--haunted her heart.

Yet that's when she reminded herself why she was here on these distant shores. She remembered what she was fighting for. Through the tears and the pain she was still fighting. Perhaps these moments were her battle scars. There was so much uncertainty in the air but never would she give up.

A smile spread across her face.

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A month later she was driving down the road as she admired the beautiful mountains around her. Finally she was on her way to a place she would call home. She turned on the radio and listened for a while on and off and finally turned off. The rest of the drive was silent. But it was a beautiful silence.

She had moved on, but could never forget the moments that had so changed who she was. A question floated in her head, "What am I fighting for?"

A big truck drove by. She just glanced at it to see someone had scribbled "Jesus" on the side in mud. "That is what I fighting for," She whispered.

This was not the end. But it was the end of a chapter...the first and sad beginning was over. It was the end of the beginning.

The End (not really).

Note: This was just a little ramble I put together about my life. It's not very good, I'm not a great writer, but it's something that tugs at my heart strings....smiles, maya.

7.28.2012

Miss you, Germany

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When taking my adventure this year to spread the gospel, I spent a lot of time in Germany. I miss Germany. It was like a hidden treasure of a place for me. A place I never really thought much about. Germany brought so much evil about in World War 2 I never thought I'd ever like to visit. But the moment I saw those red tin roof's from the airplane window I knew I'd leave a piece of my heart there forever. It's a funny thing how you leave bits of you places. A part of my still is there. I can still remember sitting in a little cafe' with my two best friends and watching people go by, thinking that that moment would never end. But it did. All moments have ends. But if it is God's will, I hope to go back one day and see beautiful Germany and talk to the people there I miss so much once more.

I miss you, Germany.

7.27.2012

Seeking Inspiration

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Me seeking inspiration from photographs for life and blogging. Yes, I realize most of them are food. Food is plain inspiring. So are vintage photographs. I've been collecting these, saving them to my computer when nessicary and plain enjoying looking at them. Now, I feel inspired.

Smiles, Maya

P.S.  Leo (my cat) is beside me on the bed and meow's. He saids hi to ya'll.

7.26.2012

I dropped off the face of the earth and I'm coming back

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Yep.

It happened. I knew it would it at some point, somehow. But I never expected it would so soon. I never dreamed that I would actually do it. I pretty much dropped off the face of the earth for a little while. And it was worth it. Taking a huge break from the social world with 30 minutes max on the internet each day made life so much more real. I found some amazing adventures. I could take the time to go on about all the places I've been and what I was I doing but I have decided to start a little fresh. From now on, I will not hold back from telling you just what I've been up to you. But blogging is seriously hard. Because you don't always want to tell people what's going on. But the break has been nice and I think I'm ready to talk again.

So I hope your ready to listen to this rose in bloom.  Because as usually, I have a lot to ramble. But rambling is beautiful.

I'd like to thank the people reading this post. Those who have followed me through me dropping away are truly wonderful followers. I have been feeling discouraged on how to start really blogging again with barely no one reading my blog anymore. For the few left, I really like you guys. Big time. You bring me joy. If you are reading this post do you mind leaving a little comment so I know just how many of you are out there? Thanks!

God's been faithful to me during the past months. He's led me to places and people I never expected to ever be in my life. But I am so glad they are now. God's given me an amazing family, some amazing friends, the best job in the world, and has always never forgotten to fill my soul with beautiful joy.

I can't wait to start blogging regular once more :)

Smiles, Maya

7.23.2012

the normal week of a nanny

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my last week at a glance:

Monday: Played with the kiddos, washed the dishes, and cooked dinner. When the kids were asleep I wrote a bit, and simply took some time to sleep.

Tuesday: Brought the kids to the park, where it was too hot to breathe .My boy stopped by to meet the kids and give me wild flowers. It was a lovely day. We later made homemade ice cream and for dinner I made soup. Win of a day.

Wendsay: We went to the pool and splashed a whole lot. After lunch I put the kdis down for naps and cleaned the house and once again cooked dinner.

Thursday: Spent this day at home and made a few crafts, bust mostly watched movies. During most of this, I did Laundry.

Friday: We went to the neighborhood pool again, and I taught Olivia to swim. That afternoon, during naptime, I did the week's dishes. The family went out for dinner that night so I spent the evening with my boy, having a picnic, then going for starbucks. It was a beautiful way to spend that day.

Saturday: I had the day off so I went to see my bossom friend, Sophie. We went shopping and bought barely anything. Afterwards we took pictures and hung out at the lake. For dinner I met my cousins and we had a lot of fun.

Sunday: I got to go to the best Church in the world, and spent the afternoon at the park, reading. That night I met Liz for ice cream, then we went back to my basement home and watched a movie.

Today is monday once more and we went to the pool, then I worked on some laundry. The kids are napping now. I already love them. I want to pour so much love into them, because they don't have  a mom to do that. In a way, I am their mother now. God is so faithful to give me love and patience for these sweethearts. Fall's going to be so hard when they leave me for half the day for school.

Hope you enjoyed this re-cap of my week.

Smiles,
Maya

P.S. The giveaway is closed and I have emailed the winner.

7.19.2012

I miss it here

I'm not on pinterest, twitter, facebook, or anything anymore. I still have accounts I just don't have the time to update them. Actually blogging is becoming something I do less and less.

Taking care of three kiddos and cleaning the house takes up most of the time. The thing I seem to least want to do is type here.

Also I am pursuing a courtship right now. It's not offically offical but it's about time and guy and I have decided to share our feelings with each other and pray about pursuing a relationship. He's an amazing guy in love with the Lord, with an amzing family who also loves Jesus. We've decided, if we do decided to start a relationship, the old courtship way is best. Purity, parent's advice, and it only coming if we are sure we want this to lead to marriage is involved. I am so thrilled and God is so faithful. We'll see...

I'm not giving up blogging yet. I think eventually when I get used it all I'll be on here more. But sometimes life is easier to live then share. I love writing and blogging is a great way to do it...but writing personal letters and jounalling are some of the only writing I seem to have time for.

I'm still alive and I should blog more but I apologize for not being there everyday to share.

Right now I'm going to bed and about to call my boy. Exciting times in the wind, here.

7.18.2012

summer giveaway

You know me, I really don't like giveaway's too much but I've decided to have one for you! I jut felt like it's time for a great giveaway to thank all my followers for following for so long. Have you looked around the place lately? If you haven't nodiced, I got a new blog design. Ryan Gracie did it for me and she is an amazing graphic designer. She agreed to sponser this giveway!

Ryan Gracie Designs
                                         
That means one of you reading this post will win a blog design from Ryan, usually costing $ 30! This package includes:

-custom header
                                                  
-custom fonts      

-color scheme                                                                                                                  

-custom tabs

-about me customized gadget                                                                                         

-social media buttons

-custom links

-blog button

-favicon

-installation
 
Entries:
To enter, follow this blog and comment below that you'd like to be entered. That's really all. I will be emailing the winner of the giveaway next monday. Have fun, entering!
 
Smiles, Maya
 

7.14.2012

chapter next...

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So much has happened over the summer I thought it would be best to give you all a little up-date. As you probably last heard I was planning on being a nanny for a family who would give me lanuage lessons. Well...it is a long story but those plans did not work out. At first, after some tears, I felt so uncertain and lost. Where did the Lord want me? I was so sure this was His plan right now. Meanwhile I was reciveving all this news while stuck in Germany, not where I was supposed to be. So I prayed and prayed. Somewhere out there, the Lord had a plan. I started looking once more at college options but everything with that I had tossed out months ago. I felt hopeless. That day I re-sent my email saying I was looking for a nanny job. Two hours later I got a response from someone saying they knew a friend in search.

 Later that day I got a email:

Dear Miss Moore,
My wife passed away last month and we are in need of a nanny/housekeeper. If you are still looking, me and my three kids have a basement you can live in. You'd watch the kids all the day, clean the house while they are at school, and cook meals for us. My kids are 8, 6, and 2. We can talk more, but please email me back if that might work.

Immediately I knew this was the right way to go. I responded back yes. They wanted me to come as soon as possible so I packed everything I had into two suitcases and a backpack. The rest I sold or gave away. I rode a bus down to their house in Tennessee, where the other family I was going to nanny for lives, and am happily settling in tonight. Peter, Olivia, and Josh are the cutest kids ever and I am the happiest nanny who ever was. Work starts monday and I just can't wait.

My plans are ever-changing but this is the place I belong now. During everything God has been faithful and he will be again! This is the mission I am to take on right now and I am so thrilled about it. Not exactly what I thought I would be doing but it's what the Lord wants me to do. I can't wait to help these children learn more about Jesus and serve their family.

I can't wait to see what the Lord is going to do in this next chapter of my blooming story.

7.13.2012

Perfection

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Just something to cheer you up today.

xoxoxox, Maya

7.12.2012

all grown up

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My whole childhood all I ever wanted was to grow up, to be old, to be big. To be all grown up. I thought being 16 was the best thing ever. When I was 10 I thought I was really old and smart and thought everyone younger was so so young. When I was 14 I thought I was so young, finally a teenager but still had so much time to grow.When I was 16 I was sure I was all grown up, so smart. And just could not wait to turn 18 and finally be an adult.Now being 18 all I feel is young again. I wish I was still 14.  Growing up is frightning. Suddenly there are choices to make. Suddenly I am grown up. Simply now I feel like a baby learning to walk.That's why I need God more than ever it seems. In Him I can be a child, with childlike faith. Because all I want is to now never grow up.

I never want to be all grown up.

7.11.2012

culture+traditions

There is something about culture that I think defines a place. When you think of a place you think of it's culture. Culture can easily be lost in stero-types. Culture changes but some should not.
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Some culture I think can get mixed up with wickedness. How? Well things the bible does not address such as media can be confused at wicked but they are just a part of our culture today. Just as some things in the bible don't apply today because they are no longer a part of every day culture.  We can think modern things such as clothes, ways to court, marriage, and so on are bad things when they are simply changes in the culture.

Some culture and traditions should stay. We should never forget good american culture, and for me good south traditions. While they seem old fashioned I'd do anything for an good old corn husking, where we dance over quilts in the barn, and have my first kiss over a red-eared corn.

The more I visit other places the more I love American culture. The old west, the first settlements, from sea to shining sea don't ever say America doesnt have any culture. Sure we're not the best country when it comes to some stuff but we have good culture I don't want to forget.

A personal favorite time to celebrate is the 20th century. Good ol' 50 fashion is something I drool over. The culture back then was amazing. Take me there and I'd love to bicycle down the street to go jitter-bug with my boy. But that's my hopeless romantic mind right there.

Culture is a good thing, so let's not confuse it or lose it.

7.09.2012

the mission (part two)

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I'm home, I'm home, I'm home.

For now at least.

I'm finally with my family. I've been on a mission trip to europle that went nothing as I planned but it was perfect and the Lord was faithful. He's taught me so much and challenged me greatly. In a way he woke me up to the levels of His greatness and opened my eyes to so many things.

I'm moving next week so please pray for me. I'm tired and just want to be with my family for this last week at home with them.

I hope all of you enjoyed the guest posts...I loved them myself!!

With all the Lords taught me and so much change in my life I've decided to change this blog around a little bit. I've deleted some posts and I'm going to have a new design.I'll be posting more regular and so on.

Thanks for those who have stayed with me through so much. You guys rock.

7.05.2012

a little list for summer | a guestpost by Marcia

1. sleep under the stars - this is crucial for summer okay? honestly. or if you live in a place that is not-so-awesome for sleeping outdoors, stargaze with a friend: it's the next best thing.

2. pick wildflowers and put in a mason jar for a cute bouquet to add to your lunch table - can you say cute?

3. try free-lensing - freelensing is so much fun, it is something totally different from just shooting photos.. [and yes, I will admit the photo below is the best attempt I had at freelensing] note to self: try that again. 

4. eat lots and lots of fresh fruit and veggies - fresh fruit and veggies are made for summer. 

5. take evening walks - evening walks are some of my favorite ways to get inspired

6. be still - [Psalm 46:10] slow down and take time just to listen

7. make something off of pintrest - you know, that board you have {diy, crafting, things I want to try} make something off of it! And hey, you could even take your craft outside, so you still get some sunshine!


8.  paint your nails -  I love trying new things with nail polish. add glitter, stripes, tips and polka dots. [hint: pintrest :)]




what is your favorite thing to do in the summer?




  >>---------------------->  ♥ <----------------------<<
>>Hello! I'm Marcia {mar-C-a}... a follower of Jesus, dreamer, obsessed quote collector, lover of vintage things, photographer, coffee and tea lover, and Anne of Green Gables type of girl....
  I blog over at Enchanted Musings about random musings, Jesus, photography, my favorite things, and my wonderful {crazy} life.
>>---------------------->  ♥ <----------------------<<

7.03.2012

Fashion, Flounces and Frills

Hello lovelies!!

So happy to be guest posting for Maya again:)  Thank you so much for letting me, dear! <3  We all hope and pray that you are having a safe, fun, and blessed time on your trip... Can't wait to hear all about it when you return!

So today, I felt like doing a very...fun post.  If any guys are reading this, you'll probably want to just x-out of this page right now, cuz...unless you happy to like love fashion, flounces and frills then...you will most likely not like this post ;)

I was having one of my super-girlie, all about dresses and pretty things moods today.  Maybe it was because of all the time I spent on Pinterest... ::guilty face:: Well, whatever it was, it got me wanting to do a post to share some of my finds!  And, I thought, what better place to do it than in a guest post on Efflorescene? ;)  So...here it goes, dears!

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I thought it would be fairly appropriate to begin this post with a picture of someone Maya really loves ;)
Taylor Swift
Modeling in her advertisement for her own perfume line, Wonderstruck.
Just look at that dress...
amazing.

I love the simple, elegant beauty of this dress...the whole photo, really. 
It looks like such a perfect dress to dance in.

Oh my goodness gracious!  I don't even know where I would wear this dress to, but...I would love to just be able to own it.
I love the sparkles on the one underlayer.

This dress is simple, unique and elegant.  I love the red sash.

This dress looks like it was made in layers...and then cut.  Or at least, part of it was.  I'm not a huge fan of the pale pink color.  I don't think I would ever wear a dress style like this...but I love the bottom half of it...oh and that bow at her waist.

 I love this outfit.  From the blouse...to the cardigan...to the jeans...to the necklace...

What an interesting photo, eh?  But I love the splash of yellow that her skirt gives to it...and also the very uniqueness of having swans - especially inside a house.  I love the low back of the top.  And the skirt reminds me of feathers.  The lighting is beautiful too.

Cute and ruffly.

Fairy skirt

Feminine

I love the soft look of this blouse...the color...the sleeves...the buttons...

Wow.  Her hair...the dress...the light...

Girlie...frills... <3

 And ending with...my dream dress ^ 
Yes, people, I am determined that someday, one day...I will own this.

 So now that I have all of you drooling over all these pretty dresses, I would just like to say thank you for taking the time to read this post ;)  Not much of a read, I guess.  More of a look-see, these-are-beautiful, I-wish-that-was-mine list of clothes.  But anyway... ::shrugs:: still hope you enjoyed it.

All photos via Raquel's Pinterest

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Miss Raquel is a lover of words, beautiful photographs, twirly dresses, bowties, Converse, frozen yogurt, all things Western and romantic sayings.  She blogs at God's Daughter, where she writes on a variety of different topics.  Feel free to stop by any time and leaver her a comment!