Are You Suffering?

Dear Friend,

How are you today? No, really. Is everything okay? Are you going through something hard? Well, times can be rough. I can't quite say that I know what you're going through, but I know just as well as anyone what suffering feels like. 

To me, suffering usually feels a lot like nobody understands, that nothing can make things better. Like there is darkness wrapping itself around me and all I can do is let it stay. 

Saying that it is difficult to deal with death, natural disasters, rape, eating disorders, illness, lies, etc. is a major understatement. How are we supposed to look at suffering? How do we explain it? Can we explain it?

People's reactions to your suffering vary depending on what their core beliefs are. They say, "You're going through this because it'll make you stronger in the end." Or, "Don't worry, it'll work out later." Sometimes an "It's okay" even when things are clearly not okay.

And then there's the Bible. 

Paul says that he rejoices in suffering (Romans 5).

The other night at Bible study, we were taking a look at John 11, which is the account of Lazarus. 

Lazarus had been dead for four days when Jesus came. There was weeping on this day because in Jewish tradition, four days after someone's passing signified that his/her soul had passed to the next life. Can you relate to the grief? Knowing that a loved one is gone forever... I think that this kind of sadness is, in a sense, greater than if I had died in the other person's place.

Why would Jesus allow Lazarus to die? He had loved him--why would he allow the death to occur and allow the suffering to happen?

Could it be that he allowed Lazarus to die so that he could raise him from the dead?

God's Word tells us that his glory is manifested through our weaknesses. The suffering that we go through--his glory can shine brighter and stronger than all of it.

God's love is essential to human life, and that is why our lowest points can sometimes be the most important points of our lives, because those moments are when we experience the greatest potential for letting his love shine through.

Take care,
-Riley XO

Image from Quorri Scharmyn

Secrets of Truly Happy People

Hello there, how are you today? To be honest, I was having a really crummy day today, which just reminded me of all the other times that I've had crummy days. (Which of course made my day even worse.) Without even realizing it, I had put myself in a perpetual cycle that was making me sadder and sadder.

I started to think about the last time I had experienced an extended period of grief, which was last spring. I can't say that it was or will be the worst time I've ever gone through, but I do remember what got me through it. As silly as it may seem, it was this video:

  

I hope you find the words profound and inspiring for you to live your life to the fullest and to find happiness no matter what your situation is. Save this for a rainy day, because guys this is has brightened my day several times already :)

Take care,
-Riley XO

Top 5 Tips for Sticking to Those Resolutions

Happy New Year! I know I haven't blogged in a while, but with the holidays and personal things I didn't find as much time this winter break to write. I'm sure you guys understand though! It feels great to be back and I have some new ideas for this blog that came with the new year so I look forward to writing to you guys again.

So, I am one of the people who like making resolutions (whether it is a new year or not) because setting goals for myself and being able to see progress towards them helps give me a sense of fulfillment or accomplishment. When my cousin gave me a weekly planner last year for Christmas, my resolution(s) for 2013 was to use it (and to get to college in one piece). Journaling was something I'd stopped since I started blogging and writing stories, but the planner was a good way for me to reflect on my day. So every night, I'd take 5 minutes out to calm down and jot down little events of what had occurred and give thanks for the blessings I had in my life. It didn't seem like an exciting resolution when I made it, but it turned out to make a big difference in my life.

This year, I have quite a few more resolutions:

• Make YouTube videos. [I've been wanting to do this one for three months now, and I'd tried to get started by reading The Little Prince last November. Then I realized that I don't like reading out loud and wanted to find something more, well, me. So I'm going to start with simple vlogs about my life and see if I have time to sit down and make fancier videos in the future.]
• Crochet many hats. 
• Do more community service.
• Start the "Dear Friend" posts on this blog.

What are your resolutions for 2014? Tell me about them in the comments below!

If you don't have a resolution, here is a video that might help you find one:

It seems like many people often set great goals but then end up abandoning them before springtime even comes. But this is the year to succeed! Here are some tips to help you keep on track for your goals of the year.

1. Make it interesting. A common resolution that people set is to go to the gym more. And although this is a really good goal, people still fail to keep going to the gym steadily through the year. So, instead of resolving to just "be more active," try telling yourself instead that you resolve to run a marathon (a little more than 26 miles) by the end of the year or even by the summer of next, or perhaps to learn a new sport. Each of these resolutions involve doing a lot of the same things (eating healthier, cardio and strength training, etc.) but learning how to dance would be a lot easier to do because it's fresh, interesting, and new.
2. Remind yourself how it benefits you. Think of your resolution as a gift to yourself. Sometimes in the short run, it might be difficult to keep going toward your goal, but the benefits are mostly long-term. So think of those long-term benefits!
3. Track your progress. Use a calendar to highlight the successes and failures that may come with your resolution. This way, you can be aware of all the progress you've made.
4. Don't give up when you fail. Remember that there are 365 days in a year--so don't let one day of missing out affect the entire year. If you don't have time today, just remember that tomorrow is a new day.
5. Get some friends involved. Tell your friends about your resolution and give them updates every now and then of how things are going so that you'll have their support. Things are a lot harder to do when you're on your own, so get others involved and enjoy the process that comes with your resolution.

I hope you enjoyed this overdue post and will see you next week!

Take care,

-Riley XO

A Student's Prayer for Finals Week

Hello there, happy Tuesday! So around the time for midterms this semester, I posted A Student's Prayer from St. Thomas Aquinas. Today, I'm writing this prayer that this week will go well for all of us college students. Good luck on your tests, and merry Christmas!

Dear God,

Thank you for this semester. It has been a long one, at times challenging and draining, and at other times full of discovery and joy. We rejoice in the difficulties that you have presented us with, for they are contributing to our growth, mentally, emotionally, or physically. 

Thank you for the new relationships we have formed in these past months, for placing people in our lives to help us along the way. And thank you also for preserving the old, because those relationships are gold.

Please bless the rest of this semester. Help us to see through with our hard work. Give us motivation to study efficiently and constructively, and give us wisdom as we sit down to take tests and write papers. 

Please help us remember that our grades do not determine our worth as people, as important as they are, and help us maintain our joy in learning and energy for doing good will.

Amen.

And remember:

articles.elitefis.com

Take care,
-Riley XO

THE HOLIDAY SEASON IS UPON US!

Hello everyone. It has been such a busy time of year as for many university students it is finals week. I can't say that I'm in a spot worse than anyone else's, but my university practically disregards the meaning of dead week. Long story short, I had a unit exam in Gen Chem this last Friday. But on the plus side, I actually did have a productive dead week and am looking at a pretty easy finals week as far as finals week goes, so that's cool.

That being said, was anyone else blindsided by the holiday season?

I am from Colorado, so I'm used to seeing snow for a solid month before Thanksgiving. But here at school we've only had a sheet-thin snow one time last November. For a while, it really just felt like it was pretty much the same speal of college, just getting colder. Then suddenly, I went home for Thanksgiving. And then suddenly, there were two weeks left in the semester!

Anyway, although finals week is at the absolute forefront of my mind, the magic of Christmas is settling in too. The university I attend put a great deal of effort into making the campus look absolutely splendiforous. 

Who else out there is a sucker for pretty lights?

And it also snowed today (about 3-4 inches), which made the quick walk for a study break really special. Then, this evening for church, we read Bible verses and sang carols that corresponded to the stories. I'm at that point right now where I don't know if I should say "Good luck on finals" or "Merry Christmas," so for today I'll just have to wish you good luck on finals and a merry Christmas.

Take care,

-Riley XO

P.S. I am making some minor changes to Smiles throughout the rest of this year (so that studying for Calculus will not consume and destroy my life). If you have any feedback, please let me know by shooting me an email or leaving a comment. There will be a new section called "Dear Friend," which I am so excited for, and I'm also planning to update the "About" page (also, what do you guys think of the pictures I'm starting to incorporate?). I know a lot of bloggers say this when they start thinking about New Year's Resolutions, but I'm also going to try posting more too. I'm trying to get into vlogging for fun too, so I guess we'll see what I find time for. Thank you for reading as always--please follow and subscribe!--and I hope that you have a great rest of your day. 

P.P.S. For those of you who may have ever wondered, tree squirrels do not hibernate but ground squirrels do. I saw a squirrel wandering out in the snow today and could not decide if they hibernated a lot and just looked it up two seconds ago.

P.P.P.S. Look at this red squirrel, it's so adorable and fluffy!!

discoverwildlife.com

10 Tips For Studying For Finals

So finals are just around the corner... I had this rude awakening when I realized that it is almost time for Thanksgiving Break--and dead week is right after that!

With that said, it's time to buckle down and start studying hardcore for finals! Is it just me, or is it difficult to find the motivation to study around this time, especially with snow on the ground and the holiday season acting as a wonderful opportunity to make new memories? Well, here are my top ten tips for getting "in the zone" for studying so that you will do your ultimate best and ace those tests!

1. Don't procrastinate! Yeah, you should've seen this one coming. Procrastinating has become such a big problem for me because it is so easy to get distracted. So, the best way to avoid procrastinating is by making schedules and by turning those electronic devices off. Then, it will be easy to focus on the task at hand and be more productive during your study time.
2. Study in different places. Changing up the environment while you study helps keep things interesting. Sitting down in one place mulling over a textbook is something that no one wants to do. I like to do certain tasks in one part of the library, then go to the student center and study another subject, and then go back to a different section of the library. Walking around a little bit is also a nice brain break. 


3. Speaking of breaks, take quick ones every now and then. Don't underestimate the power of your brain--as you probably already know, it's more powerful than computers. If you go for more than two hours studying hard, it'll overheat. To keep your brain from overheating, look up from your notes/readings/textbooks ever fifteen minutes, just up at the ceiling or a poster nearby, and then return to work. It allows your eyes to stay awake because staring at the same thing for an extended period of time can be hypnotic. Then, once every 60-90 minutes, do a quick 5-10-minute-long exercise. Like, 100 pushups or squats, or a Blogilates video would be fun. Avoid going on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, or Reddit on your breaks though, because you don't want a 10-minute break to turn into a 40-minute break!


4. Study alone. You're taking the finals on your own, so you should study alone. Even if you think you work better while with other people, it is beneficial to be independent too so that you can focus on the topics you understand the least. While studying alone, make sure you prioritize by asking: "If I were the professor, what would I be testing my students on?" This encourages active reading and will help you retain the most important information.


5. Study with friends. Sometimes, it's easy to get distracted when you're studying with friends, but if you have friends who are in the same class as you, it's a good idea to work together so that you can spin ideas off each other and quiz each other. Your friends could catch some ideas you may have missed while studying on your own, and when you teach someone else a topic it helps solidify your existing knowledge on the subject. Having a balance between studying independently and collaboratively will maximize the benefits that come with each of these methods.


6. Multitask wisely. It is possible to be productive with other things while studying. Some people can read as they work out on an elliptical. I personally enjoy doing planks while hovering above a book. You could also accomplish a lot while the laundry is going. Listening to light music for some background noise is also helpful for keeping your brain active. But remember that there's a fine line between doing laundry vs. going on Facebook.


7. A quick tip on music: It is best not to listen to music in English while you're working because sometimes the lyrics can interfere with your thoughts. Instrumental music is nice, and I personally enjoy listening to Latino or Korean music. 


8. Find some form of stress relief. Yoga, meditation, exercise, writing, music (instrumental or vocal), or crafts are activities that make the day fun without taking up too much time (only an hour at max!). Remember to take care of yourself and balance the studying with something enjoyable.


9. Make mental check-lists. Keep organized so that you'll have a plan of attack. I usually construct a schedule in my head while I'm walking to/from class and only deviate from it if something important comes up. 


10. Stay positive! Remember why you're in school, and recognize that getting an education is a privilege that a lot of people don't have. Moving forward with a spirit of gratitude always helps brighten the mood. :)

Do you have any study tips you'd like to share? Let me know in the comments below! Good luck with all those tests!

Take care,
-Riley XO