Important! (New blog)

Hey blogging world!
Just popping in to let you know I've switched over to Wordpress! The new address is: mariallouise.com
"Louise" is my middle name, but we spelled it with 2 "l"s because that was the only domain available. Ha!

So, head on over there and subscribe, will ya? I'm trying to be a better blogger....I want to be more "intentional" with my posts and also blog more frequently.

I love my new design SO MUCH. Hannah did it, of course, and she nailed it. Got just what I didn't even know I was looking for. Haha. Funny story: I asked her if she was going to post about designing my blog and she said, "No. I don't post about shady deals with suspicious characters." HAHA. That made me laugh...thought I'd share. :)

Thanks for following me, you guys. I truly appreciate it. Love you, people!
Love,
Maria

Most random post ever posted

Guys, this post is going to be super random. Just letting you know beforehand.

I finally got around to reading a Nicholas Sparks book! It's been on my reading list for the longest time.  Have you guys read any of his books? Let me know what you think of  him, please. :)
I read "A Walk To Remember" on Tuesday aaaand actually wasn't super impressed.  I really wanted to be, but it just wasn't happening for me. Ha! I felt like it was kind of sappy and the character's romance wasn't believable. One thing I did appreciate though, was reading about the place the main character lived. I wasn't aware that Sparks lives here (N.C.) so it was kind of a nice suprise. I'm not a southerner by birth or nature, but I have lived in the south most of my life so little things about it make me roll my eyes and smile. ;)

So sorry if that is one of your favorite books! I guess I'm weird and would rather read a book that has more than just romance in it. I really like action/mystery/adventure/humor/romance all packed together.  Thus, the reason why "Les Miserables" is turning out to be one of my all-time favorite books. I'm almost finished reading it...if I can just stop getting side tracked...

Speaking of getting side tracked, here's my current reading pile. Yeah, I know. And I'm basically a few pages/chapters into each book. (P.S. Like the cover for the top book? Yea? Me too. Yep.)

What has been on your playlist recently? I've been listening to as much of John William's music as possible. I tell you, that man is a genius. I really like the 'Lincoln' soundtrack. It's not overpowering or epic or anything, but it's soft and beautiful. I really enjoy listening to it. (The movie was well done too. :))

So, I'm graduating next year. It's so weird. On the one hand, I feel like it's about time and yet on the other hand, I don't know if I'm there yet! I still feel like I'm 12 sometimes...ha!

I just really love Marion Cotillard's outfit in this photo. Actually, I love all the outfits she wears in the movie. And I really like Joseph Gordon-Levitt. A lot. He's like, my favorite. (Didn't I tell you this would be a random post?)

                                         Ok, it was fun checking in with you guys! I really need to do so more often! XD

                                         Oh, last thing... WHO'S GOING TO SEE THE HOBBIT THIS WEEK?!?!?

musique amour

 "Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent”- Victor Hugo

photo: pinterest via bridal musings

Have you ever wondered what music will be like in heaven? Because heaven is perfect and filled with God's glory, the music must be perfect as well. I wonder what that sounds like. Sometimes I think the music down here couldn't possibly be any better.

photo: pinterest via soyouthinkyoucansee.tumbler.com

"The man that hath no music in himself,
Nor is not moved with concord of sweet sounds,
Is fit for treasons, stratagems and spoils;
The motions of his spirit are dull as night
And his affections dark as Erebus:
Let no such man be trusted. Mark the music." - Shakespeare

books and things

i recently discovered that i actually really like love books. i'm not sure what happened, but one day i woke up and was like:

          (i love memes. i go to the "humor" page on pinterest and laugh at these like an idiot. it's fun)

anyway, i'm currently reading "Les Miserables" by Victor Hugo. it took a while for me to really get into it, but once i got past book 2, i couldn't stop reading. in fact, i'm not sure why i'm sitting here blogging instead of reading. oh wait, it's because i care about you guys. yep, that's it.

i picked "Les Mis" to read because, one, it's a classic and two, THE MOVIE IS COMING OUT ON CHRISTMAS DAY AND RUSSELL CROWE IS IN IT AND I'M SO EXCITED...CAN YOU TELL?!?!?!
i'm just really excited, ok? i love music. i love movies. and, i love books. Les Miserables is all those things packed into one potentiality beautiful, amazing, epic package with some of my favorite actors. because you know, i'm a big fan of Russell Crowe and everyone else. and please don't get me started on Amanda Seyfried... i just love that girl! if you haven't seen the trailer, here 

so, hopefully the movie will be good. judging by the trailer, i'm pretty sure it will be. i mean, it won't be as good as the book, but it is a movie so, that's just kind of a given here.

oh, do you like my penguin socks?  i think they're crazy, which to me means awesome.

 






happy weekend, you guys! here's some advice: cozy up with a big, soft blanket, drink coffee, gaze out the window and drink in all that Autumn beauty and listen to Josh Groban. yes, yes. ;)

heroes that are super

lets just take a moment and talk about superheroes because they are...well, super. my favorite superhero of all time is Batman, but he is too fantastic to mention in this post. he might make all these other guys look almost silly, and that wouldn't be fair, would it?

so last week i finally saw "The Avengers" and, of course, i loved it. my favorite avenger? Thor. why? He is such a rock star.

                       
 I mean, he literally fights like a rock star. my favorite thing about Thor though, besides his sweet, and yet masculine personality, is his hair. seriously. long hair is has been my favorite from ever since i can remember. to me, it is SO manly.
 it seemed like in "The Avengers", Thor just kept getting smashed and/or left out. ha! (Poor guy)

my other favorite avenger is Iron Man. who doesn't like him, anyway? he has all the best quotes in the movie. i can't even tell you. just go watch the movie.

call me old-fashioned, (get it?!?) but captain America will always have a little spot in my heart. his hair is short, yes, but i still think he is great. he is just a sweetheart...in a manly way. plus he is just a good, clean man and that is quite admirable.
also, CAPTAIN AMERICA FOR PRESIDENT.

ok, that's really all. thanks for taking the time to read a goofy post about superheroes. now you should go watch the avengers... ha! ;)

will you pray with me?

I'm sitting here waiting for my iPod to finish updating ios6. (I'm kind of impatient. Ha!) i figured now would be a good time to write about something that's been on my heart recently.

the other day i found out that my friend, whom i love very much, (who had previously made a statement of faith in Christ) is not a true believer. my friend told me this and expressed a feeling of uncertainty about Christianity and God, explaining they wanted to believe it for themselves--not just pretend. on the one hand, i'm thankful that they are being honest. i'd so much rather have one be in admittance about their unsaved state, than just go with the flow pretending to be a christian. on the other hand though, my heart is broken. i've know this person for most of my life. for almost half of their life, they've said they were saved.

this is not the first time i've seen someone turn away from the path of Christ.  i've know individuals who i have looked up to as godly examples who end up cheating on their spouse and being unrepentant.
no matter how many times i see this, my heart hurts just the same. how could one know of the truth of Christ and His work on the cross and not be broken inside and moved to repentance by it? how could one's heart not be filled with love for THE One who gave His life for us? i don't understand. i'm thankful i don't understand. it is only because of Christ that i don't understand not loving Him. it's because of Christ i have love, true love in my heart. i'm not better than these people. i'm not less of a sinner. it's only by His grace that my eyes and heart were opened to the saving knowledge of Jesus and the joy He brings.

so how do i handle myself around my friend? i feel like i need to use all my time witnessing to this person. i don't know why people spend their time watching movies, reading books or even just eating while something so serious, so deep is going on in my friend's heart. i have to remember that this person's salvation is not up to me. i am called to be a witness and spread the gospel, but it's God who saves! i'm supposed to witness to others for God's glory. He will work His perfect and sovereign plan.

in the meantime, i tell my friend about Jesus. i love him. i pray for grace that i will be a good witness. i pray for patience and humility. i pray God will save my friend. will you pray with me?


Romans 10:17 "...So then faith comes through hearing and hearing through the word of God."

a story of grace

When I was 7 years old, I had a nightmare I'll never forget. I woke up sweating and shaking. I can still remember the feeling of uncertainty that pulled me into a deep sense of fear. The nightmare I had woken up from involved two close relatives of our family who had both passed on; one just after I was born, the other only a few months ago. To the best of my knowledge, neither of them had known Christ. In my dream, these two relatives were pleading with me to be ready and know where I would spend my eternity. I was so frightened by this. Death in any form had always scared me, so I'd never put much thought into my own future death. It was that night I realized that someday, for sure and certain, I was going to die. I knew where I wanted to go, but deep inside I knew I wouldn't get there.
Ever since I can remember, my parents have been faithful to teach me and my siblings about Christ and what He did on the cross. I knew about God. I knew Jesus died for people's sins. I knew it, but I had yet to come to understand it. It wasn't alive in my heart; I didn't believe.
Sitting there in my bed I was fearing death, yearning for hope and aching within my soul for certainty. I saw my need for Christ. I was a sinner in need of His grace. God then brought to my mind Acts 16:31 which says, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved." In Acts 16, Paul was taking to the jailer who wanted to be saved. Those words meant the same thing that night in my bed as they did to the jailer so long ago. Jesus opened my eyes that night and saved me. I had found what I was searching for all along, wether I'd known I was searching or not. The Lord didn't have to reveal Himself to me...I didn't (and still don't) deserve salvation, but He chose to grant it to me.
Ever since He adopted me into His family 9 years ago, He has always, always been by my side loving me, teaching me, guiding me and being a faithful and gracious Savior. I want to live my life to honor Him. He is beautiful. He is my everything. I love Him and strive to love Him more everyday in word, deed and heart. Psalm 34:8


P.S. Dear people, I know I promised you guys more pictures of our trip and I will post those, but it's just been on my heart to write out my testimony. Thanks for taking the time to read it; I hope it wasn't too painful for you. I know I'm not the best writer, as I've mentioned before...*cringes*. Haha ;)